Mayo Clinic patient humiliated at Dallas Love Field
Jul 18, 2012, 10:03 pm
#1
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Mayo Clinic patient humiliated at Dallas Love Field
More trouble for those who are ill:
http://kstp.com/news/stories/S2695022.shtml?cat=1
"...Deaton says a TSA officer at Dallas' Love Field threw out her soft foods in her carry-on bag, did not give her secondary screening in a "private room" and required, and "embarrassed her," in front of other passengers..."
The video mentions that instead of a private room they put her behind a screen, separated her from her luggage and threw out her pudding. When she complained to a supervisor, he took the pudding out of the garbage, disappeared with it to test it, and then put it back in her carryon. They then forced her to check her carry on. The reporter seems unaware that medically necessary food is exempt from the freedom baggie restrictions.
http://kstp.com/news/stories/S2695022.shtml?cat=1
"...Deaton says a TSA officer at Dallas' Love Field threw out her soft foods in her carry-on bag, did not give her secondary screening in a "private room" and required, and "embarrassed her," in front of other passengers..."
The video mentions that instead of a private room they put her behind a screen, separated her from her luggage and threw out her pudding. When she complained to a supervisor, he took the pudding out of the garbage, disappeared with it to test it, and then put it back in her carryon. They then forced her to check her carry on. The reporter seems unaware that medically necessary food is exempt from the freedom baggie restrictions.
Jul 19, 2012, 6:35 am
#2
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 616
This article is even worse (and not just for the video still image).
http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/TSA...162985046.html
Of course the TSA had to weigh in:
Lots of things are "not supposed to happen" at the checkpoint, but they keep happening. How long before the TSA actually kills someone?
http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/TSA...162985046.html
They had physically stripped her and saw the tube coming out of her stomach, and they decided that they needed to check it for explosives, so they had to physically handle the tube," John Deaton said.
Besides handling the tube, agents swabbed it for bomb-making material, Melinda Deaton said. Her husband said it put his wife at risk of infection.
"Any time you put a harsh substance on it, you run the risk of contamination," he said. "They put stuff on there that we don't know what it is and identify. She has a weak immune system as part of her medical condition, and it can be very fatal to her.
Besides handling the tube, agents swabbed it for bomb-making material, Melinda Deaton said. Her husband said it put his wife at risk of infection.
"Any time you put a harsh substance on it, you run the risk of contamination," he said. "They put stuff on there that we don't know what it is and identify. She has a weak immune system as part of her medical condition, and it can be very fatal to her.
TSA spokesman Luis Casanova would not comment on what chemicals were on the swabs but did say that touching the device is not supposed to happen.
Jul 19, 2012, 6:58 am
#3
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“As I mentioned before, we respect the right to privacy of the passenger in question and will reach out directly to her," Casanova said. "Once we have further information, I will provide a statement as necessary."
"We have reviewed the video and our officers followed correct procedure".
Jul 19, 2012, 7:34 am
#4
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 555
This article is even worse (and not just for the video still image).
http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/TSA...162985046.html
Of course the TSA had to weigh in:
Lots of things are "not supposed to happen" at the checkpoint, but they keep happening. How long before the TSA actually kills someone?
http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/TSA...162985046.html
Of course the TSA had to weigh in:
TSA spokesman Luis Casanova would not comment on what chemicals were on the swabs but did say that touching the device is not supposed to happen.
Lots of things are "not supposed to happen" at the checkpoint, but they keep happening. How long before the TSA actually kills someone?
They keep fiddling with gastric tubes, not long.
(Please, gawd, let them at least have changed their gloves.)
~~ Irish
Jul 19, 2012, 9:13 am
#6
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Note: Mrs. Deaton has flown back-and-forth to Mayo before without these problems. This was not a 'rogue' agent - this was at least two agents acting in concert. I think they were acting like children - 'ooh, gross, I want to see, I want to touch'. It's too hard to believe not one, but two agents both forgot or misunderstood their training.
TSA's response is also sickening. A 'private' conversation with the Deatons out of 'respect for their privacy' - it's a bit late. Why didn't the agents show Mrs. Deaton 'respect' at the checkpoint? There should be stiff sanctions for the agents (I think this justifies termination, myself) and they should be forced to publicly apologize to Mrs. Deaton.
Someone's going to say it: "What's it going to take before these people get their act together? Someone dying?"
Think again. If and when a pax is seriously injured or dies because of something a TSO does or doesn't do, nothing will change. TSA will indicate any way in which the pax was guilty or complicit in his/her injury/death and offer to talk to the family in private. TSOs will continue without consequences for their behavior - just as they've done for the last decade.
