PROPS

Dan Villeneuve is one of those very rare individuals who lives and breathes pure professionalism. As a SAR Rescue Specialist Lead, he is willing to take charge of situations while leading his crew with grace, humility and humour - always placing their needs ahead of his own. Also responsible for Rescue Swimmers Standards, Dan is committed to engagement via meetings, training, etc. in order to more effectively lead the team. He continually asks questions and consistently exhibits initiative. Currently a Rescue Swimmer, he is training as a Hoist operator for dual qualification as a Rescue Specialist. As a long-serving Canadian Forces SAR Tech and member of the Reserve, Dan also brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table that complements Cougar's ability to interact with other agencies in the SAR role. "There is an old expression that 20 percent of the people tend to do 80 percent of the work - Dan is in that 20 percent. Leadership exists at all levels in a company, and while it is something that can be taught there are some people who are just natural born leaders - and Dan Villeneuve is one of them."

Barry is the Facilities Assistant with Cougar and is definitely a “handyman” who plays a big role in keeping our facilities in good repair, inside and out. Able to channel the skills of a painter, plumber, electrician or carpenter, Barry plays a critical role in maintaining our company’s buildings. As one can imagine, based on his title alone, he gets dealt with some unpleasant tasks. He can be found repairing drywall, painting walls, moving furniture, changing light bulbs or even unclogging toilets, all without a single complaint. From conversations with him, I know that Barry loves his job at Cougar and is very appreciative to do what he does every day. His personality makes him very approachable and accessible to assist any employee with almost any task.

Barry likes to do a good job at whatever he does and his heli-tank inspector duties are no exception. With ten years under his belt, his experience shows. He takes a lot of pride in providing a quality service with respect to his responsibilities relative to the fuel going on an aircraft, and he doesn’t mind getting those calls to inspect tanks, which may be several in the run of a day, rain or shine. Fortunately, he seems quite comfortable working in inclement weather. “Barry is friendly, very easy to get along with and a pleasure to work with. A professional on all accounts who is always looking for ways to do his job most effectively, no matter the task.”

Congratulations Barry, thank you for your outstanding performance!

Sean Matthews and Phil Sarazin have both helped a great deal with the development and implementation of the new Laserfiche training forms in the Flight Ops department. They have provided valuable insight to all those involved in the development of these forms, with regards to processes and practices. The new forms will streamline much of the administrative work involved with training in their department, and have already been proven effective. In addition to the training and paperwork they were already completing, they voluntarily submitted countless test forms to fine-tune the workflows and automated processes. Both pilots recognized the need for detailed and timely feedback, ensuring accuracy and efficiency throughout. Their friendly, patient and professional attitudes helped to make the process run smoothly and was very much appreciated by all involved. “Many other people have mentioned that these two professionals often go above and beyond when they see a need for insight and assistance. Thank you both!”

As a recipient of PROPS back in the Fall of 2019, Dave is being recognized a second time for his valuable contribution to the Maintenance department. “Over the span of several months, the aircraft have gone through some tricky track and balance flights post-maintenance. Dave has worked diligently on his time-on and time-off to make sure the right information is communicated and a clear plan is always in place. There were countless days where Dave would stay later than his shift end time to go on test flights, make adjustments, or make sure a proper handover was communicated. He has most certainly been a huge part of the reason for the aircrafts’ timely serviceability.” An employee with Cougar for more than twenty years now, Dave continues to receive accolades and recognition by his peers. Congratulations Dave, thank you for your outstanding performance!

