[Nfbmt] A Travel Tip - TSA Cares Program

Tue Nov 26 03:43:12 UTC 2013

Hi guys.   I fly often and I don't think the problem is that we as blind
travelors don't know how to go through security.  I have experienced that
TSA doesn't know how to usher us through the screening process.  I am flying
this Thursday to Miami, flying home on dec. 8th, flying to Minneapolis in
late december and back home again and I will be flying round trip from here
to Minneapolis again in January.  These are just my upcoming travels that I
am currently planning.  I fly often and always go through security, when I
fly commercially, that is.  When I take the situation in hand at TSA and
instruct the agents how to usher me through the process in a safe, efficient
manner, there are no hang ups.  The problems arise when I am not on the ball
and I count on TSA to know how to do it themselves.  I can continue to
instruct TSA on how to see me through the process when I go through but this
doesn't make me very confident in their abilities to prevent anyone from
getting on board a flight who shouldn't be there.  I am quite insulted that
someone apparently thinks we are the ones with the problem.  I for one am a
safe cane travelor and can safely walk through security.  The bumbling of
TSA is what screws the process up.  I am so nervous about flying anymore
because I never know what's going to happen next with TSA.  Whoever thinks
that we are the ones who have the problem and not TSA needs their heads
examined.  As I said, for us, it's merely a matter of sitting down and
taking our shoes off and walking through the machine.  It is the agents who
get so flustered and do stupid things because they panic when they see a
handicapped person coming through.  It really irritates me that someone is
implying that we are the ones with the problem.  
Becca 

-----Original Message-----
From: Nfbmt [mailto:nfbmt-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Edward Robbins
Sent: Monday, November 25, 2013 6:16 PM
To: 'NFB of Montana Discussion List'
Subject: Re: [Nfbmt] A Travel Tip - TSA Cares Program

George,
	Thanks for posting this.  I will do some preliminary searching to
know just what I, personally need to do.
Ted

EDWARD C "TED" ROBBINS
, CEO MBEI, Treasurer NFB of Montana & MANAGER MAB EQUIPMENT PROGRAM PHONE &
FAX:  406 453 6678, CELL:  406 799 6268
104 RIVERVIEW 5 E
GREAT FALLS  MT   59404

-----Original Message-----
From: Nfbmt [mailto:nfbmt-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of George Kerscher
Sent: Monday, November 25, 2013 4:29 PM
To: Montana NFB
Subject: [Nfbmt] A Travel Tip - TSA Cares Program

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

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