DHS emphasizes improved baggage screening
More than half of the stimulus package money TSA received — some $700 million — will go toward improving baggage screening at airports; in all, twenty-five airports would have their systems upgraded
The economic stimulus package has added some $3 billion to the 2010 DHS budget, of which about a third was given to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). TSA has allocated some $700 million of that to upgrade baggage screening systems at airports, and the agency says the money will go further than originally expected. DHS said the money will now upgrade systems at ten additional airports. Earlier this year DHS announced funding for baggage screening at airports in fifteen cities.
CNN reported that the money will be used to speed up construction of in-line baggage screening systems, which take advantage of the airline’s existing conveyor belt systems to check bags, eliminating the need for minivan-size bomb detection systems now found in many airport lobbies.
Government auditors have complained about existing systems, which TSA rushed into place to meet congressional deadlines after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
At airports with in-line systems, airline workers at the ticketing counters place the bags on conveyor belts, which pass through explosive detectors on their way to the aircraft. That is more efficient than stand-alone systems, which the TSA employees must staff.
In addition, in-line systems can process up to 500 bags an hour, compared to the 150 to 160 bags per hour processed by stand-alone machines, the TSA said.
DHS secretary Janet Napolitano said in a statement that DHS was able to “stretch our resources” by managing the recovery money and by negotiating with airports.
In addition to the $700 million intended for checked baggage systems, $300 million is being allocated for checkpoint technology, such as new X-ray machines, “whole body imaging” technology (millimeter wave), and bottled liquid scanners.
The new airports to get stimulus money for in-line explosive detection systems are:
- Washington Dulles International Airport (Chantilly, Virginia)
- Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (St. Louis, Missouri)
- Yellowstone Regional Airport (Cody, Wyoming)
- William P. Hobby Airport (Houston, Texas)
- St. Petersburg/Clearwater International Airport (St. Petersburg, Florida)
- Gallatin Field Airport (Bozeman, Montana)
- Little Rock National Airport (Little Rock, Arkansas)
- Tulsa International Airport (Tulsa, Oklahoma)
- Charlotte Douglas International Airport (Charlotte, North Carolina)
- Colorado Springs Airport (Colorado Springs, Colorado)
Earlier this year, DHS announced funding for airports in the following cities: Atlanta, Georgia; Columbus, Ohio; Dayton, Ohio; Honolulu, Hawaii; Huntsville, Alabama; Jackson, Wyoming; Maui, Hawaii; New Orleans, Louisiana; Orange County, California; Orlando, Florida; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Portland, Maine; and Sacramento, San Francisco and San Jose, California.
