TORONTO, June 9, 2024 /CNW/ - Toronto Pearson conducted its annual mock emergency exercise on Saturday night that simulated the full-scale response to an explosion occurring in the terminal.

This year's full-scale exercise, which took place overnight June 8-9 between 11:30 p.m. and 3 a.m. in Terminal 1, involved over 100 volunteers from neighbouring communities who acted as passengers injured in a mock explosion, as well as family members of the victims. Other responders and organizations participating in the event included Peel Regional Police, Toronto Pearson Fire and Emergency Services, and Air Canada.

"Safety is our top priority at Toronto Pearson, and we are continually looking for ways to improve our response to potential emergencies at the airport," said Khalil Lamrabet, Interim Chief Operating Officer and Chief Commercial Officer, Toronto Pearson. "These simulated exercises underscore our commitment to emergency preparedness and provide us and our partners the opportunity to test all aspects of our joint response. Each year, we take away valuable lessons from this event to refine our protocols and procedures."

Toronto Pearson, in collaboration with multiple aviation and agency partners, runs one full-scale and one tabletop exercise per year to test protocols, procedures, communications, and planning for emergency events. This exercise is a requirement by Transport Canada and is an important way to test the airport's emergency response.  

Click here for video and interviews from the exercise.

Toronto Pearson International Airport is Canada's largest airport and a vital connector of people, businesses and goods. We flew 45 million passengers to 195 destinations across Canada and the globe in 2023, providing direct, daily service to over two-thirds of the world's economies.

Pearson and its partners employ 50,000 people across the airport and contribute $42 billion annually to Ontario's economy as the second-largest economic zone in Canada. To support our vision of putting the joy back into travel, we are embarking on a journey to make Toronto Pearson a global leader in airport performance, customer care and sustainability. 

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SOURCE Greater Toronto Airports Authority