Are Our Airports Secure ?
And does anyone care ?
Starting on Thu, 31 Jul 2003 I started sending
the following e-mail to every government agency,
government official and to anyone I thought would care.
(See list at bottom of page)
Subject: Airport Security Concern
I had just been invited to take a trip by private jet.
Upon arriving at the airport where this plane, and many more private jets
are kept, I was able to walk in the front door, proceed to the rear door,
and board the plane without ever being asked for any form of
identity. Nor did anyone ask to look in my carry on.
And there are no metal detectors.
The plane, a very large private jet, was fueled and
running waiting for our arrival. The pilot radioed to
take off, and we were giving clearance to take off on one of the
main runways of Rochester New York's International Airport.
Upon arrival at our destination, I found the same complete
lack of security, and on the return trip again no security.
Also, the pilots make their own flight plans,
the planes have no cockpit doors
and this Jet reaches 650 mph and cruises at 42,000 feet.
I really believe this is a major hole in airport security.
Its a case of protecting the front door
and leaving the back door wide open.
Dave Kaspersin
President
Dynamic Recording Studios
585-621-6270
drk@dynrec.com
These are the few Non Answers I received.
Most of which came after many attempts !
=======================================================================
At 08:58 AM 9/5/03 -0400, you wrote:
Thank you for your message expressing your concerns about airport security.
On February 17, 2002, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
assumed responsibility for security at all airports in the United States.
TSA was required by law to replace contract screeners with a work force of
Federal screeners by November 19. Incrementally, airports were staffed
with Federal screeners until TSA met that mandate. One of our key objectives
has been to ensure that all passengers consistently receive professional
and courteous checkpoint processing while maintaining our high level of security.
Along with expanded training on the enhanced security procedures, each
Federal airport screener receives training on professional and courteous
conduct to make the process run smoothly and reduce the inconvenience
to the public.
We work very hard to achieve consistency in the security processes.
As we inspect screening operations at airports and receive feedback
from the traveling public, we address inconsistencies and ensure
corrective actions are taken, when necessary. We will continue to
do all that we can to inspect screening operations and provide
written procedures and training to specify how the process is to be applied.
We encourage you to visit our web site at http://www.tsa.dot.gov for
additional information about TSA. All travelers, and particularly
those who travel infrequently, are encouraged to visit the section
on travel tips before their trip. The website has information about
prohibited and permitted items, the screening process and procedures,
and guidance for special considerations, that may assist in preparing
for air travel. You can go directly to these tips at
http://www.TSATravelTips.us.
We appreciate your taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns with us.
Your help and support are import contributions to ensuring the safety and
security of the Nation's aviation system.
TSA Contact Center
-----Original Message-----
From: Dynamic Recording
Sent: Wednesday, September 3, 2003 1:35 PM
To: TellTSA@dhs.gov
Subject: Airport Security Concern
===============================================
Nice letter, but it did not address my questions.
So I tried again.
===============================================
To: "TSA-Contact Center"
From: Dynamic Recording
Subject: Re: Airport Security Concern
You did not address my question !
Why is there no security at the private areas,
where the private jets are kept,
at our major airports including the
Rochester International Airport ?
It would seem to me that this is
a huge over site and that these planes
could be easily high jacked and used to
cause major damage.
I never heard from TSA again - - -
================================================
And this is the Rochester International's first response on Wed, 3 Sep 2003.
(It took many e-mails and calls to get another non answer !)
===============================================
The Rochester Airport responded with a phone call.
Although Timothy J. Woolston
Operations Coordinator Greater Rochester International Airport
acknowledged there could be a problem,
He said "All of the people who own these planes and their pilots
are good upstanding people, so they were not worried".
================================================
And this is the Rochester International's second response on Wed, 11 Aug 2004.
