Screeners are being taught to save themselves, not assist pax:
http://communities.washingtontimes.c...airport-check/

"...Expressing fear bordering on extreme distress, the TSA source claims that his life, along with the lives of other unarmed TSA personnel, would be in grave danger were an airport checkpoint shooting to unfold.

The TSA screener, who claims to have recently undergone agency training during which TSA personnel were confronted with a chilling checkpoint shooting scenario, now tries to remain aware of how to get out alive were such a shooting to unfold.

“Every day when I arrive for work, I look for an escape route in case someone opens fire,” he said. “We have been told to save ourselves..."

The article does deteriorate into explaining some weird conspiracy theories.

The way for the clerks to avoid such an occurrence is to pay attention and do their jobs. The laziness and slovenliness of the clerks causes backups at the checkpoint, which creates a concentrated target for a potential attack by keeping the passengers from dispersing throughout the terminal. So what the clerks need to do is:

Learn the forms of acceptable ID
Learn what is and isn't a potential hazard and how such things appear on the X-ray
Stop retaliatory screenings
Stop wasting time and slowing down the line by arguing with passengers about filming

And, generally, do their jobs in a conscientious manner.

I would not have expected them to be capable of anything else. Nor would I trust ANY of them to be of ANY use in ANY situation where ANY level of competence was required.

Most of us have agreed in the past, that the last line of defense was the PAX. So why would it be any different at a checkpoint? Shooting starts, TSA runs for cover, and some of the PAX subdue the gunman.

When it's over, the clerks will return to "keep us safe".

No. They would call a LEO to arrest the PAX for disturbing the screening process

So they'll follow their usual modus operandi and tell us all to 'Freeze' and then they'll run like heck for the nearest exit.

They have not previously all been trained for mass shooting or mass bombing of a screening checkpoint/major passenger lines/bottlenecks at the airport? What a disgrace then. The massive TSA lines are a recipe for disaster and the fault of the TSA.

Is the TSA planning to use passengers as human shields. The result seems to be the same.

They HAVE been training us to raise our hands in the air.

I think we've all seen them in action when the tornado hit the STL airport.

I think runs is optimistic for some of them. Yeah, get the hell out of the way so I can run for cover.

When the dust settles, and the final commission report is done, I'm awaiting Blogger Bob's spin on how the future shooter was a former/disgruntled TSA employee.

That's followed by Nappy going on TV saying, "the system worked," when actually it didn't.

Doing all the things you suggest would expedite checkpoint flow.

However as long as lines form and move slowly an effective terrorist event could focus on single or multiple checkpoints at one or more airports with nothing more being done that attacking as many people in the terminal as possible.

We already know that TSA is going to cower in fear so any claims to being on the front lines of the war on terror can be laughed at.

I realize this is heresy ... but I think this is exactly the sort of training TSOs should be receiving.

As has been pointed out here innumerable times, TSOs are not law enforcement officers. They don't carry firearms, much less receive any officially sanctioned training on the use of firearms. Any action they take in order to try to stop a mass shooting is likely to be ineffective at best, and detrimental at worst. The last thing any of us need is an untrained hero wanna-be (TSO or passenger alike) charging into a situation and making it worse.

We train our children to react to imminent danger (a downed power line, an abandoned firearm, etc.) by backing away and calling a competent authority to the scene to deal with it. Heck, we train adults to do this. The same should apply here.

What he said.

You can't have it both ways. If TSO's are not LEO's.. and TSA critics themselves make it pretty clear that is the case.. why suddenly expect them to deal with what is most definitely a "LEO" type matter?

Sure, you get to whine about it I suppose... but - like all over the top/silly criticisms (of TSA or any other body for that matter) it just detracts from the (many) legitimate criticisms.. and makes those who are making the noise look.. well.. a little stupid IMO.

I would see a TSO's (or Airline employee... or any other airport workers) responsibility as raising the alarm. That is... ensuring that law enforcement is notified.

Then again, I would see that as MY obligation too...... if I was in the area.

I agree - TSOs are not LEOs, and they should not be - they are security/safety screeners.

Given the situation they are in, and the degree of control they exercise over movement around the airport, they should be trained to operate the same way teachers and staff are trained to act in a school emergency.

TSOs have free, unfettered access to anywhere in the airport. They restrict and control pax movement in the airport at will. In the event of an emergency, it is not enough for a TSO to yell 'help, dial 9-11 and run like heck. He/she (like a school teacher or school staff) has greater responsibilities in such a situation.

We're already told that they brainwash, sorry, train themselves to believe they are on the frontlines in the WoT, we have heard some of them say they wonder every day if it will be their last - so the very least they can do in an emergency is stay in place, sound an alarm, and facilitate pax evacuation until such time as LEOs have appeared to take over.