Are WTMDs detecting particulate matter?
 

Yesterday I was flying from FLL and I alarmed the WTMD. I had no metal on me. The TSO did not ask me to walk through again, or if I had any metal. He asked me to stand to the side and said something into his radio like "UTF alarm" or something like that (couldn't hear well enough).

After a while, someone came over and all he did was swab my hands and then let me go. Never had to re-walk through the WTMD, never got searched, etc.

Two things to note:

Yesterday morning I had handled a firearm (but did not fire it)
My home is going through a renovation, and there is tons of dust all over the place, including drywall dust, marble tile dust, etc.

Maybe it's also worth noting that I used my Global Entry card at the TDC, without any issues. He did draw a green dot on my BP. Can TSOs make the WTMD alarm at their discretion?

Just speculating but some WTMD have a random alarm to pick subjects for alternative screening. Possible?

More than some... and more than possible.

So, what was the three-letter acronym he actually used?

They have implemented random screening and, at least at some locations, there is a "check box" sheet on the wall that says whether a simple hand-swab is enough or whether it is time for a full property search (those are the only 2 alternatives I saw, there many be others).

Okay, so just a coincidence. I thought for sure the swab would come back positive!

Exactly my experience last Saturday at CLT. WTMD beeped, they asked me to stand in a waist high glass pen, swabbed my hands only and sent me on my way. I was worried a bit because I came directly from work where I had been in contact with solvents and industrial cleaners. Still no ETD alarm.

Sounds pretty random indeed, which is the strategy on record.

Well, had you used any hand lotion you would likely received a TSA grope down.

Random check.

Earlier in the year at an airport, some DYKWIA woman cut me in line at security and got the beep indicating a random search. As I was leaving the area, she was getting a patdown and bag search. I thanked her on the way out.

:D

Dont ya just love poetic justice?

:D

I am an avid shooter and have never experienced a problem with the ETD's alarming because of it. I suspect that as long as one is not handling military grade large caliber ammo that there wouldn’t be any.

How often have you been tested shortly after being to the range?

There's a special place in hell reserved for DYKWIA people and their self-righteous .........

I got selected by the random beep last month at ORD, I was told to stand in the waist high glass pen and almost immediately a screener came over and opened the door and asked me to point out my belongings, she swabbed down only my shoes and after the ETD test came up clean, she said I was okay to go.

I asked her what caused the WTMD to alarm, since I had nothing on me to set it off, and she just said it was a random check.

Mr. Elliott