Monroe County public safety facility
to provide training for fast ferry crew

The U.S. Coast Guard has selected and approved the use of the Monroe County Public Safety Training Facility (PSTF) to train the 100-member Fast Ferry crew.

The new high-speed Fast Ferry is scheduled to begin ravel between Rochester and Toronto May 1. The 100-member crew of the ferry is required by U.S. Coast Guard regulations to be certified and trained in safety, first aid, and fire fighting and prevention.

"The selection of the Monroe County Public Safety Training Facility as the site for training of the Fast Ferry crew is another exciting opportunity for Monroe County and further evidence of the quality resources and services provided by the public safety facility," said County Executive Maggie Brooks. "I am very pleased that the crew members aboard the Fast Ferry will be coming to Rochester and Monroe County to train and be certified. The PSTF is a first-class site with first-class instructors and is the best place to train the Fast Ferry crew to ensure every journey aboard the ferry is safe and secure."

Several weeks ago, CATS, the company that owns the Fast Ferry, contacted Monroe County to inquire about the possibility of conducting their training exercises in Rochester. The certified training program has specific, strict guidelines and requirements. The Fast Ferry crew can only be trained at U.S. Coast Guard-approved facilities and by U.S. Coast Guard-approved instructors. After an inspection by the Coast Guard, the training facility was approved.