By Mark Burnett, Explosive Detection Canine Trainer

ASP Canine welcomes two of its newest members to the team, Katrina Stachurski and Simon Hathaway.

Katrina and Simon have begun their training with two experienced detector dogs Cody, a three-year-old Czech Shepherd, and Edge, a three-year-old Labrador.


Simon Hathaway and Katrina Stachurski with canine partners Edge and Cody.

Both Katrina and Simon come into the unit with experience in the security field, Katrina coming from Paladin Security and Simon an ASP Specialist at Pearson Airport.

Basic training will continue for the teams for another five weeks, and upon successful testing, they will be deployed operationally on the Commercial K9 team, providing EDD services to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors, and other commercial clients.

ASP is fortunate to have the addition of Katrina and Simon to our Canine Unit and we wish them good luck as they begin their canine careers.


By Rob Desjardins, General Manager

After several months of extensive searching through countless resumes and several interviews, I am happy to announce that the YYC ASP Team is now complete.

In a few weeks, the new members of the Team will be fully trained and ready to participate and add their expertise to the existing group. A stable foundation has been laid out and the Team needs to be proactive and innovative to be successful.


Tamara Jupiter, Scheduler
Elizabeth Warwick, Quality Assurance Manager


By Angus Wilson, Director of Aviation Services

As an ISO certified company, ASP is consistently looking for new ways to improve process with integrated technologies.

With front-line teams in five major Canadian airports, we are collecting enormous amounts of valuable data. This data can not only be used to drive better business for us, but for our clients as well.

We are currently conducting data mapping processes that will allow is to connect data from all ASP’s lines of business. Early in Q3, we plan to work with select clients to develop customized dash boards that illustrate everything, from our front-line team performance to passenger satisfaction and other customized data sets to help improve the way we all serve our customers and the travelling public. We are also looking at technology that will allow us to improve on the security services that we provide through Bluetooth Beacons and other location tracking systems.

Our computer-based training system (CBT) continues to evolve and offers the best in up-to-date, real-time on the job training (OJT) to our front-line teams. This maximizes the time on the floor for our teams and ensures that all employees have the most up-to-date information and training. As technology advances and the customer facing landscape evolves, ASP will continue to be on the forefront of the technology trends and innovations.


By David Ramlagan, Training Coordinator, Aviation Security

For Access Control and Escort/Surveillance Guards who are interested in applying to different security roles within Toronto Pearson, below is a brief summary of the contracted security services that ASP provides. Please check our website https://www.security-asp.com/ in the current or internal opportunities sections.

Catering Security:

Gate Gourmet is the facility that prepares the in-flight meals for passengers on various airlines. The Gatehouse Guard at this site is responsible for ensuring authorized vehicles enter the compound. The Patroller looks out for signs of theft and suspicious activity. The front-desk receptionist assists our client with administrative tasks and ensures that authorized individuals enter the food processing area.

Airline Security:

Airlines such as Emirates and British Airways use ASP’s services during the time between an aircraft’s arrival and departure. Guards are positioned on the boarding bridge to verify individuals going into the aircraft such as catering, cleaning and airline personnel. They may also be positioned on the airside for aircraft surveillance, or in the bag room to ensure luggage is not tampered with.

Door Patrol:

These employees are mainly responsible for ensuring the PSL doors are locked and secure by conducting regular patrols in specific areas. When a door alarm is activated, Door Patrollers must respond, investigate, and secure the door.

Vehicle Patrol:

Responsible for parking lot patrols by observing for signs of theft, vandalism or any suspicious activity. They ensure that the integrity of the PSL barriers around the airside is maintained by checking for any openings or debris along the fences. They also provide transportation assistance for GTAA personnel to deliver various supplies.

Supervision:

Our supervisor team is vital to carrying out the delivery of security services to our clients, by ensuring that the security personnel are aware of the on-site procedures and are complying with company and legislative policies. They provide direct support to the security guards, assist with scheduling and coordinate with GTAA clients to accomplish various tasks.

Specialists:

This security group is recognizable within the terminal by their grey shirts and tactical vests. Their main responsibility is to identify and determine the root cause of anyone displaying suspicious behaviour and respond accordingly. They also monitor restricted areas to identify employees who are not in their designated workspace.

Canine Explosive Detection (K9):

The members of this security team are accompanied with trained dogs that are able to detect various forms of explosive material. They are called on to respond to unattended items and to conduct sweeps of high-risk airport areas.


By John Gangasingh, Manager, Operations

I’d like to provide a staffing update for all.

First, although bittersweet, our Shift Lead, Mr. Clay Streitenberger will be leaving us, but we wish him all the best in his future endeavours in his career path. We would also like to welcome aboard our newest member to the YSB team, Mr. Troy Felice!

