Report of a special committee of the City Council, on the improvement of the Fire Department and also, on the best means of obtaining an additional supply of water for fire purposes, for the city of Halifax, N.S.

"Report of a Special Committee of the City Council, on the Improvement of the Fire Department" by Halifax (N.S.). City Council. Special Committee on the Improvement of the Fire Department, is a report documenting the dire need to improve Halifax's fire safety in the mid-19th century. Born out of concerns regarding recent fires exposing critical weaknesses, the report critically analyses Halifax's defense systems, shining a light on the fire department's grave understaffing issues. This official City Council publication considers how to scale up the number of firemen, from a mere one hundred to four hundred while weighing the benefits of modern steam fire engines. The narrative also explores two potential routes for increasing Halifax's water supply for fire suppression: acquiring the existing Halifax Water Company or pursuing a plan involving the Birch Cove Lakes; the future of Halifax hangs on the decision to hire an engineer to help protect one of the largest cities in Canada.