TSA explains
travel
precautions
Top TSA management attended a special TSA Security Awareness
event at LaGuardia Airport. Pictured TSA Stakeholder Manager, Guy
Lainis; Deputy Federal Security Director Matt McKeon; TSA Offi cer Iris
Prioleau; TSA Customer Service Veda Simmons; TSA Offi cer Jeffrey
Oberdier; TSA Public Affairs Lisa Farbstein; TSA Federal Securty
Director Robert Duffy. Photo by Jeff Yapalater Speeding up the Van
Wyck Expressway
AIRPORT V VOICE, APRIL 2019 3
Chamber of Commerce Board Members Joe Clabby, Cllorinda Antonucci and Henk Guitjens with
one proposed rendition of the 911 Memorial which is being planned by the Post Authoprity and the
airport community with a laarge donation to aid in the construction by the Columbi Association of
U.S. Customs.
The NYS Department
of Transportation held one
more meeting for the public
concerning the proposed
improvements on the Van
Wyck Expressway (I-678). Due
to current congestion, once
the JFK Airport development
is underway, the DOT is
planning to add a lane and
improve access between Kew
Gardens interchange and
JFK Airport. According to the
DOT, the $1.22 billion project
will improve vehicular access
to and from the airport and
the project will address
operational, geometric, and
structural defi ciencies in this
area.
The purpose of the
meetings were to provide
project information and obtain
public and agency comments
on the Draft Environmental
Impact Statement. The public
comment period was moved
from March 18 to April 1st
to give residents ample time
to respond to the program
presented at the various
meetings.
Borough residents and
business owners have attended
the meetings before but it was
felt important by the DOT to
have one additional meeting.
According to Yvette
Reddick of Community
Board 12, “the meeting was
poorly timed, you know that
is impossible to attend a 4 pm
meeting for working people.”
One of her concerns is the
traffi c that might go through
the neighborhoods during
construction. Asked if DOT
was receptive to her concerns,
she said “ Yes. But we will
have to wait and see.” Overall
she felt that although the
times for the meetings were
bad, a lot of information was
shared. She added. “ It is a
multiple phase project and it
is a long project.” According
to NYSDOT, the Van Wyck
is a vital transportation
corridor providing access to
and from the John F. Kennedy
International Airport and
also serves as the major route
for commercial truck traffi c
to get to and from the airport.
For more information: Van
Wyck Expressway Project
Team, NYS Department of
Transportation, Engineering
– 5th Floor, 47-40 21st Street,
Long Island City, New York,
11101, 718- 482-4683, www.
vwe@dot.ny.gov
Transportation Security
Administration (TSA)
offi cials shared travel tips
at LaGuardia Airport and
explained the reasons
that TSA has some of the
protocols that it does.
Many examples of the
ways terrorists hide deadly
weapons were shared
by a local TSA offi cer.
It was surprising to see
how small deadly devices
would be. Even a crutch
or wheelchair can cleverly
hide these things.
TSA offi cials asked: Do
you know why travelers
are asked to remove their
shoes? Do you know why
individuals need to remove
laptops from their carrying
cases when coming through
the checkpoint? Do you
know why TSA limits the
size of liquids and gels
in carry-on bags? Part of
security preparedness is
knowing why TSA has
certain protocols in place.
Why do shoes need to
come off?
It is helpful to wear
slip-on shoes so that they
can be easily slipped off
prior to going through the
checkpoint scanner and
slipped back on afterward.
TSA’s protocols require that
passengers remove their
shoes to be X-ray screened
because in 2001 a terrorist
attempted to detonate an
explosive device in his
shoes. Thus, shoes come off
to allow TSA’s technology
to identify whether there
is an explosive device
concealed inside someone’s
shoes.
Why are liquids size
controlled.
TSA’s protocol limits the
size of liquids in carry-on
bags because in 2009, a
terrorist plot to detonate
larger quantities of liquid
explosives carried on board
aircraft was thwarted, just
a few weeks before the plot
was launched, resulting
in the limit on the amount
of liquids allowed to be
carried onto airplanes.
Why have electronics
inspected?
Because TSA is aware
that terrorists have the
technical capability
to artfully conceal
explosive devices inside
electronics. Removing
laptops and electronic
devices and placing them
in a checkpoint bin with
nothing above or below
each item, allows TSA to
get a clear X-ray image of
those items to help ensure
that nothing dangerous
has been artfully concealed
inside these items. For
more information go to
www.dhs.gov.
NYS DOT wants public input
/www.dhs.gov
/www.vwe@dot.ny.gov
/www.vwe@dot.ny.gov
/www.dhs.gov
link