On an evening in early February, Kyle along with SAR pilots Andrew Eaton and Mike Barnsley, were tasked with conducting a night med evac in the small town of Brookfield. The Eastern Health Flight Team had already been tasked on a different med evac and due to the patient having life threatening injuries, the decision was made to pick up a doctor and nurse from the Brookfield medical center. This created a situation in which the doctor and nurse were completely out of their element. Kyle quickly and effectively gave them a safety briefing and enough basic airmanship to manage the patient for the duration of the flight, including landing and takeoff. During the flight, Kyle demonstrated strong medical skills by providing basic life support such as airway management and controlling active bleeding. With the medical center’s team onboard not being familiar with working inside a helicopter, Kyle assisted with numerous advanced medical procedures. During the descent to the Health Sciences Centre in St. John's, the patient went into cardiac arrest. Kyle recognized the emergency immediately and started chest compressions. While doing CPR, Kyle communicated the situation to the PIC and explained what was required for a successful patient transfer to the HSC via the ambulance. Upon landing, Kyle regained a pulse and controlled the scene. Not only did Kyle save this man's life, he demonstrated outstanding airmanship and medical skill.

Congratulations Kyle, thank you for your outstanding performance!

Throughout the pandemic, the Safety department has been accountable on many occasions, to provide employees with COVID related supplies and personal protective equipment. In all cases, there was an urgency to find things in a very short time frame and many things were like looking for a needle in a haystack. Such was the case with the procurement of facemasks and hand sanitizers. These items were very hard to obtain and Joanne was able to acquire them for Cougar, having them at our facilities in a timely fashion and allowing our employees to perform their jobs as safely as possible. Joanne contributes to the Safety Program in many areas and should be recognized for this. She always ensures we are getting the best products for the right prices. Just recently, after reaching out to her with minimal information on what we needed, Joanne was able to promptly provide time frames, product quality, and delivery dates on all items, and did so with a smile and positive attitude. “She is able to communicate effectively and is the essence of Customer Service - a key employee at Cougar. Great job Joanne - you are always a professional to deal with.”

Although only with the company for a short while, Matt has proven to be a strong asset for the company. In the absence of a Network Administrator, Matt stepped up and introduced required changes to how Cougar operates from an I.T. perspective. Matt initiated the migration of company email to Office365, which has greatly improved our email functionality and security. This move to Office365 allows all employees easier access to important emails and notifications. Matt is continuously introducing tools to the I.T team that have improved its ability to prioritize tasks and document processes and critical information while keeping security the priority. Matt possesses a great work ethic, has a positive attitude, is passionate about his work and is a pleasure to work with.

Congratulations Matt, thank you for your outstanding performance!

As a Rescue Specialist, and long-time employee at Cougar, Brad was safely holding Medevac standby at home, on a night earlier this winter, when a significant winter storm hit the Avalon peninsula. Nonoperational staff had been sent home at noon and the day SAR crew remained at the hangar, patiently awaiting crew change at 18:30. Brad had looked at the SAR schedule and realized one of the night SAR team members had only a small car and limited extreme driving experience. Brad also thought the storm would be at its most fierce around the time of the shift change. He promptly contacted his shift lead and not only volunteered to go into the hangar but insisted upon it. He felt his truck and driving experience was the safer option that evening. Brad made his way into work, with no consideration for his own personal comfort at home, but confident he could do so safely, allowing the younger team member to remain safe at home with his partner, who otherwise would have been home alone during the worst storm since Snowmageddon. “Brad demonstrated not only how to be a team player, but how to care for team members like they were family.”

As the Training Program Coordinator (TPC), Jennie’s area of responsibility spans all departments, and indeed impacts all employees. The establishment of the TPC position in 2019 was in recognition of a need to consolidate and standardize a variety of training requirements to ensure the efficient delivery of training services, along with improved maintenance and oversight of training records. The development of a long desired cross-company training matrix has been realized through her commitment and determined efforts to see it through to implementation. During the 2020 Customer Aviation Safety Reviews (ASR), Cougar was commended for the significant improvements in training coordination, qualification tracking and overall training record-keeping – full credit to the TPC. Jennie has been persistent in her engagement with department coordinators and has worked continuously with the IT staff to deliver on established targets and goals. As she strives to arrange the “cross department” CRM and Supervisory Training, Jennie seeks to accommodate everyone’s schedules and requirements. She could easily publish a schedule and be done with it, but works hard to find out everyone’s availability and aims for the best compromise. Her direct involvement with the Company CRM program exemplifies her strong problem-solving skillset along with a commitment to CHI training development and continuous improvement.

