12 Toronto Pearson Today Second Quarter 2009
PEOPLE atPEARSONGoing behind the scenes with the people that make the airport work.RUPI DHALIWALGTAA GROUNDSIDE SAFETY OFFICERStanding in the Arrivals hall of Terminal3 with walkie talkie in hand, GTAAGroundside Safety Offi cer (GSO) RupiDhaliwal watches <strong>for</strong> suspicious behaviour. Shespots two scoopers, unauthorized taxi drivers,and quietly observes as they wander the hall.Once they realize that they are being watched,they leave without any passengers. “That’swhat they do,” she says. “We just have to makeour presence known to deter them.”Deterring scoopers is just one of the manyjobs a GSO does on a daily basis. The uni<strong>for</strong>medoffi cers are responsible <strong>for</strong> advising of potentialsafety issues and responding to medicalemergencies, but are often the primary response<strong>for</strong> any and all issues that occur at the airportbetween the curb and security screening.“We provide customer <strong>service</strong> and areambassadors <strong>for</strong> the airport in that respect, butwe also deal with parking and transportationissues, medical incidents, passenger inquiries,just about everything,” Rupi says. “Every day isdifferent.”Rupi started working at the airport morethan 10 years ago in Duty Free while she wasin school taking Police Foundations. She thenmoved into an administrative position with ASPSecurity. It was there that she saw a job posting<strong>for</strong> a GSO within the GTAA, which combined herbackground in policing and law en<strong>for</strong>cementwith her experience and enjoyment of workingat the airport.“I wanted to be a police officer, but I alsoreally liked working at the airport,” she says.“This job gives me the best of both worlds.We also work really closely with Peel RegionalPolice, so it’s a good balance. We work towardsthe same goal – public safety.”A major initiative that the GTAA GSOs andPeel Police work together on is the issue withscoopers. Scoopers present a problem <strong>for</strong> theairport and passengers alike. GTAA authorizedtaxis and limos are tracked and regulated.Vehicle tracking and regulation has severalbenefits. For example, if a passenger <strong>for</strong>getsan item in a GTAA authorized taxi or limo, thecar can be tracked and narrowed down by thetime and where the passenger was picked up.Fares are standard and the passenger can restassured that they are travelling in a safe andsecured manner. With scoopers, passengersoften find that they have been ‘taken <strong>for</strong> aride’ when they reach their destination andare charged double the fare. And because theyaren’t on record with the GTAA, there’s nothingthat can be done to rectify the situation oncethe passenger leaves.“We can usually spot a scooper on sightand they’re fairly predictable. Our presence inthe terminal helps to deter them, but they cankeep us busy.”The list of other GSO duties is enough tokeep anyone busy. “We literally never knowwhat to expect when we come into work. Wedo everything from moving cars stopped on theside of the road to helping lost travellers todealing with medical emergencies,” she says.“This morning, <strong>for</strong> example, we got a call abouta deer on airport property. That’s something thatwe respond to.”And if the GSO isn’t the right person torespond, they will find out who is.“How we respond to a call is really justabout judgment. Since we’re usually the <strong>first</strong> toarrive on any scene, we assess how we can bestact on the situation. If I can’t find the solutionmyself, I will get the next best person.”There are 10 GSOs at the airport with atleast two on each 12 hour shift. GSOs work24/7. “It can be a demanding job, but it’s alsoreally interesting,” Rupi says. “I can’t imaginesitting at a desk <strong>for</strong> eight hours. That’s not <strong>for</strong>me. This job lets me get out and meet peopleand encounter something new every day.”The next time you’re at Toronto Pearsonand need some assistance, just look <strong>for</strong> a GSO.They’re there to help and to ensure your safety.From left: GSO Rupi Dhaliwal watches <strong>for</strong> suspicious behaviour in Terminal 3; Keeping things moving on the curb; Always on the move – responding to calls between both terminals.Toronto Pearson Today Second Quarter 2009 13
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