Pregnant woman says TSA agents confiscated her insulin

Diabetes is a very serious condition and without insulin a person can become severly sick and with her being pregnant the unborn child could be at risk as well. Diabetics need to give themselves insulin at certain times of the day to control thier blood sugar. The article does not state the persons destination so it is unknown how long of a flight she had. She was told the insulin was an explosion risk. What a joke. She managed to sneak in a little bit of insulin past securtiy.

www.foxnews.com...

A pregnant woman says Transportation Security Administration agents refused to allow her past a security checkpoint because she was carrying insulin for her diabetes and ice packs while boarding a plane.

"He's like, 'Well, you're a risk.' I'm like, 'Excuse me?' And he's like, 'This is a risk ... I can't tell you why again. But this is at risk for explosives,'” the woman told the channel. (She eventually managed to sneak a small amount of insulin past security, she said.)

So now the TSA can dictate health of every passenger. What is going to happen if they catch someone with heart problems and decide that their nitro is a bomb and they take it away and that person dies in flight.

They better skip the sensitivity training and go directly to common sense training, oh wait its a government agency they are immune to common sense.

reply to post by lcbjr1979

The spokesman said the agent’s “didn’t touch the insulin” and the reason that her icepack was confiscated was because it was not completely frozen. “I talked to the supervisor, who said she was upset. She calmed down and (said) she needed ice and (the TSA agent) told her how to get ice from the concourse and went on," Pat Ahlstrom told the channel. The woman finally boarded a flight to Arizona and managed to have additional insulin delivered to her.

Just worth mentioning. If you are intelligent, and it seems this woman was/is not, you take your insulin BEFORE boarding the plane. You pack the rest on your check-in luggage. She would have been fine if that happened. Another reactionary piece of trivial news.

So somebody screwed up. She did get insulin so god forbid someone makes a mistake. It is also noted in this story that she travels alot and has never had a problem so obviously TSA does not make this standard practice.

I find it funny how one agent for the TSA can screw up and you go into a tizzy about how the entire agency is out to get people and dictate their medical conditions.

Fear monger much?

She should be so grateful.

After all, TSA could have taken her baby.

reply to post by ateuprto


Actually diabetics cant just take insulin when ever they want. Insulin helps the cells in the body absorb glucose. So diabetics need to take their insulin typically after meals so the sugar in the food can be absorbed. This in turn lowers the blood glucose level. What if she had taken her insulin already two hours ago and had a sugar level of 80. The flight is six hours long and includes a meal. Is she supposed to take another shot and drop her sugar to the point where she may loose consciousness? No. The point is medication does need to be taken away from people that need it.

BS.
They have explosive detection pads to use in cases like this.
and Insulin comes in vials much smaller than 3 oz.
I'm calling BS on this article.
They're taking one TSA agents mistake and sensationalizing it, if it's even true.

reply to post by kro32


Yeah I fear mongor all the time around here. I guess if I would have said NIburu or Elenin took this ladies insulin then there would have been more of an uproar about it.

The point is mistakes like this can cost people their lives. No agent should ever take away a persons medication. If they are so dumb that they think insulin can explode then they need to be fired.

reply to post by lcbjr1979


I agree with you that they should be fired and training programs implemented but you shouldn't critizise the whole agency on this issue for one individuals mistake. As the article says, she travels alot and no other TSA employees have done this to her.

reply to post by kro32


I see your point, I really do and I may have gone a little overboard, but I have family members who are diabetic and I guess I just took it a little bit personal.

Another TSA screw up.
The TSA agents should read there own web site.
www.tsa.gov...
www.thedenverchannel.com...

Originally posted by ateuprto
reply to post by lcbjr1979

 

The spokesman said the agent’s “didn’t touch the insulin” and the reason that her icepack was confiscated was because it was not completely frozen. “I talked to the supervisor, who said she was upset. She calmed down and (said) she needed ice and (the TSA agent) told her how to get ice from the concourse and went on," Pat Ahlstrom told the channel. The woman finally boarded a flight to Arizona and managed to have additional insulin delivered to her.

Just worth mentioning. If you are intelligent, and it seems this woman was/is not, you take your insulin BEFORE boarding the plane. You pack the rest on your check-in luggage. She would have been fine if that happened. Another reactionary piece of trivial news.

I take it you are not Type 1 diabetic or a close family member of one. Thus, since you are speaking out of ignorance, I will be patient.

Insulin must stay cool. I am not sure about the pens, but the vials cannot be depressurized. Both of these make it impossible to place insulin in your check-in luggage which is stored in a non-pressurized hold that is not climate controlled on hot runways.

Insulin is worth more than gold to Type 1 diabetics, especially if you don't have reserves handy (many don't, given how expensive it is). This is their life line. I asked my wife if she would travel with her insulin in the checkin luggage.. her response.. HELL NO!

The TSA agent was out of line and should be fired and the woman should be compensated for the lost insulin. Simple as that.

And you think she lacks intelligence? How about the fact that her checked on luggage could be lost. She could get to her destination without any insulin. Who knows how long it would be before her physician could call in a new prescription to a new pharmacy. People with medical disabilities are vulnerable as it is without being harassed for an insignificant amount of insulin. You lack all common sense.

Originally posted by Ghost375
BS.
They have explosive detection pads to use in cases like this.
and Insulin comes in vials much smaller than 3 oz.
I'm calling BS on this article.
They're taking one TSA agents mistake and sensationalizing it, if it's even true.

edit on 7-8-2011 by Ghost375 because: (no reason given)

From a government agency one mistake is one mistake too many. With more power comes more responsibility. As power without responsibility is tyranny and responsibility without power is slavery.

This is absolutely unacceptable with the TSA anymore. First searching babies, then removing adult diapers from wheelchair-bound elderly, searching a woman's curly hair, and now taking away someone's medical necessities? When are people going to say "ENOUGH"? When someone has their epi-pen yanked because some schmuck thinks it's a weapon risk, and dies from a lethal reaction mid-flight?

Uhh don't they have a medical doctor at the hostpital they can consult if in doubt?