[Flagdu] Response from TSA

Thu Aug 12 12:13:24 UTC 2010

Since Marion's message came through with attachments and no message in the 
boddy of the e-mail, I have copied and pasted it below:
Dear All,
    As you know, I wrote to the transportation Security Administration (TSA) 
concerning the sometimes arbitrary, inconsistent manner in which those of us 
who use service dogs are screened at airport security. The text of my 
message to them and their reply to me are pasted below.

fraternally yours,
Marion Gwizdala, President
National Association of Guide Dog Users
National Federation of the Blind
813-626-2789
President at NAGDU.ORG
HTTP://NAGDU.ORG

July 20, 2010
My name is Marion Gwizdala. I am the President of the National Association 
of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU), a division of the National Federation of the 
Blind.
The National Association of Guide Dog Users hosts an email list designed for 
subscribers to exchange information concerning the use of service animals
and network with other blind people who use guide dogs.
Recently, there has been a discussion on our list concerning the arbitrary 
manner in which personnel with the Transportation Security Administration 
deals
with service animals at security check points in airports. This discussion 
has led to a variety of anecdotes concerning this issue from one person who
asserts that TSA personnel completely destroyed the guide dog's gear to 
another who asserts that a security officer performed a cavity search on her 
dog.
I am writing to ask if specific protocol/policies exist for how service 
animals are cleared through airport security. If such protocol exists, I 
would like
to have a copy to share with my constituents. If no such protocol exists, I 
would like to offer the input and resources of the National Association of
Guide Dog Users and the National Federation of the Blind in the development 
and dissemination of such policies.
Please respond to me either via email or telephone. My contact information 
is below my signature.
Respectfully yours,
Marion Gwizdala, President
National Association of Guide Dog Users
National Federation of the Blind
813-626-2789
Blind411 at Verizon.net
Fraternally yours,
Marion Gwizdala, President
National Association of Guide Dog Users
National Federation of the Blind

U.S. Department of Homeland Security
 Office of Disability Policy and Outreach
701 South 12th Street

W3-306N
Arlington, VA 20598

August 4, 2010

Via E- Mail

Ms. Marian Gwizdala

blind411 at verizon.net

Complaint Number: ODPO-CON-10-37

Dear Ms. Gwizdala:

Thank you for contacting the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) 
Office of Disability Policy and Outreach (ODPO) regarding TSA's screening 
procedures for service animals.  You state that as President of the National 
Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU) you have received many 
comments/complaints from members of your organization regarding their 
feelings that TSA Officers (TSOs) screen their service animals in an 
arbitrary manner. You inquire whether TSA has established applicable 
protocols, and cite several anecdotes where TSA personnel appear to have 
acted inappropriately.

Please know that TSA takes concerns such as these very seriously.  One of 
our key objectives is to ensure that all passengers consistently receive 
professional and courteous processing at the checkpoint, while maintaining 
our high level of security.  We train the TSOs to conduct screenings with 
professionalism and to treat all passengers with dignity and respect.  We 
regret that you and your members feel we did not meet these standards.

In March 2002, to further these objectives, TSA established a program for 
screening of persons with disabilities and their associated equipment, 
mobility aids, and devices.  Our program covers all categories of 
disabilities (mobility, hearing, visual, and hidden).  As part of that 
program, we established a coalition of over 70 disability-related groups and 
organizations to help us understand the concerns of persons with 
disabilities and medical conditions.  There are a number of organizations in 
the coalition, such as the Guide Dogs for the Blind, for whom the screening 
of service animals is an important issue.

TSA has also worked diligently to train our TSOs on how to carefully and 
gently screen persons with disabilities and persons with medical conditions 
and their related equipment.  TSA does have established standard operating 
procedures for the screening of people who are blind or visually impaired 
and use a service dog.  While these individuals will not be eligible for 
screening using Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT), they can undergo Walk 
Through Metal Detector (WTMD) screening, or in the alternative a pat-down. 
A pat-down may be conducted in a private screening area by an officer of the 
same gender.

If the individual and their dog go through the WTMD together and alarm, both 
of them will have to undergo additional screening.

1.      To resolve the passenger alarm, the Transportation Security Officer 
(TSO) will first use a hand held metal detector (HHMD).  Every time the HHMD 
alarms, the (TSO) will pat-down the area to verify that no prohibited items 
are present.

2.      Since the dog's harness most likely contains metal, the TSO will 
need to physically inspect the dog and its belongings (collar, harness, 
leash, backpack, vest, etc.) in order to resolve the alarm.  Although the 
dog's harness will not be removed, other items that s/he may be carrying 
such as a backpack are subject to screening.

If the person and their dog walk though the WTMD individually and one or 
both of them alarm, additional screening will be conducted as described 
above on whoever causes the alarm.  TSOs have also been trained to ask 
permission before touching the animal, and request the passenger's help in 
controlling the animal during the pat-down and hand-held metal detector 
screening. Any carry-on items not being carried by the service animal will 
be x-rayed or physically inspected and returned to the passenger once they 
are cleared.

I am very much interested in hearing more about the problems encountered by 
your members, and would really appreciate hearing from you/them as soon as 
something they think is wrong occurs.  Receiving this type of information 
fairly contemporaneously with the events in question allows for a better 
investigation of the complaint, and allows us to better target any remedial 
training needed by our officers.  In addition, I frequently am able to 
resolve the matter even before the person takes their return flight home.

If you are interested in becoming a member of TSA's Disability Coalition 
described above, please contact me.  Teleconferences are convened quarterly 
and the Coalition meets in person once a year.  The Coalition provides a 
forum for member organizations to bring their constituent's concerns to 
policy makers within TSA. I hope you will give serious consideration to 
joining, and look forward to working more closely with you and your 
organization in the future to address their concerns related to the 
screening of their guide dogs and service animals.

Thank you for bringing these matters to our attention.

Sincerely,

Rhonda Basha, J.D.

Director

Office of Disability Policy and Outreach

Office of the Special Counselor

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Marion Gwizdala" <blind411 at verizon.net>
To: "NAGDU List" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>; "FLAGDU List" <FLAGDU at NFBNET.ORG>; 
"nyagdu" <nyagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, August 12, 2010 8:05 AM
Subject: [Flagdu] Response from TSA

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