[blindlaw] Fw: [Flagdu] Concerns and Promblems with TSA in NorfolkAirport

[Peter Donahue]

Hello everyone,

    There's a solution to both passing through scanners with guide dogs and 
very invasive pat-downs. It's called private air charter.

Peter Donahue


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "RJ Sandefur" <joltingjacksandefur at gmail.com>
To: "NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List" <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, September 16, 2011 4:07 PM
Subject: [blindlaw] Fw: [Flagdu] Concerns and Promblems with TSA in 
NorfolkAirport


Does this man have a case? RJ
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Matt Weihmuller" <saxmatt7 at gmail.com>
To: <flagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, September 16, 2011 4:55 PM
Subject: [Flagdu] Concerns and Promblems with TSA in Norfolk Airport


> Good afternoon everyone.  I appolygize for taking your time.  I usually do
> not wish to post on this list, unless it is absolutely
> necessary.  However, I am posting on this list today in the hopes that my
> unfortunate event I experienced at the TSA security checkpoint in the
> Norfolk Airport will help to benefit and educate others that might have
> the
> same unfortunate encounter.
> This post was suppose to go out two weeks ago on Friday September 2nd,
> however, for some reason it did not post and was returned to me.  I have
> been  traveling
> for the  last two weeks and have not been able to have access to my email
> until today.  Below is a letter I have drafted to the TSA Federal Director
> in
> Norfolk.  I have not yet sent it, as I have been traveling and I hoped to
> gather some comments and critiques from as many people as possible
> regarding
> the matter.  I also was hoping to resolve the matter with the TSA manager
> of
> the Norfolk Airport, Mr. Carson, as he was very graciously working with me
> to review the video to confirm my accusations and take the propper steps
> to
> ensure that it did not happen again.  However, the last contact I received
> with Mr. Carson was the day I left on vacation.  He stated at that time
> that
> he could only find one video of a person  with a service dog and the
> person
> did not fit my description.  He was therefore, going to "go back to the
> drawing board" to find the video of myself.  I have currently had no
> further
> contact with Mr,. Carson since then.  If anyone has any suggestions on how
> I
> can ensure that my concerns are heard in a very  curtius way, I would
> greatly appreciate it.  Thanks again for all your time.  Here is the
> letter
> below.  It reads as follows:
>
>
>
> Dear Mr. Horowitz,
>
>    My name is Matt Weihmuller.  I am writing you in regards to an
> unfortunately humiliating and frustrating experience I had with my
> guidedog,
> Daisy, the morning of Monday, August 29th, at the TSA Concourse A
> checkpoint
> in the Norfolk, Virginia airport.  As usual, I showed my ID and passport,
> and proceeded to remove all necessary belongings to ensure a quick and
> efficient passage through the scanner and X-ray machine.  Before entering
> the scanner, I informed the agent that I was traveling with my guidedog,
> Daisy, and would "heel" the dog, having her sit and stay while I was
> cleared.  I can only assume that I must have not been clear enough in my
> communication as to my situation.  I am totally blind, and as such,
> without
> my mobility tools, such as a guidedog, or cane, usually one of the TSA
> agents assist me through the scanner by holding out a hand for me to grab
> onto after I pass  through the scanner. This has come about as  a result
> of
> my travel over the years, where I have been asked to leave my mobility
> tool
> I.E. cane or dog behind while passing through the scanner and
> therefore,have
> bumped into the sides of the machine, enjuring myself and lengthening the
> security check process.    I appolygize for this lengthy explanation,
> however, it was necessary, as this is what happened next. I proceeded to
> attempt to travel through the scanner, hoping and expecting to grab the
> hand
> of the agent on the other side to assist guiding me to a safe location, as
> not to run into anything.  As I ran squarely into the side of the scanner,
> the TSA agent stated, "Oh, sorry, you are blind, huh?". They then finally
> concluded that I was in fact, blind and needed some assistance traveling
> through the center of the scanner.  I then passed through a second time,
> not
> setting anything off, and was then cleared.  I then commanded Daisy to
> travel through the scanner.  She then proceeded, by herself, through the
> scanner, and I grabbed her leash directly after she set off the alarm and
> directed her toward the TSA agent to be patted down. The agent was very
> polite and greeted Daisy, commenting on how much she licked.  We then
> exchanged some casual remarks about what a good dog I have and that she
> appeared to be ok.  The agent then began to express that both myself and
> Daisy were clear, when a TSA  supervisor, Agent Margy Sunday came from
> what
> I perceived to be out of nowhere, a nearby podium which was explained to
> me
> later, and very abruptly ordered her subordinant agents to pat both of us
> down.  I asked why and was immediately told that I had contact with the
> dog
> while she passed through the scanner.  I stated that I did not have any
> contact and. Agent Sunday stated that I did and promptly walked away.  I
> was
> then grabbed by a man and told to hold tightly onto my  pants strongly.  I
