Hurricane season started May
15th in the Eastern Pacific and starts on June 1st in the
Atlantic, and we were more than happy to have Michael Widomski from FEMA Public
Affairs as a guest blogger here to talk about hurricane preparedness.
Hurricanes can put a damper on everything. Including air travel of course… So
TSA will be tweeting hurricane updates from our brand new regional twitter
accounts this year: @TSANortheast, @TSAMidAtlantic,
@TSACentral,
@TSASoutheast,
@TSAMidWest,
and @TSAWestern.
Be sure to follow one of the accounts for TSA tweets related to your region.
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2012 NATIONAL HURRICANE
PREPAREDNESS WEEK, WE PLEDGE TO PREPARE
TSA is joining thousands
around the country who are pledging to be a “Force of Nature” and taking action
to prepare for the potential negative impacts of hurricanes and tropical
storms. Hurricane season begins June 1 and extends through November 30, and as
we saw last year with Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, severe tropical
weather can impact coastal and inland areas alike.
Hurricanes and tropical
storms are known for the unforgettable visuals we see on the news every year
–trees bending due to high winds and heavy rains rendering TV cameras useless
as they look over an abandoned beach. But in addition to these obvious effects,
hurricanes and tropical storms can often disrupt life for those in coastal and
inland areas through evacuations, prolonged power outages, and flooding.
With these risks in mind, we
ask that you join in pledging to be prepared for hurricane season by:
- Knowing your risk: The first step to Being a Force of Nature is to understand how hurricanes and tropical storms can affect where you live and work, and how the weather could impact you and your family. Check the weather forecast regularly and sign up for local alerts from emergency management officials and obtain a NOAA Weather Radio.
- Taking action: Actions can be small, simple, and quick. You can pledge to develop an emergency plan based on your local hurricane, severe storm, and flooding hazard, and practice how and where you will evacuate if instructed by your emergency management officials. Post your plan in your home where visitors can see it. Learn how to strengthen your home and business against hurricanes. Download FEMA’s mobile app so you can access important safety tips on what to do before, during and after a hurricane. Understand the National Hurricane Center warning and alerts.
- Being an example: Once you have taken action and pledged (or if you already have), share your story with your family and friends. Create a YouTube video, post your story on Facebook, comment on a blog, or send a tweet. Or you can even post the Be a Force of Nature widget on your social media profiles.
Join us today and pledge to
prepare during National Hurricane Preparedness Week.
TSA Guest Blogger Michael
Widomski, FEMA Public Affairs
If you’d like
to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off
Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives
or search
our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related
issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer
Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by
using Talk to TSA.
The TSA needs to focus on repairing their disgraced reputation before issuing any weather related alerts. As one who lives in a hurricane prone region, I can assure the TSA that they are the last source of information I would turn to in the event of a pending storm.
ReplyDeleteCurtis,
ReplyDeleteThe only thing you and FEMA have in common is that they have the misfortune of being in the same federal department as the TSA.
Don't worry -- Nobody will EVER confuse the TSA with FEMA.
The most significant difference between your two agencies is that FEMA adds value to the quality of life.
Curtis,
ReplyDeleteI forgot to ask if the Border Patrol will continue to harass people at internal suspicionless checkpoints while they are trying to evacuate a hurricane?
http://tinyurl.com/6wp8834
Lest anyone thinks the TSA has anything to do with this entire post, Let me remind you that the two federal agencies that serve the public during hurricanes and other severe weather events are: FEMA and NOAA.
I just don't quite know what to say....it's simply mind boggling that the TSA is sticking its nose in hurricane preparedness.
ReplyDeleteThen again, I guess you're getting ready to grope people trying to evacuate any impacted area.
Screen shot.
This post was written by a guest blogger. He works with FEMA Public Affairs. FEMA is one of our sister agencies under the DHS umbrella.
ReplyDeleteThey approached us and other government entities asking for help with spreading their message of hurricane preparedness.
Our new regional Twitter accounts are going to have many purposes.
If we can help spread FEMA's message during a time of emergency, we're going to do it.
If an airport is shut down due to inclement weather, we're going to let you know.
Blogger Bob Burns
TSA Blog Team
Blogger Bob said...
ReplyDeleteIf an airport is shut down due to inclement weather, we're going to let you know.
Blogger Bob Burns
TSA Blog Team
May 25, 2012 10:51 PM
...............................
Reporting airport status doesn't seem to be part of TSA's mission as laid out in federal legislation.
Perhaps if TSA did only those things they are suppose to be doing TSA wouldn't need the bloated budget that taxpayers are being asked to fund.
TSA doesn't do passenger screening all that well so trying to expand the TSA role seems a little idiotic.
Leave the airport closing information to the one government agency tasked with doing so - the FAA.
ReplyDeleteFlight Delay Information - Air Traffic Control System Command Center
http://www.fly..faa.gov/flyfaa/usmap.jsp
Is this a joke Curtis?
ReplyDeleteTSA has nothing to do with disaster preparedness, if anything TSA is a hinderance.
This was proven in 2008 when TSA employees showed up a FEMA supply/triage area in houston and tried to act like they were in charge. They were summarily got tossed out by the FEMA & USAR team commanders after they managed to tick off members on both teams.
Then while were at it, Appearently your employees still havent gotten the message nor training. As 2 years later still having supervisors down to one stripers saying a federal disaster team ID is not a valid ID. This is despite the fact that it requires a security clearance (well above what a supervisor gets), and a background check (for which it seems theres a large number of TSA employees that havent...might explain alot of the criminal activity)
At this point TSA employees that cant do there job, need to be terminated as retraining doesnt work.
Blogger Bob said...
ReplyDelete"This post was written by a guest blogger. He works with FEMA Public Affairs. FEMA is one of our sister agencies under the DHS umbrella."
Funny. It was posted under your byline without any indication that it was a guest post. Only when questioned is it revealed that it's a guest post by someone at FEMA. Regardless of who wrote it, the fact is that it is outside the TSA's mission to issue hurricane updates. There are other federal agencies tasked with that, and if I wanted to read a FEMA blog, I wouldn't be reading the TSA's blog.
Will you let us know if you find a pedophile priest working in PHL?
ReplyDelete"If an airport is shut down due to inclement weather, we're going to let you know. "
ReplyDeleteWe'll see, Bob. The intent of Congress seems to have captured TSA leadership's attention. This will likely not be included in your mission.
Wintermute sez - "Funny. It was posted under your byline without any indication that it was a guest post."
ReplyDeleteThe initial post was signed at the bottom as follows -
"TSA Guest Blogger Michael Widomski, FEMA Public Affairs"
FEMA asked for assistance in spreading the word during times of emergency, I would think that from an emergency preparedness viewpoint, the more sources warning people of possible danger and the official warning process would be a good thing.
West
TSA Blog Team
"I would think that from an emergency preparedness viewpoint, the more sources warning people of possible danger and the official warning process would be a good thing."
ReplyDeleteWhen do you plan to warn people about the pedophile priest working for you in PHL?
After reading all the comments directed at the TSA (and rightfully so), I must give them credit for allowing a FEMA agent to contribute to the disaster preparedness message to our countrymen. We as a society need to understand that we all have a personally responsibility to our own personal and family safety in the case of a man-made or natural disaster. I do agree that the government plays a role in disaster response, the Federal Government will not be there all the time like the knight in shining armor or the big red flowing cape.
ReplyDelete