CNAV Firebird, the HMC Dockyard fireboat, has been cut back from 24 hour a day manning to a Monday to Friday daytime operation. Belt tightening in navy operations is cited for the change. In addition to being on standby for emergencies, particularly fires, the boat is also used for security rounds and makes several trips daily from the main HMC Dockyard on the Halifax side of the harbour, to Jetty Lima (the Dockyard Annex gun wharf) on the Dartmouth side of the harbour and to the Defense Research barge anchored in Bedford Basin off Birch Cove. Nighttime and weekend security rounds will now be conducted by navy "pup" tugs of the Ville class or Dockyard small craft.
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Firebird returning from a security round this morning.
Built in 1978 Firebird is to be retired when replacement tugs are built for the navy, since it is expected that those tugs will be fitted with firefighting gear similar to civilian tugs. Unlike civilian tugs however, Firebird carries trained firefighters from the HMC Dockyard fire department.
The last active fire the boat fought was on the ship Caruso, the former CCGS Tupper, at the old Dartmouth Marine Slip, October 11, 208.
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