[Flagdu] Concerns and Promblems with TSA in Norfolk Airport
RJ Sandefur
joltingjacksandefur at gmail.com
Fri Sep 16 21:42:22 UTC 2011
I think this information you provided should be shared with the blindlaw
list serve as well. RJ
----- Original Message -----
From: "Merry C. Schoch" <merrys at verizon.net>
To: "Florida Association of Guide Dog Users" <flagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, September 16, 2011 5:42 PM
Subject: Re: [Flagdu] Concerns and Promblems with TSA in Norfolk Airport
> Hi Matt,
>
> At the meeting of the National Association of Guide Dog Users during
> convention a gentleman from TSA spoke regarding such matters as going
> through the scanner. If memory serves me correctly he was from Washington
> D.C. He stated that we should go through the scanner with our dogs, so
> this being reason for a pat down goes against the information we heard.
> Marion would like you to call him on Monday at 813 6262789 before sending
> the letter. Hope besides that incident your vacation went well.
>
> Sincerely,
> Merry C. Schoch
> Vice President
> FLAGDU
> ----- 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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>
>
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