reusing test strips
 

Watching a clerk at ATL right now.
He is standing by the document checker and swabbing hands as people pass by.
He has 2 test strips - and he alternates between them. He swabs hands and puts the test strip in the machine. When the test strip exits the machine, he puts it on top of it and reuses it on the next traveler as the other strip is in the machine.
He is also not wearing gloves...

His buddy just took over and is following the same procedures.
Third clerk in a row now doing the same thing.
And so is the fourth one. However, we have now upgraded to rotating 3 test strips.

Further proof, not that we need it, that TSA-provided security is a farce.

Who is the FSD at ATL? I'd send him a copy of your post.

Which reminds me: is there a list of all FSDs that can be accessed by the public?

You're probably on your flight by the time I post this, but if not - ask a passing TSO if he can call the TSM for you. Be all happy-smiley-politey about it, and when the TSM gets there, ask why his TSOs are failing to follow proper SOP by not wearing gloves and by re-using test strips.

It will also be good to record some of this silliness with your phone, but I recommend being unobtrusive about it. You know how TSOs get when they are recorded screwing up or breaking rules.

I've tried to find one a few times, and there is definitely not one on the TSA web site - though there are numerous press releases any time somebody gets a promotion to FSD. Finding the name of any current FSD is difficult, and finding their actual contact information is darn near impossible, unless you have some direct connection to the airport.

Now you've got me thinking - what would a TSM say if you asked for he name and contact info of the FSD's office at their airport?

Acting ATL FSD as of Sept 2013: Paul Armes (Old News)
 

As you might expect, he's a piece of work. I have no idea if he is still there. You can try "[email protected]" and see what happens.

Upon further review, it turns out the TSA sent him to SLC. Makes you proud to know that there are completely dedicated and mobile TSA SESs out there. :p

Never mind the FSD, don't we have someone from the TSA who has joined us here on FT officially? Granted, if there was a picture or video of the screeners in action, it would be even better (& harder to discount!).

I have taken some pictures on my cell phone. I'm not sure how to post them but I will look it up.

Might get better results with a tweet.

I dont use twitter... yet :)

Yes, but he's public relation, not management, so the best he can do is say he'll pass the report on to management for potential investigation. Internal TSA disciplinary action is not cleared for release to the public, so even in the unlikely event that the report goes anywhere and does anything, he wouldn't be able to tell us about it.

Much like a public complaint, however, I'd expect such a report to GNDN at warp speed.

TSA certainly does - did you see the list of accounts Ross posted?

I have not... Never really looked into twitter.

Ross posted the TSA twitter accounts elsewhere on this forum as another way to post questions and get answers.

It's not going to cause a false positive--if it didn't detect once it won't detect the next time.

It could pass other contamination, though.

Reusing a test strip, just like re-using hand and shoe swabs, can cause a false positive.

Let's say item one is swabbed with a swab and does not alarm. Then the same swab is used for swabbing a different item from another pax and it also does not alarm but when using the same swab for a third item from third pax, the combination of the residue from both the first and second swabs with the residue of the third item sets off the alarm. It's basic chemistry where A is good, B is good and C is good along with combining A & B but when you combine A, B AND C, you have a problem

Agreed on both counts. I thought that SOP was to re-use test strips, but to spray them with alcohol between uses. At least, that was my impression of the SOP last time I got my hand swabbed in the PreCheck lane.

Those random checks are infrequent enough that misting with IPA between swabs actually has time to sterilize the swab. Alcohols at 70% concentration will kill most germs in 10-15 seconds. But if they are swabbing everyone as they pass through the TDC, and depending on how thoroughly they douse the test strip, an alcohol protocol may not be sufficient to prevent the spread of germs.

I tend not to get too fussed about germs, and I think that people overuse hand sanitizers. The handles on your luggage are probably just as filthy as your average passenger's palm. So even if the swabs are not sterilized, it's near-zero risk compared to other risks you regularly take. (Like touching the filthy tray tables and seat-back pockets in your airplane seat...)

If they are swabbing personal medical equipment, I would insist on watching them sterilize the swab first if I had a compromised immune system.