Spokane7
53°
March 4, 2010 in City
Air passengers face new explosives test
Get ready for the bomb swab.
The Transportation Security Administration announced Wednesday that passengers at Spokane International Airport can expect new security measures on their way to departing flights.
Kevin Donovan, the TSA’s acting federal security director, demonstrated what the agency calls an explosive trace detection machine. It’s now being employed in virtually all major airports across the United States partly in reaction to the failed Christmas Day bombing attempt aboard a Northwest Airlines flight to Detroit.
TSA agents use a swab on the passenger’s hand. The swab is inserted into the machine and within a couple seconds the machine tells the agent whether the person has traces of things that could be used as explosives, Donovan said.
“More and more travelers will see this,” he said. “There’s really not a false alarm. It doesn’t mean there is a bomb, but it does mean we … will do additional screening.”
The machine tests for residue, such as nitrates that are sometimes used in bomb making. However, farmers who recently handled fertilizer, hunters who fired weapons could test positive. Even some hand lotions have shown to trigger the alarm, Donovan said. Asked if the technology has stopped any potential bombs, Donovan said that information was “classified.”
“It’s obviously powerful, useful technology,” he said. “It’s an added layer. It makes it harder for a perpetrator” to sneak a bomb onto a plane.
Some of the machines are mobile, meaning that some travelers can expect what the TSA called “random” searches even after clearing security. Donovan said the test takes about eight seconds.
“This procedure will not affect wait times,” he said. “There is no attempt to profile any passengers. It is just the next passenger in line.”
Closing Geiger: Wise or worrisome? 
ChefGus/ John Olsen on March 04 at 5:26 a.m.
I am a Chef. I Flambe’ saute’ pans of food using Brandy/Alcohol.
On a recent trip on my way to Rome, and on my way back from Milan I was able to purchase a Liter of 80 proof alcohol and have it delivered to me on the flight to put with my hold baggage.
Does it not seem a bit strange that a person could have that much alcohol in their possession on board a transatlantic flight of 8 hours duration?
A lot of the screening does not make any rational sense. An alcohol fuel fire would seem to me to be a huge risk, but these sales go on every day on all international flights.
Captain John
ChefGus/ John Olsen on March 04 at 5:27 a.m.
oops… carry on baggage inside the aircraft….
SarahF on March 04 at 11:01 a.m.
Bad news for anyone in chemistry labs… I work with nitro compounds quite frequently. I wonder how concentrated the sample has to be to test positive.
Yeah, ChefGus, I’m with you. I once flew on an airline with a champagne flute in my carry-on, because I didn’t want it to get destroyed in my suitcase, right? They said it was fine to carry a fragile piece of glass (that could be used as a weapon more easily than a pair of nail clippers) so long as there was no liquid in it.
The TSA is reactionary, and hardly original in anticipating potential threats.
another_invalid_username on March 04 at 12:12 p.m.
The machine detects NITROGEN molecules, not just nitrates which are nitrogen atoms covalently bonded with oxygen atoms.
Better wash your hands good after going to the bathroom as urine is full of nitrogen compounds.
The Spokesman will remove this posting as its against their policy to allow people to have original speach.