“The work continues, however, her success to date is worthy of high praise and deserving of the CHI PROPS.”

Nickie is the Safety Equipment Coordinator (SEC) with CHI, responsible for the safety equipment used by pilots and rescue specialists. This includes helmets, life vests, HUEBAs and immersion suits. Since early this year, Nickie has taken the initiative to launder the liners for the flight crew survival suits in house. This is something that she volunteered to do, in light of the costs that were being incurred for regular cleanings. These suits were originally being cleaned by an external vendor every three months for approximately $80 each. The cost included a “recertification” of the suit, due to the handling of the suit during cleaning, and in many cases, solicited the replacement of parts, sometimes deemed unnecessary by the users and the SEC. With the recertification only required annually, Nickie investigated alternate options and proposed machine washing the suit liners to avoid the extra costs for redundant recertification. With approval, this has been the case in 2021. Due to her initiative, she will save the company at least $240 for each suit in use this year, which computes to, in excess of $6000. On her own accord, Nickie has been monitoring costs within her area and is very proactive in managing a productive but economical safety equipment program.

She is also in the process of implementing a new style pilot suit (Helly Hansen), with specific requirements, that will be more suited to Cougar’s needs.

As traffic agents, Angela and Michelle (Traffic Lead) play an essential part of the day to day operations at Cougar, and assist in providing the exceptional service that our customers have become quite accustomed to. They are the initial point of contact for all daily flight requirements from customers, including updating and maintaining POB systems and coordinating passenger requirements. The Traffic Office acts as the inter-departmental liaison during flight processing and these ladies continuously provide guidance and advice to our clientele, to ensure they have the best plan in place for a successful day. They work in an ever-changing environment which requires focus and the ability to adapt to changes quickly. “They definitely go above and beyond to ensure our customer’s needs are met”.

Many accolades have been received for the Traffic Office, in Customer quarterly and monthly meetings, indicating that the service they provide is invaluable to them and their operation;

“I thank the traffic team all the time for their help but just wanted to let you know we do recognize how hard they work and what they do each and every day to make it easier on us out here.”

“I appreciate the great communication and work from the traffic office in our day to day operations.”

“It is such a great resource, to both onshore and offshore, and we have developed great relationships with them. They are always willing to assist in any way that they can to ensure our daily requirements are met.”

At one customer’s year-end review meeting, they were noted under their significant positive observations due to the feedback they’ve received internally.

During a Last Flight Maintenance Check (LFMC) on KNR, whereby a routine visual inspection was required, Jonathan discovered what appeared to be a small non-penetrating surface crack on the external input module support rib of the aircraft’s main gearbox. The aircraft was immediately removed from service and a non-destructive testing (NDT) inspection was requested to validate the suspicion of a crack. An Eddy Current Test (ECT), which is an industry standard to detect or confirm assembly surface and sub-surface flaws in materials and components, confirmed a surface flaw, and further NDT testing (Liquid Penetrant Inspection – LPI) confirmed a crack in the assembly. This speaks to the difficulty level of detecting such a crack. Routine inspections with nil findings can lure an AME into a sense of complacency where one might go through the routine processes, and only see what they expect to see. “Picking up on this small, barely detectable MGB support rib crack, on an LFMC, is indication of the diligence that Jonathan brings to work on a nightly basis.” No related anomalies with the aircraft were previously reported by either the flight crew or onboard HUMS. Fortunately, the crack was detected before it developed into a potential flight safety issue.

“Jonathan’s consistency and professionalism has been recognized for many years. The MGB finding highlights those attributes that makes him a valued AME and co-worker. Jon deserves recognition as a contributor and a team player. This is one example of the effort and dedication that Jon puts in everyday.” Sikorsky’s S92 Chief Engineer even complimented Mr. Walbourne’s find!

