Release #12.36
August 9, 2012

Captain Thomas O’Toole Receives ALPA’s Pilot Assistance Award
Jazz Pilot Recognized for Helping Countless Canadian Pilots Overcome Obstacles

WASHINGTON—Jazz Air Capt. Thomas O’Toole will be honored by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), for his commitment to providing outstanding support to his fellow pilots for more than 20 years. Capt. O’Toole will be presented with the ALPA Pilot Assistance Award at the Association’s 58th Air Safety Forum in Washington, D.C., on August 9.

Capt. O’Toole has worked with Canadian pilots in all aspects of pilot assistance. He has helped countless pilots overcome professional and personal obstacles so they can perform at their very best in the cockpit.

“Capt. O’Toole’s work in pilot assistance has touched the lives of pilots and crewmembers across Canada for more than 20 years,” said ALPA’s president, Capt. Lee Moak. “We owe him a debt of gratitude for his dedication to making a difference in the lives of pilots and for strengthening the pilot community.”

Through his work with ALPA’s Critical Incident Response Program (CIRP), Capt. O’Toole has provided assistance to pilots and crewmembers who have experienced stress and trauma as a result of airline accidents and incidents. Starting with the crash of Swissair Flight 111 off Halifax, Nova Scotia, in September 1998, and continuing through the crash of the First Air Flight 6560 at Resolute, Nunavut, in August 2011, he has supported pilots and crewmembers in the aftermath of tragedy. During these events, Capt. O’Toole has been instrumental in connecting people with resources they need to ensure their recovery and return to service.

Capt. O’Toole has also been active in the Pilot Health and Rehabilitation Program, providing support to pilots needing treatment for substance abuse. He has been vital in helping a large number of these pilots so that they can achieve recovery and return to work.

He currently serves as Jazz Master Executive Council (MEC) Pilot Assistance vice chairman and ALPA’s Canadian Pilot Assistance Group vice chairman. He is also active in recruiting and teaching new Pilot Assistance Committee members.

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world’s largest pilots union, representing more than 53,000 pilots at 37 airlines in the United States and Canada. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org.

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Contact: ALPA Media, 703/481-4440, or media@alpa.org