Toronto Fire Service welcomed two new emergency response boats to their marine fleet last Friday, allowing first responders to access shallower and tighter waterways.
The Toronto Fire marine division runs hundreds of calls each year. Toronto’s Fire Chief Jim Jessop says his crew is responding to anywhere between three to 500 calls in the course of a six month period throughout the city’s warmer months. The Toronto Islands are a popular destination, with over 1.5 million visits annually and as many as 200,000 on a busy summer day, according to the City of Toronto. Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik says it’s critical that emergency services are up to par to meet the growing interest.
Met Radio jumped aboard the 55-foot vessel Friday morning, joining the marine division and city workers for its inaugural voyage. The Fire Boat 334 has a more powerful engine than the rescue boat and will be able to respond quickly to fires, medical emergencies, rescues and hazardous material situations.