Lucas has been a part of the Passenger Movements team for many years and has held several different titles along the way. Assisting with key services, “Lucas has a personality that allows him to calmly make decisions based on what is best and accurate for the group.” When Covid changed our operations, Lucas stepped up to the plate, playing a big part in trailer management, assisting with Immu-Shield and pitching in when supervisory roles changed, consistently posturing a key point of contact throughout. When asked to assist with a housekeeping project in the Pax building, he didn’t hesitate to help and within days things were rolling from his end and a significant improvement was noted. Lucas is always willing to help out.

When instructing in-house training, Lucas is known to take the extra time to assist in ensuring that a full understanding of the topic is attained. As a facilitator of Dangerous Goods (DG) Training, he has taught members from Hebron and Hibernia, to which several have commented on how well the training was conducted. “He is a key member of the Occupational Health and Safety Committee (OHSC) and the Snow and Ice Committee (SNIC) and is always present for the General and Flight Ops Hazard Log meetings. Lucas is an all-round great employee and co-worker and is continuously going above and beyond to help Cougar in day to day activities.”

Congratulations Lucas, thank you for an exceptional performance!

Donnie MacNeil has been with Cougar for the past eleven years and is the Base Manager at Cougar's Halifax base. He is respected by many and it is well known that Donnie takes care of his employees. "He always makes sure we have everything needed to do our job and when issues arise, he is quick to find a solution." In recent months, he was instrumental with the hiring of two experienced stores keepers at the YHZ base. "Donnie is engaged at all levels, from the janitor cleaning the hangar, to the pilots flying helicopters. If driving the forklift or mopping the floor needs to be done, Donnie is there to jump in and help. His management style and leadership skills help motivate employees to perform at the top of their game. I always receive the warmest of welcomes from Donnie and in talking to several employees at the Halifax base, I get the same story, that is he a great leader and a pleasure to work for. There is no shortage of high fives and thank yous from Donnie. When good work is bein done he recognizes employees for it. Donnie takes a lot of pride in the Halifax operation, and is 100% percent committed to the success of the company."

Rod Smith is a Rescue Specialist who often takes a proactive approach to his work at Cougar. For example, while Cougar 61 was conducting a day landing at the Long Pond helipad, Rodney noticed that the perimeter lights around the pad were loose and bending over due to the rotor downwash, lifting the lights and mounting bolts from their base creating a potential FOD hazard to any landing aircraft should they break loose. Rodney immediately notified the crew that multiple lights around the pad were identified to be loose. Rodney's quick action in identifying the hazards and communicating them to the rest of the crew resulted in the training being stopped. The potential for damage to any aircraft should the lights break free was very high but thanks to Rodney's keen eye and attention to detail this was avoided. Rodney continually displays this type of attention to detail throughout his flying and various ground positions such as the first aid instructor and inventory control tech roles that he holds within the company. Keep up the great work, Rod!

Trent and Deon are recognized for their extensive involvement in the purchase of new Ground Support Equipment introduced to the SAR Maintenance Program- the Zephyr Rescue Hoist Ground Support Equipment (RHGSE). Known as the " Zephyr", it efficiently cleans, conditions and services our S92 rescue hoist cables. Trent and Deon have exhibited proactive leadership in their research efforts and presentations to the company in order to obtain this valuable tool. The two took the time to determine the benefits of the unit, get approval from management, travel to the manufacturer to receive proper training, and create an in house training course to ensure all maintenance personnel can operate it safely and efficiently. These AME's have trained engineers via a slideshow presentation, followed by a practical exercise with the hoist. "The work they have put in and the training they are giving, is second to none. The time and effort, outside their normal work duties, to obtain such equipment, will reduce risk to personnel servicing the hoist cables, reduce premature wear on parts and reduce maintenance man hours, all helping the company to save money." Of more importance, is that this unit removes the risk of flight crews and rescue crew to conduct in air hoist conditioning checks, impacting workplace safety. "Their time, dedication, and efforts should not go unnoticed. A job well done!"

