News and resources for PDX employees.
News and resources for PDX employees.
Top Row: Skip Baker, Michael Dayton, Levi Favara, Ryan Stapleton,
Bottom Row: Tyler Thompson, Brandon Yu, Ashley Yukich, Tracy Bowser
PDX People Act Together for Life-Saving Teamwork
When an abandoned vehicle report came in, the folks investigating the situation never expected to uncover a story of life-saving heroics. What might have just been a ticket and a tow soon became a nomination for a team of nine employees at our PDX People Quarterly Awards.
The unattended truck belonged to Kevin, a PDX construction worker who was out on the tarmac by the Concourse E extension when he noticed his heart was beating too fast. He stopped to take a break indoors, but still didn’t feel well after resting. Starting to feel concerned, he decided he needed a second opinion.
Kevin drove over to the front of the terminal where the Port Police park their vehicles, knowing an officer was likely to be nearby. He spotted Officer Skip Baker and described what he was experiencing. Officer Baker immediately called emergency personnel and, under the guidance of dispatcher Tracy Bowser, collected Kevin’s health information while they waited for the paramedics.
A few minutes later, emergency medical technicians Michael Dayton, Levi Favara, Ryan Stapleton, Tyler Thompson, Brandon Yu and Ashley Yukich arrived on the scene. An EEG quickly determined that Kevin’s heart rate was in excess of 200 beats per minute – a life-threatening situation. Paramedics began immediate treatment and loaded Kevin into the ambulance. During this time, Officer Baker provided comfort and reassurance, called Kevin’s wife and his employer, and stayed with Kevin right up until the ambulance doors closed.
Kevin was in the hospital for three days and has since recovered. He and his family are tremendously thankful to Officer Baker and the rest of the team for their help.
“I do believe that the actions of Officer Baker probably saved my life,” Kevin said. “I cannot express my gratitude enough for his quick actions. My family and I owe him a huge thanks."
To recognize those airport employees that truly stand out as extraordinary, we host the PDX People customer service awards each quarter. The virtual awards ceremony was held on Tuesday, Oct. 27, but if you couldn't watch in real time, don't worry! You can watch the recording now or read about the winners on the PDX employee website.
Want to nominate an employee who embodies the PDX People values and serves as a shining example of great customer service? Submit a nomination now.
Concourse Connector Closes January 5
There will be limited ways to connect between B/C and D/E when the Concourse Connector closes on Tuesday, Jan. 5.
If you use the Concourse Connector – for work, for breaks or just for convenience – you’ll need to exit the concourse and re-enter on the other side, either using the employee lane of the TSA checkpoint or a bypass door, depending on your badge access. In good news, TSA will keep a lane open 24/7 on each side of the airport for employees. Learn more in our PDX Next update.
If you’re helping passengers, make sure that they carefully check their boarding passes and use the security checkpoint that matches their gate location. If a passenger comes to you with questions about the closure, we put together a helpful FAQ so you know how to respond.
New Indoor Pet Relief Areas Coming Soon
When the Concourse Connector closes, the existing pet relief area will also close permanently. However, two new pet relief areas will open near Gates C4 and D2. You can direct travelers to these new locations starting on Friday, Jan. 1. As a reminder, we also have one pet relief area outside the terminal near the MAX light rail station.
First Look: New PDX Designs Take Inspiration From the Region
Even the best rendering can’t quite capture the airport’s “PDXiness.” To show you that, we grabbed a few of our favorite visual references to give you a more intimate glimpse into the people, places and passions inspiring what’s next at the airport. Stay up to date with the latest PDX Next news on the PDX People website.
Blood Drive Set For Tuesday, Dec. 8
Delta Airlines invites you to participate in a blood drive tomorrow – Tuesday, Dec. 8 –from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The drive will be held in the PDX Conference Center St. Helens Room A. Appointments are required – make yours now or go to redcrossblood.org and search for the sponsor code DeltaPDX. For questions, please email Madison Motohashi (Madison.Motohashi@delta.com) or Cameron Hernandez (Cameron.Hernandez@delta.com) 
PDX In Pictures
About PDX In Pictures: Port of Portland Police Officer Rema Gossman tantalizes her dog, Mine, with a chew toy. Gossman and Mine trained together for several months out of state to develop Mine into a qualified police K-9 unit. Her primary mission is explosives detection.
For this periodic segment, we've asked Airport Duty Manager Brian Burk to share photos he captures while on the job with PDX Airport Operations. Brian has worked for the Port of Portland since 2007, but his first PDX job was as a high schooler in 1994. He's a native Portlander and a pilot who loves photography, flying and taking people behind the scenes of his favorite place: PDX.
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