[Flagdu] Response from TSA

Fri Aug 13 01:56:07 UTC 2010

I think we are beating a dead horse?

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Marion Gwizdala" <blind411 at verizon.net>
To: "Florida Association of Guide Dog Users" <flagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, August 12, 2010 9:41 PM
Subject: Re: [Flagdu] Response from TSA

> Ralph,
>    All I can say is that this message is completely misguided, inaccurate 
> information!
>
> Marion Gwizdala
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "ralph narducci" <spadad1 at yahoo.com>
> To: "Florida Association of Guide Dog Users" <flagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, August 12, 2010 2:24 PM
> Subject: Re: [Flagdu] Response from TSA
>
>
> under the homeland security act you only have the rights that they 
> determine you
> will have,,no consistency is required none.....just as any service animal 
> that
> interferes with normal business or safety of others may be removed. being
> disabled does not mean other than the present authority requires at any 
> given
> moment. the safety of all others,,all others.is the only consideration 
> that is
> required by law.
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Sherrill O'Brien <sherrill.obrien at verizon.net>
> To: Florida Association of Guide Dog Users <flagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thu, August 12, 2010 1:37:58 PM
> Subject: Re: [Flagdu] Response from TSA
>
> Ralph,
>
> Please read this post with care before thinking that responsible guide dog
> users want to be exempted from going through security. That's not what 
> this
> is about. We all have the right to professional and consistent treatment
> each time we go through security, whether we're in Chicago, New York or a
> small airport. When I go through security, I put my dog at a sit, walk
> through first, holding the leash, and, generally, I don't set off the 
> metal
> detector myself. Then I call the dog through. She sets off the metal
> detector with her gear, and so a pat down, or wanding of the dog is in
> order. No one here is suggesting this shouldn't be done, and the TSA 
> letter
> mentions that this is regularly done when the dog sets off the metal
> detector. What we're asking for is consistency. In other words, it is not
> permissible to remove the dog's harness. But the pat down of the dog, even
> with the harness on, will uncover anything of a suspicious nature. I hope
> this helps you to understand that we're not against having to take the 
> time
> for the wanding of our dogs. We just want to know what to expect when it
> happens.
>
> Sherrill
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: flagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:flagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org]On
> Behalf Of ralph narducci
> Sent: Thursday, August 12, 2010 12:56 PM
> To: Merry Schoch; Florida Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [Flagdu] Response from TSA
>
>
> ok and when those that do mean to harm us realize that service animals are
> removed from COMPLETE securiety checks do use a service animal fake or 
> real
> to
> harm others. what then? so much going on in the world and all you can do 
> is
> b---- about "i sould be exempy" please.
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Merry Schoch <merrys at verizon.net>
> To: Marion Gwizdala <blind411 at verizon.net>; Florida Association of Guide 
> Dog
> Users <flagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thu, August 12, 2010 8:13:24 AM
> Subject: Re: [Flagdu] Response from TSA
>
> 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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