Trent is a Ramp/Security Agent within the Passenger Movements department. He started with Cougar only a few years ago, in 2017, but has since become known for "always going above and beyond in his duties at work, with a willingness to do anything to help another out." Trent has been a welcome volunteer with the company, assisting in such events as World Helicopter Day in CBS, Bell Island Aviation Day and the Community Food Sharing drive. Internally, he has become a regular escort for vendors, contractors, and the like. Trent also enjoys doing the mail delivery and loves to socialize with everyone who crosses his path. He is an avid example of an employee committed to Workplace Engagement. "With respect to his duties, Trent is always ready and willing to step in. Whether it's briefing, escorting, security, loading, or anything else, Trent is there; always willing to lend a hand." Props Trent!

As the Network Administrator within the IT department, "Sean has brought much value to Cougar since he came on board in December of 2016; and his value has only increased during this pandemic. In preparation for the "new normal", Sean prepared IT infrastructure and workstations, some new, for a large number of employees, to allow the work-from-home transition to be as seamless as possible. What makes his efforts even more impressive is that he has maintained this level of performance without any assistance from a Computer Support Specialist, a position which was vacated just prior to the pandemic. Sean has managed to maintain the entire physical and virtual network, integrate new servers and other hardware, increase the reliability of important informational displays, enhance the VPN stability and ensure integral applications and equipment remain functional. All while still supporting employees, both remotely and on-site. Sean is always available when important tasks require his expertise and his availability extends well beyond the normal work day. He is a valuable asset to Cougar." PROPS to Sean for his proactive mindset and contribution to process innovation!

Having been with Cougar since the doors opened in 1997, as a Check-in Agent, Lisa assisted our customers for the very first flight offshore. Since then she has served in several roles, working in the Traffic Office and PMC. Her titles include, Executive Assistant to the Base Operations Manager, Customer Liaison and now, Lisa is currently our Daily Service Manager. Over the years, Lisa has developed a reputation for being a big support to her colleagues. "Always willing to lend a hand, she is there if you need help or just need to talk. She's approachable, knowledgeable and will always consider both sides of a situation before offering suggestions. Lisa constantly does her best to find the balance between operational and personnel requirements, ensuring everyone is treated fairly and equal. She's there to step in when things get dicey and is constantly coming up with creative solutions to unique problems that manage to keep everyone happy. She consistently fields calls in the early morning hours, late at night and on weekends and holidays. Lisa is a great mentor, a great manager, a hard worker and should be recognized for it." An influential leader within the company, who has obviously made an impact on many.

Throughout this global pandemic, the PMC team at Cougar has worked exceptionally well together to keep Passenger Movements operations running as seamless as possible. Like many others, they consistently put themselves and their families at risk to the novel coronavirus but with one on one exposure to passengers on a daily basis, there is even heightened vulnerability. Despite the elevated personal risk, staff members must be super sensitive with passengers during these difficult times and extra flexible with the constant changes in their work environment. Early on, new safety measures were introduced regularly, requiring the group to continuously conform, during this unprecedented situation. Segregation with respect to trailers, bussing, meal service and vessel transfers, all made for unconventional circumstances to which the department had to adapt, with the utmost of diligence with respect to awareness, communication and general safety. And amidst all this, on 22 April, 2020 the PMC team played a huge part in a possible Cougar record, with 15 flights and 16 check-ins in a single day. PMC “did an outstanding job”. “Their attention to detail in the amended procedures for loading & offloading passengers with masks is noteworthy.”

“With the extra workload, exposure to personal hazard and dealing with the public, PMC has done a sterling job!”.

One of the most gratifying feelings is to be admired and recognized by your peers. At times, holding a position of responsibility and accountability is no easy task, but as Passenger Movements Coordinator, Maurice clearly has the respect of his subordinates. Being recognized in record numbers, he is defined as being positive, professional, a team player and a great leader. Whether mentoring new PMC employees or reaching out to his staff in times of crisis, “Moe” makes time for others with his modest and friendly manner. “He is very approachable and will go out of his way to help anyone. His office door is always open and he is never too busy to answer a call or text.” Despite battling personal issues and struggling with a global pandemic, Maurice has continued to provide valuable leadership skills, so that others might benefit. “Even while working from home, he still managed to be available at all times with respect to training and tool box talks, constantly reaching out to ensure that we are all in a good mind space and staying safe.” “With the unexpected loss of a fellow employee, he made daily contact, worrying about everyone. We felt like more than just “workers”, we felt like family!” He is a perfect “example of how we all have to adapt, move on and continue to strive to do our best.” Moe is “patient, respectful, supportive, understanding and an inspiration.” “He defines strength, courage and the ability to get the job done no matter what.”