> showed him that I was wearing a belt, an item which I had on my person
> during my cleared passage through the scanner, and stated that my pants
> would not fall off during the pat-down process, a procedure which I was
> neither properly prepared or notified about.  He then commanded me to
> take
> off my belt and promptly snatched it away from me.  He then patted me
> down,
> taking his hands and placing them inside my pants, firmly patting down my
> underwear  and all over my body.  I  should state that while this
> procedure
> took place, at no time, was I allowed to have control of my guide dog, a
> direct violation of TSA disability regulations.  After the pat-down
> procedure, the first female agent, who was very polite and almost
> originally
> cleared my dog and myself, stated that I was finally cleared to leave the
> area. I stated that my belt had not been  returned to me.  It was then
> finally explained to me, after several  minutes  that my belt had been put
> back through the X-Ray machine, even though it did not alert the alarm the
> first time I traveled  through the scanner.  I would have strongly
> protested, however, by this time, I needed to go to the gate.  This long
> procedure had caused me a  great deal of stress and time, and I felt very
> strongly that at that time I needed to be somewhat rushed, or I would not
> make it in time to board the aircraft.  Upon my safe arrival in Tampa, I
> contacted the TSA Norfolk manager, Mr. Carson, who upon returning my phone
> call, stated that Ms. Sunday has been with TSA since it's inception, and
> that if she came from behind her poste, that I must have been in error.  I
> explained the sequence of events as stated above, and was told that I must
> have had some type of incidental contact with the dog after it passed
> through the scanner, before it was cleared.  I stated that I did not, and
> was told that I must have or else Agent Sunday would not have seen any
> reason to come and given the order for the pat-down procedure.  I am
> currently awaiting Mr. Carson's review of the Concourse A video to
> determine
> if I did in fact have some sort of incidental contact with my guidedog.  I
> would like to state that even if this is somehow true, at no time was I
> informed by any TSA agent of my error.  Furthermore, at no time was I
> informed of the consequences of my error or what would be done to me
> during
> the pat-down procedure. I realize that this might normally seem
> unnecessary, however, as I previously stated, I am totally blind.
> Therefore, it was somewhat unnerving and terrifying, not knowing where I
> was
> standing or exactly what was going to be done to me.  I realize this again
> might not seem relevant.  Again, I ask you to imagine, being in a place
> where you are standing in total darkness, while some person without your
> predetermined knolodge, evasively probes your body.  The agents at the TSA
> checkpoint should have been trained on this matter and should have taken
> necessary action to state to myself what exact procedure was necessary for
> both Daisy and I to passs correctly through the security checkpoint.
> Furthermore, if such action is not taken, such training should be done to
> properly notify myself and any other blind individuals of what the proper
> procedure is should I not correctly pass through, I.E. what was involved
> in
> the pat-down and what articles of clothing would need to be reexamined.
> The
> TSA agents  didn't even realize that I was blind until I ran into the
> scanner the first time.  I would like to point out that it is not there
> responsibility to have such knolodge, but the responsibility of Agent
> Sunday
> or her superiors to train those on what should be done should another
> incident of this kind should occur in the future. It is very clear that
> Agent Sunday has not had such training, nor did Mr. Carson, the TSA
> manager.
> This greatly troubles me.  I am a well educated blind individual and
> advoocate.  It frightens me what could happen should a person of lesser
> independence experience the same situation.  I fear that the consequences
> of
> such an incident could be severe.  I still have not been given any
> reassurance that should I follow the proper procedure in the future, that
> the same events will not occur to me again.  I recently attended a seminar
> given by a TSA representative at the National Federation of the Blind
> National Convention in Orlando this past July. I attempted to follow
> guidelines given to me at the seminar and this incident still occurs.  To
> date, no TSA agent, including Agent Sunday nor Mr. Carson has properly
> explained me what I need to do to prevent this incident from happening
> again.  Upon requesting such guidelines during my conversations with Mr.
> Carson regarding the contact of service animals during scanning, I was
> told
> that it is "SOP" and to explain such guidelines would compromise national
> security.  It is again very clear to me that agents are not adequately
> trained for these situations, and such a reeducation program is very
> necessary.  I appolygize for taking your time, however, I wanted to inform
> you of the situation in the hopes  that either myself or others who are
> not
> as willing to come forward and advocate for themselves will not have to
> experience what I had to go through in the future.  Thanks again for your
> time.
>
>    Sincerely,
>
>    Matt Weihmuller
>
>    MMP 2010
>
>    Phone: 813-541-4012
>
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