Emergency Response Training Exercise to Take Place at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport on October 15

TORONTO, Oct. 14, 2016 /CNW/ - On the morning of October 15, 2016, PortsToronto will conduct an emergency training exercise at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.

This routine full-scale training exercise is mandated by Transport Canada to test airport protocols, procedures, communications and planning for emergency and/or security related incidents. Exercises such as this are critical to ensuring that the airport maintains a high level of emergency response preparedness and involve multiple agencies including Toronto Fire, Toronto Police Services (and related Marine Units), Toronto Paramedic Services, Nav Canada, as well as staff and officials from the various agencies, airport stakeholders and airlines that operate out of Billy Bishop Airport.

The scenario that has been developed to test emergency preparedness on October 15, involves an aircraft in distress that has landed on the airfield and the evacuation of passengers. Throughout the morning those visiting, viewing or passing by the airport may witness:

• Emergency vehicles and personnel in and around the airport, including the Toronto Police Marine Unit and Toronto Fire boats, fire trucks and the Hazardous Material Response Team;
• An aircraft on one of the runways (not in use that morning) which may appear to be generating smoke, and;
• Volunteer actors from the Fire and Emergency Services Training Institute serving in various roles, including as passengers who appear to be in distress and are being removed, assessed and transported from an aircraft by emergency personnel.

Please be advised that this is an exercise only. There will be no impact on regular flight arrival and departure times, although travellers choosing to use the ferry may experience a slight delay in service between 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. as emergency services vehicles cross to the island-side of the airport to participate in the exercise. Passengers are encouraged to use the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport pedestrian tunnel to access the island terminal.

To maintain the integrity of the exercise, media will not be permitted on-site.

About Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (https://www.portstoronto.com/airport.aspx)
Billy Bishop Airport is Canada's ninth-busiest airport and welcomes 2.5 million business and leisure travellers each year. The airport is also Canada's sixth-busiest airport with passenger service into the United States. Offering service to more than 20 cities in Canada and the U.S., with connection opportunities to more than 80 international destinations via our airlines' networks, Billy Bishop Airport is an important international gateway and a key driver to Toronto's economy, accounting for more than $2.1 billion in economic output each year and supporting 6,500 jobs, including 1,960 directly associated with the airport operations. The airport has recently won a series of passenger-driven awards, including being named one of the top airports in North America in both the Airports Council International's (ACI) 2015 Airport Service Quality Awards and Skytrax 2016 World Airport Awards.

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

Media Contacts: Sarah Sutton, Senior Manager, Communications & Media Relations, PortsToronto, Tel: [phone]; Cell: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]