It’s important for cities to understand the need to plan, have symposiums, and learn from each other. Certainly have buy-in from all the police, fire, EMS, and also the city workers with mental health, housing, and things of that nature. They don’t often get the opportunity to work together, to co-ordinate together, and I think symposiums are incredibly important to do that.
Ken Thompson
2008 Symposium Presenter
Oklahoma Bombing Family Survivor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I think this symposium was excellent, very worthwhile. I’m very impressed with the quality of the speakers and I’m learning quite a bit. I also get to know my counterparts across all the different agencies, the different community representatives as well. You get to know people. You get to know your contacts and you establish relationships that I think at the end of the day if there is a major emergency, that’s going to really help you out. I would definitely attend again and I would encourage people to come out.
Terry Andrews
Chief Special Constable
Toronto Transit Commission
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The two days were excellent. The symposium has been very informative and was well worth attending. The comments I have certainly heard from my staff are that it was certainly worthwhile for them to be here to do the networking that is so important and has to continue.
Peter Rotolo
Operations Manager, Special Operations Unit
Toronto Emergency Medical Services
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I think it has been a great experience. It’s great to see all the agencies come together to see how the partnerships have been developed and most importantly, how we are maintaining these partnerships. It’s an important aspect to talk with your peers, to talk to people from other walks of life to get a better understanding of the needs and the direction we need to go in the future.
Doug Silver
Division Chief, Professional Development & Training
Toronto Fire Services
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I thought it was a good show, enlightening everybody on the collaboration between responders, both primary and supplementary, in a bigger picture where everybody comes together far beyond the yellow tape.
Greg Stasyna
Co-ordinator
Office of Emergency Management
City of Toronto
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sessions have been very good, very interactive. This symposium has been very beneficial to me to have the opportunity to network with our key city players. Knowing who in the city to go to when you have a question or requirement is really important and it helps us learn from everyone else’s experiences. The symposium was great value and was a great opportunity to meet some interesting people, and at the same time knowledgeable people.
Mario Coutinho
Vice President of Operations and Security
Rogers Centre & Toronto Blue Jays
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It’s been a phenomenal experience. I’m really impressed. It’s been a great learning experience and a great networking experience as well. It’s been a great way to get to know some of our partners. Nothing but good comes of this.
Inspector Scott Baptist
Duty Operations
Toronto Police Service
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I think it’s a fantastic event. I’ve learned so much from my other emergency response colleagues. I think it’s great that all the Services are together learning from each other and creating new networks. It’s all about working together and knowing what each other does and knowing who we can call on when we need them, so when the community needs us – we’re there, we’re there as a team. It was very worth it for me to be here.
Elaine Smyer
Emergency Planning Unit
Shelter Support and Housing Administration
City of Toronto
Symposium Testimonials
It’s important for cities to understand the need to plan, have symposiums, and learn from each other. Certainly have buy-in from all the police, fire, EMS, and also the city workers with mental health, housing, and things of that nature. They don’t often get the opportunity to work together, to co-ordinate together, and I think symposiums are incredibly important to do that.
Ken Thompson
2008 Symposium Presenter
Oklahoma Bombing Family Survivor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I think this symposium was excellent, very worthwhile. I’m very impressed with the quality of the speakers and I’m learning quite a bit. I also get to know my counterparts across all the different agencies, the different community representatives as well. You get to know people. You get to know your contacts and you establish relationships that I think at the end of the day if there is a major emergency, that’s going to really help you out. I would definitely attend again and I would encourage people to come out.
Terry Andrews
Chief Special Constable
Toronto Transit Commission
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The two days were excellent. The symposium has been very informative and was well worth attending. The comments I have certainly heard from my staff are that it was certainly worthwhile for them to be here to do the networking that is so important and has to continue.
Peter Rotolo
Operations Manager, Special Operations Unit
Toronto Emergency Medical Services
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I think it has been a great experience. It’s great to see all the agencies come together to see how the partnerships have been developed and most importantly, how we are maintaining these partnerships. It’s an important aspect to talk with your peers, to talk to people from other walks of life to get a better understanding of the needs and the direction we need to go in the future.
Doug Silver
Division Chief, Professional Development & Training
Toronto Fire Services
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I thought it was a good show, enlightening everybody on the collaboration between responders, both primary and supplementary, in a bigger picture where everybody comes together far beyond the yellow tape.
Greg Stasyna
Co-ordinator
Office of Emergency Management
City of Toronto
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sessions have been very good, very interactive. This symposium has been very beneficial to me to have the opportunity to network with our key city players. Knowing who in the city to go to when you have a question or requirement is really important and it helps us learn from everyone else’s experiences. The symposium was great value and was a great opportunity to meet some interesting people, and at the same time knowledgeable people.
Mario Coutinho
Vice President of Operations and Security
Rogers Centre & Toronto Blue Jays
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It’s been a phenomenal experience. I’m really impressed. It’s been a great learning experience and a great networking experience as well. It’s been a great way to get to know some of our partners. Nothing but good comes of this.
Inspector Scott Baptist
Duty Operations
Toronto Police Service
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I think it’s a fantastic event. I’ve learned so much from my other emergency response colleagues. I think it’s great that all the Services are together learning from each other and creating new networks. It’s all about working together and knowing what each other does and knowing who we can call on when we need them, so when the community needs us – we’re there, we’re there as a team. It was very worth it for me to be here.
Elaine Smyer
Emergency Planning Unit
Shelter Support and Housing Administration
City of Toronto