BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The sounds of metal on ice echo through the Buffalo River as the Edward M. Cotter pushes forward.
Loud banging, water splashing, and chunks of ice breaking apart — this is the reality for the crew aboard the world’s oldest working fireboat.
Captain Michael Kick, who took over command last year, still finds it surreal.
"It's awesome, I’m still pinching myself that I get to be the captain of this boat with all its history," he said.
But today, history takes a backseat to the mission at hand — breaking up the thick ice that threatens to jam the river and cause flooding.
The Cotter is more than just a historic vessel; it’s Buffalo’s main icebreaker. With temperatures rising in the coming days and rain in the forecast, ice jams could lead to dangerous flooding.
"We break the ice so the water can keep flowing," Kick explained. "With warm weather and rain coming, water levels will rise fast. Our job is to clear a path before that happens."
The crew starts their journey upstream, past the Michigan Avenue Bridge, breaking through two feet of solid ice. But it’s not a smooth ride.
"Everybody always says, 'Oh, I want to go out ice-breaking,' but it's a long day," Kick said. "It’s loud. The ice kind of tells you where you’re going. You do a lot of bouncing around."
The process is slow and methodical. The Cotter rams into the ice, backs up, gains momentum and hits it again.
"Most of what we're doing is ramming the ice and splitting it," Kick added. "We'll go until the ice is too thick and it stops us, then we'll back up a couple boat lengths, gun it, and hit it again."
Without the Cotter, Buffalo could face serious flooding. Ice jams can block the river, forcing water over the banks and into neighborhoods.
"We've got a job to do, and there's a definitive reason why we're doing it—to break the ice so that we don't have flooding," Kick said.
Hours later, much of the ice is broken. The Cotter has done its job once again, ensuring that water can flow freely and safely out to Lake Erie.
One push at a time, the Edward M. Cotter keeps Buffalo moving — just as it has for 125 years.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
