News Article
YLW Launches Airport Watch
Charmaine de Silva, AM 1150
November 23, 2009
Modelled after Neighbourhood Watch, the Kelowna International Airport is launching a new program aimed at increasing safety and security.
The Airport Watch program is being introduced at our airport, after success in Vancouver, Calgary and Halifax.
Kelowna's Manager of Airport Safety, Security and Emergency Preparedness, Neil Drachenberg, says airport visitors and staff can increase security by keeping their eyes and ears open to suspicious activity.
For example, volunteers would monitor the condition of perimeter fencing, keep an eye out for safety risks, foreign objects on the runway, and even suspicious behaviour.
Drachenberg says airport staff have helped increase security in the past, by being aware of their surroundings. In fact, several years ago a fueling company staff member reported the fact one pilot was paying for helicopter fuel in cash - something he felt was suspicious.
"It turned out his suspicions, when passed on to the RCMP, were correct," says Drachenberg, "as this person was doing cross-border drug smuggling."
With help from the RCMP, Commissionaires BC, Canadian Border Services Agency, and the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, YLW is hosting an open house for the public and interested volunteers.
It will be held on Thursday, from 3 to 5 pm.
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