Media Advisory: PortsToronto Hosts Emergency Preparedness Water Training Exercises on May 17

200 Harbour Tour Boat Employees to Participate in Training Modules Geared at Ensuring a Safe Summer on the Water

TORONTO, May 16, 2016 /CNW/ - On Tuesday, May 17, PortsToronto will partner with its Toronto Marine Emergency Response Council partners to host Marine Safety Day, an annual emergency preparedness training that brings together more than 200 employees who work on the tour boats that operate in Toronto's Harbour throughout the summer.

Marine Safety Day features hands-on emergency preparedness activities, giving employees the opportunity to experience the different scenarios they may encounter while working on a boat, including a fire, a person overboard, water rescues and abandoning ship. This training will ensure that employees onboard harbour tour ships are equipped with the skills required to deal with any emergency situation, should one arise.

WHAT:	As part of National Emergency Preparedness Week, PortsToronto joins its Toronto Marine Emergency Response Council partners, including fire and police officials, in conducting emergency preparedness training for approximately 200 employees who work on the tour boats that operate in Toronto's Harbour.   Employees will rotate through training modules based on first aid, evacuation, water survival, basic firefighting, emergency response, and security and crowd control.
WHO:	Angus Armstrong, Harbour Master and Chief of Security, PortsToronto
WHEN:	Tuesday, May 17, 2016 from 10 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ET 10:00 a.m. Opening Address from Angus Armstrong 10:15 a.m. Raft inflation 10:30 a.m. Rotations begin for safety modules
WHERE:	Cruise Ship Terminal, 8 Unwin Avenue, at the foot of Cherry Street
PHOTO OP:	A 45-person life raft will be launched and used to practice safe "abandon ship" protocol. A volunteer in an exposure suit will enter the water and demonstrate how to get into a life raft from the water. Participants will also practice using ring buoys, and fighting small fires using fire extinguishers and fire hoses.
NOTE:	Outdoor wear is recommended as this is a marine industrial environment. There is ample free public parking at the terminal.

About Ports Toronto (http://www.portstoronto.com/)
For more than 100 years PortsToronto, (formerly the Toronto Port Authority), has worked with its partners at the federal, provincial and municipal levels to enhance the economic growth of the City of Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. PortsToronto owns and operates Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, which welcomes more than two million passengers each year; the Outer Harbour Marina, one of Canada's largest freshwater marinas; and, Terminals 51 and 52, which provide transportation, distribution, storage and container services to businesses at the Port of Toronto. PortsToronto is committed to fostering strong, healthy and sustainable communities and has invested more than $8 million since 2009 in charitable initiatives and environmental programs that benefit communities along Toronto's waterfront and beyond. PortsToronto operates in accordance with the Canada Marine Act and is guided by a nine-member board with representation from all three levels of government.

SOURCE PortsToronto

Image with caption: "On Tuesday, May 17, PortsToronto will partner with its Toronto Marine Emergency Response Council partners to host Marine Safety Day at the Cruise Ship Terminal, 8 Unwin Avenue, at the foot of Cherry Street. (CNW Group/PortsToronto)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160516_C5188_PHOTO_EN_690889.jpg

Media Contact: Erin Mikaluk, Senior Manager, Communications & Media Relations, PortsToronto, Tel: [phone], Cell: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]