Our Recruiting Department has been working tirelessly to support the labour demand. Stay tuned for further new team members to come!

Our Health & Safety Committee lead is now Mr. Simon Duchesne. Simon is one of our hard-working and dedicated guards; who I know will bring great feedback from the team to help grow and continue enhancing the health & safety measures at Sudbury Airport. We look forward to what he brings to the table.

As always, Site Supervisor, Michelle Rieux, has led the YSB site with passion and professionalism. I’d like to personally thank Michelle for all her endless efforts in supporting the YSB business!

Keep up the great work, YSB Team!!


By Noman Butt, Client Support Manager

We would like to welcome Rob Desjardins, who joined the ASP security team at Calgary International Airport (YYC) on Feb 4, 2019 as the Operations manager for Calgary.

Rob comes to us with 40-plus years of experience in the Airline and Airport industry. He possesses an extensive knowledge of airport security policies, procedures and processes, which will be a great asset to the ASP team. He has a very great reputation amongst YYC clients and other Airport parties.

We are confident that Rob will provide an expert-level of support to his team members, and we look forward to the wonderful contributions Rob will make to our ASP family.


By Mina Khani, OSR Training Coordinator

When we think of staff motivation, many things may come to to mind: more money, a bigger office, a promotion, or a better quality of life.

The truth is, no matter what we offer, true motivation must come from within. Regardless of how it is characterized, it is important to get the right balance in order to ensure that we have a motivated workforce.

As part of the management team in ASP, we do our best to motivate our employees, by:

  • Recognizing and rewarding employees who are achieving above and beyond.
  • Offering equal employment opportunities to all employees, based on qualifications and performance.
  • Providing a workplace free from discrimination or harassment.

Self-motivation is the force that drives you to do things. It drives you to work towards your goals, put effort into self-development, and achieve personal fulfillment.

For example, a man who goes to work every day just to pay the bills, keep his family off his back, and please his boss is not self- motivated, while a man who needs no external forces to make his way to work every day and finds fulfillment in what he does is self-motivated.

Some tips and skills for self- motivation:

  • Setting high but realistic goals (e.g., SMART goals). (Specific, Measured, Agreed, Realistic, Time-Based).
  • Seeking constant feedback to figure out how to improve.
  • Being committed to personal and/or organizational goals and going “the extra mile” to achieve them.
  • Actively seeking out opportunities and seizing them when they occur.
  • The ability to deal with setbacks and continue in pursuing your goals, despite obstacles (i.e., resilience).

“The Achievements of an Organization are the results of the combined effort of each Individual.– Vince Lombardi


By Noah Thompson, Senior Manager, Customer Service

ASP is constantly looking for ways to innovate and improve the way we operate both internally and externally.

At Ottawa’s McDonald Cartier International Airport, we will be piloting a new technology for customer service reporting. This proprietary reporting style will allow us to provide valuable information to our client in regards to their daily operations.

The new reporting style will also provide us a quality in-depth reporting system for ASP operations, allowing us to further customize our customer experience delivery to the passengers of the airports that we operate within. We are extremely excited to pilot this reporting technology and are confident that we will be rolling this out to other clients later in 2019.


By Noah Thompson, Senior Manager, Customer Service

ASP takes great pride in our efforts to support client safety initiatives. We recently received the following commendation for one of our CSRs, Fanny Tran, at Toronto’s Billy Bishop Airport.

“I’d like to acknowledge Fanny’s safety observation and addressing the unsafe work practice of a ramp employee in the check-in area last week and yesterday. Fanny’s awareness of safety and addressing this is important and commendable.

Thanks for your help.”


Left to Right: Danna Hazanovsky (SDM), Fanny Tran (CSR) and Chris Bentley (CSR)

At ASP, we take a safety-first approach to everything we do and will continue to support our client operations with vigilant “see it, report it” focus in our day to day work.


By Noah Thompson, Senior Customer Service Manager

The ASP Customer Service Team is tasked with providing world-class customer service to the travelling public at three major international airports in Canada. That is not where our job stops.

In many types of service disruptions, our team has stepped up and assisted where we were not normally required. On Sunday March 17, 2019, an electrical fire filled Toronto Pearson’s Terminal 1 CNX Level with smoke. Our OSR Agents posted in this area not only stayed back to assist, they maintained the safety and security of the airport by updating the passengers as they received information and helped to lead a calm evacuation in a high-stress situation.

Svitlana Portnova, OSR Agent

Adding to this, one of our OSR Agents, Svitlana Portnova relied on her training as a nurse to assist a passenger with an asthma attack, due to the poor breathing conditions in the area at that time.

Team work and job dedication were paramount in the successful handling of this emergency. Great Work, Team!!!!!