TSA Making an Impact with FEMA’s Hurricane Recovery Efforts in New York

 TSA Washington/Reagan Supervisor Lisa Caillet in Far Rockaway, NY

Over  the past five weeks, thousands of New Yorkers have come in contact with more than 700 TSA officers, inspectors and administrative personnel from 200 airports across the country, men and women who have volunteered for a FEMA-led New York humanitarian recovery and assistance effort in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.  But odds are that they never knew it because these TSA employees literally traded in their blue security uniforms, black TSA inspector jackets and TSA badges for a FEMA badge to help residents recover from the devastation of Hurricane Sandy.

These TSA employees are wearing winter coats and wool caps as members of the FEMA Community Relations Teams, going door-to-door in neighborhoods affected by Hurricane Sandy, helping residents sign up for both FEMA and state assistance.  In many cases, these workers returned to check on the status of those applications, and returned again to make “wellness checks” along with members of the National Guard to offer water and food. 

TSA employees also are staffing many of FEMA’s Disaster Recover Centers (DRC) that have been set up in community and recreation centers, schools, and other locations.  At DRC’s, survivors are guided through the recovery process to ensure that they are getting needed aid .  They can also learn about available programs to get heat and electricity restored to their homes and shops – so that their homes can again become inhabitable, and their shops readied for a return to business.

TSA Atlantic City BDO James Weisbecker in Breezy Point, NY

Douglas Estridge, a Master Behavior Detection Officer from Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW), said he was making a follow-up visit to the home of a middle-aged couple and noticed that the husband was leaning awkwardly on the door frame. Shortly before the storm, the man had undergone double-knee surgery but because his car had been flooded,  he had been unable to get to his physical therapy sessions. Esteridge was able to contact his FEMA group leader, and together they arranged transportation for the man to get to his physical therapy appointments.

Mark Siepak, a TSA Officer from Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) in Greensboro, N.C.,  said that early in his FEMA deployment, he was speaking with a woman who was living with her elderly mother – with no heat or electricity.. The mother’s feet would turn blue from the cold and the daughter would rub her mother’s feet several times a day to warm them up. Siepak made what he refers to as “an urgent-need call” and while on the phone it was determined that the women were eligible for funds to cover the cost of housing and that the funds would be transferred the same day. 

TSA Charlotte TSO Dwayne Bishop in Staten Island, NY

“If we get one person registered for assistance, we know we are making a difference. We don’t want anybody to slip through the cracks,” explains Vicki Andrews, a TSA Officer from Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport (GPT) in Mississippi, a Hurricane Katrina survivor who knows personally the value of FEMA’s efforts. She was so appreciative of the assistance she and her family and community received post-Katrina that for this disaster, she made the decision to “pay it forward” and came north to help support FEMA’s efforts in New York.

These TSA employees put their lives on hold, packed a bag and waved goodbye to their families because they saw a need to help make a difference in the lives of complete strangers at a time when the need was greatest. They spent Thanksgiving away from loved ones. In the words of FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate – “duty called.”

TSA Amarillo Supervisor Sharon Buckley in Breezy Point, NY.

Like other agencies that fall within the scope of the Department of Homeland Security, TSA employees can volunteer to be members of what is known as the Surge Capacity Force; these volunteers are willing to be deployed to a disaster location to help FEMA with response and recovery support.

Make no mistake, this work is no vacation. Surge Capacity Force members are putting in a minimum of 12- to 14-hour days living on maritime training vessels docked in the waterways of New York, to enable displaced residents to utilize the available hotel rooms. TSA employees are eating in a galley and sleeping in the hulls of ships in large, shared living quarters that feature triple-bunks. “But we are sleeping well knowing that the important work we are doing is making a difference” in improving the lives of their fellow countrymen, says Sharon Buckley, a Supervisory Transportation Security Officer from Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport (AMA).

Guest Blogger Lisa Farbstein 

TSA Public Affairs Spokesperson, New York/New Jersey

If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact us by clicking here.

2012 National Hurricane Preparedness Week, We Pledge to Prepare

Hurricane season started May 15^th in the Eastern Pacific and  starts on June 1^st in the Atlantic, and we were more than happy to have Michael Widomski from FEMA Public Affairs as a guest blogger here to talk about hurricane preparedness. Hurricanes can put a damper on everything. Including air travel of course… So TSA will be tweeting hurricane updates from our brand new regional twitter accounts this year: @TSANortheast, @TSAMidAtlantic, @TSACentral, @TSASoutheast, @TSAMidWest, and @TSAWestern. Be sure to follow one of the accounts for TSA tweets related to your region.

