[Nfbmt] A Travel Tip - TSA Cares Program

Mon Nov 25 23:29:06 UTC 2013

Hello NFB of Montana,

On our last call, there were questions about the TSA in airports. The
article below might help; copied from Guide Dogs for the Blind news:
Best
George  with Guide Dog Mikey

A Travel Tip - TSA Cares Program
By Maurice Bowman with "Daniel"
With the holidays just around the corner, here is a travel tip submitted by
GDB Graduate, Maurice Bowman which may be of interest to you!
Last month, while going through the air port's TSA security clearance
process with my guide dog, a TSA representative told me about a new service
that TSA now offers.  Any person with a disability may call TSA 72 hours
before traveling by air for assistance through the TSA security check point.
We can now request that a TSA representative be assigned to assist us
through the TSA security clearance process.  He explained that TSA wants to
make traveling by air for persons with disabilities an easier process.
Simply call the number below to schedule, 72 hours in advance, and the TSA
representative will give you information on getting assistance.  You may
also ask questions about getting through the TSA check point also by calling
the phone number below.  In either case, you will talk with a live person to
help you.  Going through TSA will be faster and much easier for you and for
those you are traveling with.  The TSA representative will help you clear
your carry-on bag, quickly help you through the scanner, and will quickly
clear your guide dog, so you can have a hassle-free travel experience.
Here is the formal announcement:
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced the launch of TSA
Cares today, a new helpline number designed to assist travelers with
disabilities and medical conditions, prior to getting to the airport.
Travelers may call TSA Cares toll free at 1-855-787-2227 prior to traveling
with questions about screening policies, procedures and what to expect at
the security checkpoint.
~"TSA Cares provides passengers with disabilities and medical needs another
resource to use before they fly, so they know what to expect when going
through the screening process," said TSA Administrator John Pistol. "This
additional level of personal communication helps ensure that even those who
do not travel often are aware of our screening policies before they arrive
at the airport."
Since its inception, TSA has provided information to all travelers through
its TSA Contact Center and Customer Service Managers in airports nationwide.
TSA Cares will serve as an additional, dedicated resource for passengers
with disabilities, medical conditions or other circumstances or their loved
ones who want to prepare for the screening process prior to flying.
When a passenger with a disability or medical condition calls TSA Cares, a
representative will provide assistance, either with information about
screening that is relevant to the passenger's specific disability or medical
condition, or the passenger may be referred to disability experts at TSA.
TSA recommends that passengers call approximately 72 hours ahead of travel
so that TSA Cares has the opportunity to coordinate checkpoint support with
a TSA Customer Service Manager located at the airport when necessary.
Every person and item must be screened before entering the secure area of an
airport and the manner in which the screening is conducted will depend on
the passenger's abilities and any specific equipment brought to the security
checkpoint.
TSA strives to provide the highest level of security while ensuring that all
passengers are treated with dignity and respect. The agency works regularly
with a broad coalition of disability and medical condition advocacy groups
to help understand their needs and adapt screening procedures accordingly.
TSA holds quarterly meetings with this coalition to inform them about
current training and screening procedures used in airports. TSA recently
hosted a teleconference with members of these groups to announce the
long-standing plans to implement TSA Cares for travelers and inform them of
the upcoming launch.
All travelers may ask to speak to a TSA supervisor if questions about
screening procedures arise while at the security checkpoint.
The hours of operation for the TSA Cares helpline are Monday through Friday
9 a.m. - 9 p.m. EST, excluding federal holidays. After hours, travelers can
find information about traveling with disabilities and medical needs on
TSA's website. To learn more click here.
All travelers can contact TSA using Talk to TSA, a web-based tool that
allows passengers to reach out to an airport Customer Service Manager
directly, and the TSA Contact Center, 1-866-289-9673 and
TSA-ContactCenter at dhs.gov, where travelers can ask questions, provide
suggestions and file complaints.

George Kerscher Ph.D.
-In our Information Age, access to information is a fundamental human right.
Secretary General, DAISY Consortium
http://www.daisy.org
Senior Officer, Accessible Technology Learning Ally originally Recording For
the Blind & Dyslexic 
http://www.learningally.org 
President, International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF) 
http://www.idpf.org
Member of the National Museum and Library Services  Board (IMLS)
http://www.imls.gov
Chair Steering Council Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), a division of the
W3C 
http://www.w3c.org/wai 
Phone: +1 406/549-4687
Cell:+1 406/544-2466 
Email: kerscher at montana.com