I am a 26 year old BK and have been through security several times with my
prosthesis. I usually announce it before or as I walk through the metal detector
and then get pulled aside. I usually have just had the wand scan and they
ignore the beeps set off by my leg and then maybe pull up my pants leg to
physically inspect it. One time it was swabbed and screened for exposives. I have
only removed my leg one time and the security officer was unsure and reluctant to
ask, so in the interest of time, I offered to have it scanned. No one has
ever required it in probably 10 round trip flights and I have had generally
decent treatment as an amputee. My flights have been mostly from LA or San Diego
and Baltimore and a few connectors in between. I understand and have had no
problem with the inspections that I have had because they are done in a
professional and respectful manner and I understand that there could be enough C-4 in my
pylon to take down a plane. We all have to be a little bit flexible and
understanding in order for us to fly safely.
With that said, that is ridiculous! I would absolutely be on the phone with
the airport security people loosing my mind. That is humiliating and very
disrespectful. The least they could do is offer a private room if it was necessary
to inspect the limbs. After I had my minor difficulties, my friend told me
that there is some kind of pass or disabled identification that you can get to
show at the airport that explains your disability and allows you a little less
resistance in this type of circumstance. Some people have a lot of trouble if
they have metal in their bodies that cannot be removed. I don’t know much about
who to call or how to obtain such a pass, but I imagine that airport
information might have the information for you or perhaps one of the amputee advocate
orgazations.
I hope this helps a little. I am very disturbed to hear about your patient.
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This is completely against the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact the
Amputee Coalition of America (ACA) at www.amputee-coalition.org. They went to
bat for a bilateral BK amputee friend of mine who was asked to do the same
thing (remove his prostheses for xray). His missed his 45 minute flight and
ended up spending 7 hours at the airport getting to his final destination. The
ACA contacted the airport security (and airline), showed them (in writing) the
legal rights of amputees (which includes they should never be asked to remove
their prosthesis), and the airline/airport ultimately responded to my friend
with an apology, free airline tickets, and some other goodies.
God bless you, Karen, for finding out this information for this young lady.
I’m sure you’ll be receiving many more responses.
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Karen,
Although I am not an amputee, I appreciate the mother/patient delicate
situation. I hope someone may give you feedback to some program in the
system that allows “pre-screening” but I suspect that is unlikely.
However, maybe if you share with them the thoughts of a very frequent
traveler with 5 children. Back some months ago in USA Today was an
article of another young amputee voicing her adamant objection to being
asked to remove her leg to process through security. Although I
empathized with her, if terrorists are willing to commit suicide to
complete their mission, is it not likely they would be willing to have
an extremity amputated to hide explosives or weapons in the socket? I
am a technological idiot, but I suspect the hand held devices only can
beep where there is metal so they can confirm it is a belt, or other
clothing/accessory type metal that caused the alarm. In the case of a
prosthesis, the only way they can really tell if there isn’t a weapon or
explosive is to put it through x-ray. Instead of looking at it as if it
is humiliating, how about looking at it as “I just might be saving the
lives a couple hundred people on this plane (and any people at the site
where it may crash), including this Mom with 5 kids.
Understanding but wanting to minimize opportunity for terrorists,
PS: If “Mom” is taking her to the airport – I have a son with
disabilities and can get a pass to take him to the gate. Mom gets that
pass – takes daughter to restroom or other comfortable place to remove
prostheses prior to security and has wheelchair for daughter – Both go
through security (prostheses go through x-ray), Mom wheels daughter to
comfortable place to replace prostheses. Sadly, our lives and demands
for travel, have changed since 9/11.
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In many airports now, you can request a private screening, meaning that she
can go into a private area to be screened, there isn’t much we can do to
combat the federal govt on this but they must be sensitive to the privacy of
persons that they are screening. Good luck. g
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Being a BK amputee that travels every other week, I have never had my limb
x-rayed. They do always swab the limb for explosives and I think that is the
rule.
I would get to the airport 2 hours early and ask to speak to the person in
charge at the screening area. I know they must at least provide a private room
or booth for disrobing if needed.
****************************************************************************
Karen Schebesta
Karen A. Schebesta, CPC, CMF
Office Manager
Orthotic and Prosthetic Center
226 Route 37 West
Cedar Wood Plaza
Toms River, NJ 08755
Tel. 732-341-9191
Fax 732-341-9222
[email protected]
