Meet firefighters and tour Toronto Fire & Marine Station 344 (339 Queen’s Quay West) during Gangways Open on Toronto’s Waterfront presented by the Waterfront BIA on Saturday, May 23 and Sunday, May 24 from 12noon until 5pm. There will be activities for children and rescue demonstrations throughout the day. Visit www.waterfrontbia.com for more information.

Named for Toronto’s first mayor, the William Lyon Mackenzie Fireboat was built in 1964 by Russel Brothers Shipyard in Owen Sound, Ontario to provide marine fire protection, search and rescue on Lake Ontario, as well as ice breaking capabilities for Toronto’s ferries and the Islands. The Fireboat is docked at Toronto Fire & Marine Station 334 and operates 12 months a year. Due to safety reasons, the vessel is not open for boarding.

The Fireboat is 24 metres long and weighs approximately 150 tonnes with a Caterpillar Diesel engine producing 3,000 horsepower to achieve a top speed of 22 kilometres per hour. The vessel has a modified Tugboat hull and five tonne crane as well as five water nozzles that can pump 50,000 litres of water a minute. The vessel is also equipped with radar, echo sounder, radio and daytime accommodation for the off-duty shift. In 2004, the vessel completed a $1 million refurbishment that will extend the in-service life by approximately 30 years.

Gangways Open on Toronto’s Waterfront presented by The Waterfront BIA, is part of the 16th annual Doors Open Toronto presented by Great Gulf, on Saturday, May 23 and Sunday, May 24 from 12noon until 5pm. Visit www.waterfrontbia.com for more information.