Westwood Firefighter Honored by Logan Airport

The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) Tuesday awarded Walpole resident Bill Cannata, a firefighter in Westwood, with the Authority’s “Logan Stars” award. The award honors non-Massport employees at Boston Logan International Airport whose actions epitomize the highest level of customer service.

Cannata is a project coordinator for the Autism and Law Enforcement Education Coalition and was recognized by Massport for his efforts in developing a training module – Autism Awareness for Emergency Responders -- for airport operations and emergency personnel. Autism Spectrum Disorder is the fastest growing developmental disability in the world. Recognizing this emergent special need demographic, Massport Fire-Rescue and the Massachusetts State Police sought training to provide emergency responders with facts about autism, recognition, sensory impairments and intervention skills. The training program developed by Cannata has helped emergency responders better recognize and understand Autism Spectrum Disorder and to provide effective intervention with compassion and care.

“Boston Logan is a front door to Massachusetts and providing excellent customer service to the millions of passengers who use the airport reflects well on the entire state,’’ said Gov. Deval Patrick, who attended the awards ceremony. “I am proud to honor Bill for his outstanding service to the citizens and visitors of the Commonwealth.”

“Massport applies an effective team approach to ensuring the highest level of security and service at Logan Airport,” said Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray. “We thank Bill for his leadership and dedication in supporting customers who rely on Logan Airport throughout the year.”

"Excellent customer service is fundamental to a successful transportation system, and I am pleased to see Massport honor individuals like Bill who work as partners in making the travel experience a positive one," said Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Secretary & CEO Richard A. Davey. Massport sponsors the award twice each year to give the nearly 18,000 members of the Logan Airport community an opportunity to honor their peers for superior individual achievement.

“The care and well being of our passengers is paramount and the Logan Stars award showcases instances where an individual provides superior service to the traveling public and provides an opportunity for Massport, as the airport operator, to thank individuals like Bill for a job well done,” said Massport CEO and Executive Director Thomas P. Glynn. 

The award recognizes the contributions of Logan employees in one or more categories:

Providing exceptional customer service.

Engaging in an act of heroism.

Improving safety or security.

Increasing operational efficiency or excellence in a way that benefits the Logan community.

And creating innovations or new work processes that benefit the Logan community as a whole.

“Logan Stars honors those individuals who have been singled out for the work they do that makes all of us proud to work at Logan Airport,” said Massport’s Director of Aviation Edward C. Freni. “It’s because of  people like Bill that we enjoy a national reputation as a safe, secure, cutting-edge and customer-focused airport that really cares about the people who use us every day.” 

Cannata has been with the Autism and Law Enforcement Education Coalition for nine years.