Jul 19, 2012, 10:30 am
#7
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"Video was not available for review during our investigation. Upon speaking with the TSOs involved, we've noted inconsistencies between the passenger's claims and our findings. We believe our officers acted professionally and, out of an abundance of caution, followed correct procedure."
Does anyone else remember that Iraqi war minister who stood there insisting that absolutely nothing was wrong as the regime around him was being wiped out piece by piece?
Jul 19, 2012, 10:36 am
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Jul 19, 2012, 10:48 am
#9
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When a doctor is asked, "what are the risks of contamination?" they WILL respond with the worst case scenario, MRSA infections, and the CDC and WHO will inevitably get drawn into the fray. These organizations don't exactly downplay these types of risks. Pitting one large organization against another large organization with the public as a pawn in the middle, is a great way to get attention.
Jul 19, 2012, 10:52 am
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Agreed. Let the 'system' escalate this into the media as far as it can go.
When a doctor is asked, "what are the risks of contamination?" they WILL respond with the worst case scenario, MRSA infections, and the CDC and WHO will inevitably get drawn into the fray. These organizations don't exactly downplay these types of risks. Pitting one large organization against another large organization with the public as a pawn in the middle, is a great way to get attention.
When a doctor is asked, "what are the risks of contamination?" they WILL respond with the worst case scenario, MRSA infections, and the CDC and WHO will inevitably get drawn into the fray. These organizations don't exactly downplay these types of risks. Pitting one large organization against another large organization with the public as a pawn in the middle, is a great way to get attention.
I don't notice 're-training' being used as frequently these days...
Jul 19, 2012, 11:07 am
#11
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The TSA don't fall into these categories. I would make it very clear that if they attempted to touch it? They would lose an eye. Not a threat - a promise.
I'm talking about significant risk of infection here - so it's just not going to happen. If I'm told I can't fly unless they inspect it? Then I don't fly. My choice. One i'm willing to make no matter the reason for my need to travel. But if they attempt to examine it without my permission - all hell breaks lose. I have a personal responsibility for my own well being, the TSA don't get to violate that under any circumstances.
We all put up with a lot of nonsense, silliness, ignorance, thuggery and plain stupidity from this organization, but there are lines we cannot, must not, allow them to cross. This is one of them. We only have ourselves to blame when we give them permission to violate our person.
Jul 19, 2012, 11:39 am
#12
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Who wants to bet Sasha Whatsherface sends out a note "strongly cautioning" the media not to cover this story?
Jul 19, 2012, 11:48 am
#13
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Al-Sahhaf is known for his daily press briefings in Baghdad during the 2003 Iraq War. His colorful appearances caused him to be nicknamed Baghdad Bob (in the style of previous propagandists with geographical aliases - some of them alliterative, such as "Hanoi Hannah" and "Seoul City Sue") by commentators in the United States and Comical Ali (an allusion to Chemical Ali, the nickname of former Iraqi Defence Minister Ali Hassan al-Majid) by commentators in the United Kingdom; commentators in Italy similarly nicknamed him Alì il Comico.
...
On April 7, 2003, two days before Baghdad fell to US forces, al-Sahhaf claimed that there were no American troops in Baghdad, and that the Americans were committing suicide by the hundreds at the city's gates. He made this statement while standing on the east bank of the Dijli (Tigris) River in the center of Baghdad. His back was to the river and reporters could see two American Army M1 Abrams tanks behind him on a road on the far side of the river. His last public appearance as Information Minister was on April 8, 2003, when he said that the Americans "are going to surrender or be burned in their tanks. They will surrender, it is they who will surrender."
...
On April 7, 2003, two days before Baghdad fell to US forces, al-Sahhaf claimed that there were no American troops in Baghdad, and that the Americans were committing suicide by the hundreds at the city's gates. He made this statement while standing on the east bank of the Dijli (Tigris) River in the center of Baghdad. His back was to the river and reporters could see two American Army M1 Abrams tanks behind him on a road on the far side of the river. His last public appearance as Information Minister was on April 8, 2003, when he said that the Americans "are going to surrender or be burned in their tanks. They will surrender, it is they who will surrender."
Jul 19, 2012, 12:39 pm
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Perhaps they have realized it isn't a 'training' issue, but one of enforcement.
Some people are untrainable and some simply ignore whatever instruction they were given. It's my impression a lot of both kinds work for the TSA.
In this particular instance all the perpetrators, up to and including the manager, should be fired. Period. Won't happen.
Some people are untrainable and some simply ignore whatever instruction they were given. It's my impression a lot of both kinds work for the TSA.
In this particular instance all the perpetrators, up to and including the manager, should be fired. Period. Won't happen.