• The U.S. Navy takes over the aquarium Memorial Day weekend with exciting diving demonstrations
• Friday through Sunday, May 27-29

Brooklyn, N.Y. – May 23, 2011- The Wildlife Conservation Society’s New York Aquarium is the place to be this Memorial Day weekend as Navy Divers make a splash in celebration of Fleet Week.

Navy divers who support Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD)  will hold an exciting and educational diving exhibition at the aquarium Friday through Sunday, May 27 – 29.

Aquarium-goers are invited to watch as these expert divers show off unique Navy diving capabilities that keep America safe. Learn about open-circuit SCUBA and closed-circuit MK-16 re-breather diving systems, both commonly used by Navy EOD divers for fleet operations. All demonstrations will be narrated, and Navy officials will be available to answer questions from the public. The demonstrations will take place near the aquarium plaza.

Between each exhibition, visitors can stop by the new Conservation Hall and Glover’s Reef exhibits, home to beautiful, exotic animals native to the waters of Belize, African freshwater lakes, the Pacific Ocean’s coral triangle, and the Amazonian rain forests of Brazil.

U.S. Navy EOD is the world’s premier combat force for countering IEDs, weapons of mass destruction, and mine countermeasures.  Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technicians render safe all types of ordnance, both conventional and unconventional, improvised, chemical, biological, and nuclear to include Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). They perform on land and underwater to locate, identify, render-safe, and recover (or dispose) of foreign and domestic ordnance.  

Divers in the U.S. Navy are members of the community in the Navy who are qualified in underwater open/closed circuit breathing apparatus, deep sea type diving apparatus and saturation (surface supplied) diving.  Navy Divers are the foremost experts in all types of diving operations in the U.S. military and serve as the single resource managers for diving technical knowledge and training across the entire Department of Defense (DOD).

Navy EOD and divers are part of Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC). NECC serves as the Navy’s headquarters for all Navy expeditionary capabilities to include: EOD, Seabees, Riverine, Mobile Diving and Salvage, and other expeditionary support capabilities.  NECC forces are deployed around the globe in support of a wide range of missions from majot combat operations to humanitarian assistance response. 

WCS offers a military discount to members of the United States Armed Forces – free admission to the Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium. For more information about the New York Aquarium and the diving demonstrations, visit www.nyaquarium.com.

Contact:
Barbara Russo – 718-265-3428; brusso@wcs.org
Max Pulsinelli – 718- 220-5182; mpulsinelli@wcs.org   

Wildlife Conservation Society's New York Aquarium opens every day of the year at 10am, and closing times vary seasonally. Admission is $14.95 for adults, $10.95 for children ages 3-12 and $11.95 for senior citizens (65 and older); children under 3 years of age are admitted free. Fridays after 3pm, admission is by suggested donation. The Aquarium is located on Surf Avenue at West 8th Street in Coney Island.  For directions, information on public events and programs, and other Aquarium information, call 718-265-FISH or visit our web site at http://www.nyaquarium.com. Now is the perfect time to visit and show support for the New York Aquarium, Brooklyn's most heavily attended attraction and a beloved part of the City of New York.

The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places worldwide. We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world’s largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo. Together these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony. WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth.