
Firefighters and rescue teams in Canada are now able to practice responding to a fire aboard a vessel with the help of a new marine fire simulator funded by Seaspan Shipyards, the North Vancouver, British Columbia-based company announced July 17.
The Seaspan Responder, a simulator built from shipping containers made to look like a tugboat, is available at the Maplewood Fire and Rescue Centre, the District of North Vancouver Fire & Rescue Services’ new headquarters.
North Shore firefighters will be able to train on the three-story structure, which mimics “the confined space and intricate layout of a multi-story vessel,” and features simulated “interior burn chambers,” such as engine room and kitchen, stairways with hatches and other gas-fired props, the company said.
Seaspan, which invested more than $800,000 for the simulator, is partnering with the District of North Vancouver Fire & Rescue Services on this project, Seaspan Shipyards CEO John McCarthy said.
“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-story ships and vessels,” McCarthy said.