Jon has proven himself as a great Structures AME during his many years at Cougar. “Aside from bringing a great work ethic each day, Jon’s ingenuity is one of his best attributes. He has creative and innovative solutions for issues around the workplace.” The aux fuel tank lifting/transfer platform is a prime example. Removing, installing, and transferring an S92 auxiliary fuel tank was often a complex task that offered the potential for injury. Jon found a solution by adding a series of dollies that fit under the tank to allow the tank to roll on and off the aux tank lifting platform. The original aux fuel tank lifting platform was also reworked to have precisely fitted retaining walls to secure the tank, during transportation of the tank to the aircraft and the added ramp makes the process of moving the tank on and off the aircraft far easier and safer. The dollies become even more valuable when the tank is positioned with ease instead of the toe busting duck waddle an AME had to do to get a tank off the lifting platform and into position in the aircraft. “This is one example of how Jon finds a solution, instead of being fixated on the problem. It is contributions like this that make our workplace safer and more efficient.”

As Business Content Coordinator, Chris is an integral part of the IT department. During this Covid period, because it has become fundamentally necessary to distance employees physically, the need for quality IT services is paramount. One area where distancing has become predominantly challenging is in the classroom. This requirement will be with us for a while and greatly affects our training program. Over the last few years, Chris has refined his skills in the area of developing in-house capability and has been a major contributor to the company’s internal online training. “He is quick to respond to requests and is instrumental in making things look good and function well. Chris maintains a positive attitude, despite “creative challenges” with the subject matter experts during development, and provides good advice. His work will provide efficiency advantages that are fit for the future. Chris’ work in Laserfiche, to automate forms and the flow of information, has provided advantages for remote work and daily efficiency as well.” Chris receives PROPS for his contribution to eLearning and Laserfiche Workflow advances within Cougar.

As Controller in the Finance department, Sherry has been instrumental in the set up, rollout, on-going maintenance, and user support for Dayforce. She has worked tirelessly to get the organization to where it is today with this software platform. She continues to work with departments in order to identify continuous improvements that will result in greater efficiencies and always seeks to increase end user knowledge of the system. With increased automation and accuracy as her guiding principles, Sherry takes pride in being able to help all employees develop an even greater Dayforce experience. “Without her support throughout this major initiative, such a successful implementation simply would not have been possible.”

Sherry has also been an active member of the Social committee and OH&S Committee for many years.“ She always has the best interests of Cougar in mind and is a great asset to the Cougar team.”

Michelle is a Traffic Agent at Cougar, supporting our customers in their day to day operations. Her experience in this field, combined with her knowledge of customer’s requirements, enables her to provide guidance and exceptional support, ensuring customer’s needs are met while maintaining operational oversight. Working directly with customers, both onshore and offshore, Michelle reacts quickly to issues as they arise to ensure we get the most out of our operational day; a benefit to us and our customer group. She always takes a proactive approach and is quick to determine how one issue can affect the rest of the day. Michelle is a solution seeker and a great communicator who will speak to affected customers directly to ensure they have the full picture and understand the best options available to them at the time. She does a great job as a central communication point between PMC, Dispatch and Maintenance as it relates to our customer flight requirements.

Some feedback received for Michelle include: “The news delivered may not be good, however the communication is great!” and “The communication and information is excellent. Mark of a leader”.

“Michelle is an integral part of our team and has a positive and professional approach to her work. She has a strong work ethic and always completes her tasks to the best of her abilities while able to adapt to the changing environment.”