Because most people in wheelchairs can't stand up, they are usually patted-down in lieu of hand-wanded. It simply is not practical at all to attempt a partial hand-wand screening since the wand will alarm on the numerous metalic components of the wheelchair itself. However, not everyone is in a wheelchair simply because they are unable to stand, and this is where the screening process becomes tricky.

As a general rule, the screeners are supposed to determine if the person is able and willing to stand up out of the wheelchair for a hand-wand screening. With some of the elderly passengers, this easily becomes a matter of miscommunication. When the screener asks, "are you able to stand?" the passenger interprets that to mean "you need to stand up." And when this doesn't occur, it's also a matter of individual pride. Some people, regardless of age, don't want to be treated differently and will attempt to stand up even when physically unable to.

That's why, contrary to the written rule of the SOP but within the spirit of it, I discourage my screeners from having people stand up out their wheelchairs and have them screened while seated. Unless the passenger insists on standing up, I have them remain seated. The way I see it, they're in a wheelchair for a reason and we can accomodate wheelchaired passengers within the context of our screening procedures. Nothing disturbs me more than to see an elderly person wobbling to stand up, perhaps with the assistance of a family member, so that the screener can hand-wand that passenger. What I tell my screeners is something like, "Bill (or Alice), you followed the correct procedure; however, when I'm on the floor, here's how I'd like to see you do it...." and then I give my reasons why.

Some in here may criticize me for this; but I see it as not only a dose of common sense, but I, too, don't want to see anyone undergo the indignity that our screening procedures sometimes require when I know another way to avoid it entirely.