Dec. 4, 2025 – North Vancouver, B.C. – Seaspan Responder will facilitate marine fire response and confined-space rescue training for Seaspan and local fire departments
Seaspan is proud to announce that the Seaspan Responder fire training simulator is now fully operational at the District of North Vancouver’s Maplewood Fire & Rescue Centre, marking a major milestone in strengthening marine firefighting capability and emergency preparedness on the North Shore.
Donated by Seaspan, the Seaspan Responder is a custom-built, three-story tugboat training prop designed to simulate real-world marine fire conditions, including confined spaces, smoke and live fire scenarios.
The structure provides a controlled environment for specialized training and collaboration between Seaspan’s Emergency Response Team (ERT) and municipal fire departments, particularly with District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services (DNVFRS).
Seaspan’s ERT recently completed six weeks of five-day firefighting training sessions at the new simulator, held between July and October. The team is primarily made up of skilled tradespeople from Vancouver Shipyards and is led by Dwayne Higgins, Fire Rescue Lead at Vancouver Shipyards and former Acting Battalion Chief with Vancouver Fire Rescue Services.
“The team is made up entirely of volunteers committed to ensuring the safety of their coworkers,” Higgins said. “Most had no prior firefighting experience, so ongoing training is critical to help all our trades employees feel prepared to safely mitigate potential emergencies.”
68 members have now completed the five-day training course at the Maplewood Fire & Rescue Centre. The sessions covered firefighting fundamentals, including proper use of personal protective equipment such as self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), hose handling, portable fire extinguishers, smoke mitigation, fire containment, thermal imaging cameras (TIC), and boundary cooling.
“Fire size doubles every minute,” Higgins explained. “Our focus is on incipient firefighting — keeping the fire safely at bay in its early stages until the fire department arrives.”
Constructed to resemble a tugboat or other working vessel, the Seaspan Responder features modular compartments that can be reconfigured to simulate different confined-space rescue scenarios. It also includes smoke machines and propane burners in the galley and engine room.
Training is conducted under the supervision of Higgins and instructors from Marine Firefighting Attack Training, a group of retired and active firefighters with decades of experience.
Located within the Maplewood Fire & Rescue Centre — the new headquarters for DNVFRS — the structure will also be available for municipal fire departments to use for marine firefighting and confined-space rescue training.
Seaspan Shipyards and local first responders share a strong, collaborative relationship focused on managing fire risk across Vancouver Shipyards and Vancouver Drydock and improving emergency preparedness along the North Shore’s industrial waterfront.
Thanks to ongoing support from local fire departments, Seaspan has developed a highly trained Emergency Response Team at Vancouver Shipyards. The company has also hosted more than 200 municipal firefighters for shipboard tours, firefighting training and drills, including personnel from DNVFRS, Vancouver Fire Rescue Services, West Vancouver Fire Rescue and North Vancouver City Fire Rescue.
These initiatives stem from Seaspan’s collaboration with DNVFRS and are part of a strategic partnership that includes joint drills involving Seaspan’s ERT, DNVFRS, and other response agencies such as Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCMSAR).
QUOTES
“The Seaspan Responder represents a significant investment in the safety of our employees and our community. By working closely with local fire departments, we’re building on our shared ability to respond effectively to marine and shipyard emergencies and ensuring everyone who works on or around our vessels goes home safely at the end of the day.”
— Nick Williams, Senior Director, Health, Safety and Environment, Seaspan
“The partnership between DNVFRS and Seaspan continues to strengthen community safety through collaboration and innovation — especially in responding to emergencies in the shipbuilding industry. With the leadership of Fire Rescue Lead Dwayne Higgins, the Seaspan Emergency Response Team’s training at the Maplewood Fire Facility, enhanced by the donated Seaspan Responder shipboard prop, ensures our crews are better prepared for real-world marine emergencies.”
— Gunter Kramer, Assistant Fire Chief, Training and Professional Development, DNVFRS
“What has stood out for me about this experience is that everyone involved is giving it their all. Our skilled trades employees are volunteering their time and effort to help keep their coworkers and communities safe. At the same time, we’re building strong collaboration with DNVFRS and other fire departments, fostering a real culture of teamwork when it comes to marine firefighting safety on the North Shore.”
— Dwayne Higgins, Fire Rescue Lead, Seaspan Vancouver Shipyards
PHOTOS
Photos taken by Jesse Winter at Maplewood Fire Centre
ABOUT SEASPAN
Seaspan is a leader in Canada’s ship design, engineering, building and ship repair industry. With modern facilities and a dedicated workforce of about 5,000 people in North Vancouver and Victoria, the company has proven itself to be a trusted and strategic partner on a range of complex projects for both government and the private sector.
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