Empowering the North Shore Industrial Waterfront with Superior Training Tools
In North Vancouver, BC, fire departments across the region are set to benefit from a groundbreaking training facility aimed at elevating the skills of local firefighters. This new marine firefighting simulator is designed to bolster emergency response capabilities for the North Shore Industrial Waterfront.
The simulator’s development was made possible through funding from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. This initiative aligns with Seaspan’s commitments under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), ensuring value and progress in marine emergency preparedness.
The impressive three-storey structure, measuring roughly 17.1 meters in length, 7.3 meters in width, and 7.6 meters in height, is equipped with various interior burn chambers. These include a simulated engine room, kitchen, stairways with hatches, and other gas-fired props, providing a realistic training environment for shipboard firefighting.
Under a shared services agreement, the District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services (DNVFRS), West Vancouver Fire & Rescue, and the City of North Vancouver Fire departments collaborate seamlessly, eliminating jurisdictional borders to enhance fire and rescue operations across North and West Vancouver.
“Seaspan is proud to partner with the District of North Vancouver Fire & Rescue Services to bring the marine fire simulator to the Maplewood Fire and Rescue Centre. Seaspan Shipyards has a long history of supporting emergency services training and engagement initiatives, which is a critical component to improving the safety of marine workers, fire personnel and waterfront businesses. This level of advanced maritime firefighting training will help familiarize responders with commercial vessels and provide the necessary skills and experience to fight fires in multi-storey ships and vessels,” expressed John McCarthy, CEO of Seaspan Shipyards.
Seaspan Shipyards has fostered a strong partnership with local first responders, crucial for managing fire risks within their shipyards. This collaboration has led to the formation of a well-equipped Emergency Response Team and extensive shipboard firefighting training for over 120 regional firefighters. These efforts, including personnel from Vancouver Fire Rescue Services, West Vancouver Fire Rescue, and North Vancouver City Fire Department, are a direct result of the Marine Firefighting Agreement between DNVFRS and Seaspan. Quarterly drills are conducted involving Seaspan’s Emergency Response Team, DNVFRS, and other response agencies like the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCMSAR).
“As a result of the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), the marine industry in Canada is experiencing unprecedented growth. As the sector capitalizes on these new opportunities, we need to also develop new expertise in marine-related emergency response services. The knowledge gained through the training sessions will not only support the ships being developed at Vancouver Shipyards under the NSS, but all vessels transporting through the region, as well as businesses along the industrial waterfront in North Vancouver,” explained Hon. François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.
The new facility will continue to support these joint training exercises, offering local firefighters the chance to work with specialists from the Justice Institute of BC and experiment with the latest marine fire suppression technologies.
“We are grateful for Seaspan’s contribution of the marine firefighting ship simulator to our new Maplewood Fire and Rescue Centre. The District of North Vancouver is a diverse region that requires our firefighters to be prepared for dynamic challenges on land and at sea. This new simulator will enable District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services to continue to be leaders in the field, and to continue to provide District residents and the region with industry-leading emergency services,” said Mike Little, Mayor of the District of North Vancouver.
The simulator, named “Seaspan Responder,” is designed to mimic a tugboat using shipping containers and is located at the Maplewood Fire and Rescue Centre, the new DNVFRS headquarters. It replicates the tight confines and complex layout of a multi-storey vessel, enabling firefighters to practice live fire suppression, smoke handling, and victim rescue in a controlled, realistic setting.
“The new dedicated training facility at the Maplewood Fire and Rescue Centre helps ensure that District of North Vancouver firefighters and our North Shore partners can receive the best training possible. Fire onboard a ship is an exceptionally dangerous situation that requires a unique set of firefighting techniques. Being able to train inside the confined spaces of a simulated ship will provide advanced training to land-based firefighters that doesn’t currently exist in our community,”Mike Danks, Fire Chief for the District of North Vancouver
Accessible to all North Shore firefighters, the simulator also presents opportunities for other municipalities in the greater Vancouver area to use the facility. Additionally, it holds the potential for collaborative training with educational institutions, marine-specific organizations, and emergency response agencies across North America.
By enhancing emergency readiness through realistic training environments, Seaspan is setting a new standard in marine firefighting and ensuring a safer industrial waterfront for the North Shore community.