(After someone tipped them off that the Democrat and Chronicle
was running my e-mail in an editorial)
================================================
To: drk@dynrec.com
Subject: Security Concern
From: MHunzek@monroecounty.gov
Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2004 15:49:18 -0400
Dave Kaspersin
President
Dynamic Recording Studios
585-621-6270
drk@dynrec.com
Mr. Kaspersin,
I would like to put your concerns to rest. General Aviation
is a major concern of TSA and the Governor of NY has recently passed
legislation concerning GA Airports and the procedures they need to follow
regarding security. I am not at liberty to go into any detail of the exact
security procedures regarding this part of the airport, but I can tell you
that all procedures that have been put in place since 9/11 are currently
being complied with. The Greater Rochester International Airport is currently
exceeding all TSA requirements. As with the Aircraft itself they are privately
owned and have not been mandated to upgrade like the commercial jetliners.
This is why TSA has not mandated cockpit upgrades as of yet. Security at
that side of the field appears to be lessor only due to the lack of TSA screeners
and baggage checkers. But other than that, access onto the field and
onto the aircraft follows the procedures set for private / charter aircraft
as per TSA regulations.
Michael J. Hunzek
Airport Security Coordinator
Department of Aviation, Monroe County
The Greater Rochester International Airport
1200 Brooks Ave. Rochester, NY, 14624
585-464-6057
=================================================
My response to Mr.Hunzek:
=================================================
Michael,
I appreciate your reply, however you and I both know that
high jacking a plane from that side would be very easy.
And there should be TSA screeners and baggage checkers along
with 24 hour security.
And if that is not possible then all employees and passengers
of these private plane should have to go in the front door
and be screened.
I know this does not fall on The Greater Rochester International Airport's
shoulders, but as TSA etc has ignored this issue I wish you
would pass my letter on to them.
(I started sending this e-mail out in the summer of 2003 and have
never received an answer until today)
The airport we landed in had three female employees
and no security at all.
Its just a matter of time until private planes
or helicopters will be used against the United States.
Dave Kaspersin
No response as of 08/13/2004
=================================================
08/13/2004
Ray Levato from WHEC TV - 10 called and asked
me to meet him at the Airport. He had read the
editorial and wanted to investigate it.
We started at Piedmont Hawthorne on Scottsville Rd.
While Ray was interviewing me the manager of
Piedmont Hawthorne came out and told us to leave.
He did not want to talk to us.
Ray asked a few questions and got no answers.
I asked him if the people we just observed getting
onto private jets had been screened. He became very
agitated and told us to leave again. - - -
He finished with "You are the ones we were warned about" ???
==================================================
Private Charter Flights Need Tighter Security, Experts Say
BY CHUCK McCUTCHEON
==================================================
Some of the organizations I contacted:
mcpublicsafety@monroecounty.gov 08/23
mcairport@monroecounty.gov
jddoyle@monroecounty.gov
MCAIRPORT@monroecounty.gov 08/25
http://www.FirstGov.gov
http://www.tsa.gov/public/contactus 08/26
info@ap.org
MCAIRPORT@monroecounty.gov
http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/contactus
askodp@ojp.usdoj.gov 08/29
TWoolston@monroecounty.gov 09/03
TellTSA@dhs.gov
info@globalsecurity.org
abc news
cbs news
60 minutes 09/04
Nightly@NBC.com
MSNBC
WOKR TV (Rochester)
Democrat & Chronicle (Rochester)
TSAContactCenter.TsaContactCenter@dhs.gov 09/05
https://tips.fbi.gov/
cnn@cnn.com
Nightly@NBC.com
Imus@msnbc.com
msnbcinvestigates@msnbc.com
"Eli Pariser, MoveOn.org"
"MoveOn.org"
president@whitehouse.gov
http://kerry.senate.gov/bandwidth/contact/email.html
"Sojourners"
news-tips@nytimes.com
executive-editor@nytimes.com
managing-editor@nytimes.com
Marjorie.Miller@latimes.com
bob@lonsberry.com
"TSA-Contact Center"
abcnewsnow-editor@mail.abcnews.go.com
Nightly@NBC.com
+NBC News Nightly Viewer Mail
Earth Action
World@MSNBC.com
http://clinton.senate.gov/
http://www.senate.gov/~schumer/
http://www.senate.gov/~schumer/webform.html
http://www.state.ny.us/governor/form.htm
http://www.monroecounty.gov/org51.asp?orgID=51&custompage=contact
There are many more and I still cannot understand why
no one seems to care - - -
Unless they are all afraid to take on the privileged rich !
Dave Kaspersin
Email to:drk@dyrec.com