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Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services

Canadian Forces Plane to Airlift Supplies


    Mock Emergency Exercise In Full Swing In Thunder Bay

    TORONTO, Nov. 21 /CNW/ -

    NEWS

    Rescue equipment, supplies, personnel, and search and rescue dogs will be
airlifted via a Canadian Forces transport airplane from Toronto to Thunder Bay
as part of the largest emergency response exercise held in recent Canadian
history. Exercise Trillium Response, which began on November 17th, is a
multi-jurisdictional disaster response exercise that simulates the
consequences of a massive ice storm in northwestern Ontario.
    Emergency Management Ontario and the Canadian Forces are jointly leading
the exercise. It involves more than 1,500 participants from 40 different
organizations(http://webx.newswire.ca/click/?id=fe7ee6c5f024507) including
provincial ministries, federal departments, municipalities, First Nations,
non-governmental organizations and the private sector.
    Today's air movement from Toronto Pearson International Airport to
Thunder Bay International Airport is testing the rapid response capability of
the Heavy Urban Search and Rescue (HUSAR) team following the staged collapse
of local buildings with more than 100 people fictionally trapped inside.

    QUOTES

    "If disaster strikes, the Government of Ontario needs to know that we are
ready to tackle the unexpected and most difficult of challenges to ensure
Ontarians are kept safe," said Community Safety and Correctional Services
Minister Rick Bartolucci
(http://www.mcscs.jus.gov.on.ca/english/about_min/bio.html).

    QUICK FACTS

    The Toronto HUSAR is a multi-skilled task force made up of fire, police,
emergency medical staff, physicians and other specialists who respond to
large-scale emergencies that require unique search-and-rescue techniques and
resources including highly trained dogs.

    LEARN MORE

    Read about exercise Trillium Response and emergency management
(http://www.emergencymanagementontario.ca/english/home.html) in Ontario.

    Read the timeline
    (http://webx.newswire.ca/click/?id=80a8875b792430a) of the mock
emergency.

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For further information: Laura Blondeau, Minister's Office, (416)
325-4973; Patrice Cloutier, Joint Information Centre, (416) 434-5111

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