This info is coming 2nd hand to me but I believe the Steam Ship Authority just puts the trucks on the next available.
The mutual aid plan for Barnstable County (Cape Cod) to either Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard is very detailed. However it was written 15 to 20 years ago and many of the writers have since retired. It collects dust on the shelf! Not really surprising as it’s a low frequency type of occurrence.
The plan is for the Steamship Authority to put the closest ferry underway to either Woods Hole (Martha’s Vineyard) or Hyannis (Nantucket) with all deliberate speed. Being a Saturday in the summer time I’m not sure how that worked out. I can imagine unloading a boat of cars and then putting fire apparatus on would be a logistical nightmare!
There is also a provision to have the US Coast Guard (Air Station Cape Cod) to fly firefighters to the island to relieve the crews (especially Nantucket with limited manpower). I believe they only used boats/ships yesterday. Nantucket had 17 personnel on the scene and they had to “hold the line” for over 2 hours until helped arrived! No much time for rehab with that much fire!