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2012 NATIONAL HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK, WE PLEDGE TO PREPARE

                                                      

TSA is joining thousands around the country who are pledging to be a “Force of Nature” and taking action to prepare for the potential negative impacts of hurricanes and tropical storms. Hurricane season begins June 1 and extends through November 30, and as we saw last year with Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, severe tropical weather can impact coastal and inland areas alike. 

Hurricanes and tropical storms are known for the unforgettable visuals we see on the news every year –trees bending due to high winds and heavy rains rendering TV cameras useless as they look over an abandoned beach. But in addition to these obvious effects, hurricanes and tropical storms can often disrupt life for those in coastal and inland areas through evacuations, prolonged power outages, and flooding.

With these risks in mind, we ask that you join in pledging to be prepared for hurricane season by: 

• Knowing your risk: The first step to Being a Force of Nature is to understand how hurricanes and tropical storms can affect where you live and work, and how the weather could impact you and your family. Check the weather forecast regularly and sign up for local alerts from emergency management officials and obtain a NOAA Weather Radio.
• Taking action: Actions can be small, simple, and quick. You can pledge to develop an emergency plan based on your local hurricane, severe storm, and flooding hazard, and practice how and where you will evacuate if instructed by your emergency management officials.  Post your plan in your home where visitors can see it. Learn how to strengthen your home and business against hurricanes.  Download FEMA’s mobile app so you can access important safety tips on what to do before, during and after a hurricane.  Understand the National Hurricane Center warning and alerts. 
• Being an example: Once you have taken action and pledged (or if you already have), share your story with your family and friends. Create a YouTube video, post your story on Facebook, comment on a blog, or send a tweet. Or you can even post the Be a Force of Nature widget on your social media profiles.

Join us today and pledge to prepare during National Hurricane Preparedness Week.

TSA Guest Blogger Michael Widomski, FEMA Public Affairs

If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA.

Hurricane Irene Information

Click Map For Update

As you’ve probably heard in the news, Hurricane Irene is lurking off of the east coast. While hurricane preparedness isn’t really part of our mission, we are part of the DHS family and would like to share the following links with you:

• Ready.gov Hurricane Page
• FEMA Blog
• @DHSJournal on Twitter
• @FEMA on Twitter
• @ReadydotGov on Twitter
• DHS on Facebook
• FEMA on Facebook

The best things you can do are to stay informed, be prepared, and follow the direction of local officials. Stay safe!

Blogger Bob TSA Blog Team

If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA.

TSA Officers React Quickly to Devastating Tornado Touchdown at St. Louis Lambert Airport

Many of you have followed the heartbreaking stories and recovery efforts coming out of severe weather in the Midwest and Southeast. I wanted to share some of the stories that were brought to my attention. 

On April 27, one of the most deadly weather events in U.S. history occurred as tornadoes ripped through America, killing hundreds of people. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of those regions as they start the process of rebuilding.

The tornadoes on April 27 came about a week after another strong tornado inflicted significant damage in St. Louis, including at the airport.

Out of stories of unspeakable tragedy like these, we often hear stories of great courage by otherwise regular people. We have heard a few of these stories in recent days about the actions of the men and women of TSA at the St. Louis airport and wanted to share a few of them with you.

Imagine a 200mph tornado busting through your workplace. That’s exactly what happened last week to many TSA officers and airline employees in St. Louis. Watch the devastating footage here, and here.

In the midst of all the chaos and confusion, several TSA officers went above and beyond to ensure the safety of their coworkers and passengers.

One officer carried a woman who had frozen in panic to a safe location. Moments later, the glass windows in that area of the terminal imploded sending shattered glass in every direction.

Three other officers came to the aid of EMS personnel by helping them remove two passengers from a tornado damaged vehicle. They held IVs and kept the stretchers steady as the passengers were pulled from the car. The officers also helped carry the stretchers through the debris-strewn parking garage when the ambulance couldn’t get through.

Another officer helped a passenger who was a nurse set up a triage area. The officer helped gather supplies together from first aid kits, helped treat wounds and also tasked other officers with ways they could assist the emergency personnel.

Two other officers initiated the evacuation of a terminal after noticing the windows had started to bow and stayed behind a few extra moments to help direct passengers to safety.

Due to falling glass and other hazards, many officers later assisted passengers with safe exit of the airport after the storm.

This spring’s storms have wreaked havoc in many parts of our nation and many regular people are responding in great ways – as we always do in this country – to help. We are proud of our officers who played a role in keeping people safe in St. Louis last week.

Secretary Napolitano visited the airport last week and commended the officers for their actions and presented them with DHS coins – an honor and a sign of respect in military and government settings.

The response of our crew at STL came as no surprise. This is just one example of the caliber of employees we’ve hired at airports nationwide. They are quick on their feet and ready to respond in the face of chaos when needed.

For more information on recovery efforts from the storms, please visit FEMA’s blog.

Blogger Bob

TSA Blog Team

If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA.