Is this unusual ?

There is news arriving here of an 85 year old lady called Leonore Zimmerman who, at JFK Airport asked for a pat-down because she had concerns about her de-fib in the scanner.

She was taken for a strip search (and left a little injured). The fact that she was in a wheelchair and subsequently missed her flight has been dismissed by the Airport authorities.

Does anyody know more about this and other similar stories ?

TM

5 Comments

What ever next

by TickTock-UK - 2012-10-01 03:10:06

Just googled this, though i'ts about a year old. Poor lady.

Lenore Zimmerman says humiliation came at the hands of security screeners at Kennedy Airport on Tuesday.

gThey decide this 85-year-old lady needs to be strip searched,h she told CBS 2Œs Dave Carlin.

Zimmerman, who lives on Long Island but winters in South Florida every year, says she avoids the full-body scanners when she travels because of her defibrillator. Instead, she opts for pat downs, but claims that this time, security went too far.

gAfter they patted me down, they took me into a private room and they strip searched me. I said ewhy are you strip searching me? Do I like look a terroristf?h she said.

gShe said epull your pants down.f Then she pulled my underwear down,h Zimmerman continued. gI said ewhy is this happeningf and she didnft respond.h

Zimmerman says she was allowed to keep her top on.

A spokesman for the Transportation Security Administration denied her claim in a statement. gThe TSA does not include strip searches as part of our security protocols and one was not conducted in this case.h

gPrivate screening was requested by the passenger. It was granted and lasted approximately 11 minutes.h

gI missed my flight and I had to wait two and a half hours for the next one,h she said.

When Zimmerman finally made it to her winter home in Coconut Creek, Florida, she called her son Bruce in Long Beach, Nassau County, who told CBS 2 the family plans to sue the TSA.

gI think the two agents that escorted or initiated the strip search should be terminated and their supervisor should be terminated and the rest should get a severe re-training course,h Bruce Zimmerman said.

Zimmerman will return to New York in early April, but admits that she is nervous after her experience.


wow

by pacergirl - 2012-10-01 05:10:56

I just came through Reagan int. Airport in Washington D.C. last Thursday and they asked me if I wanted to be patted down or would I like to go trough the full body scanner.... I asked if it would interfere with my pacemaker and they replied no. So I went through without any problems at all... but I did notice that a few more people were looking at my image as I stood there. Being wired is kinda interesting to people who don't have one.

Sure glad I didn't ask to be patted down! :)

isolated case

by Tracey_E - 2012-10-01 10:10:35

If I had to make a guess, I'd say her attitude and using the word "terrorist" got her the treatment she did. Not saying she deserved it, but there's a time to shut up and go with the flow. Arguing with TSA will get you nothing but trouble. I've had more pat downs than I can count, it's not a big deal and they've never been anything but polite. They ask if you want it in public or private. I always pick public, partially because it's faster, partially because there are witnesses. I go through the new scanners. As pacergirl said, it takes a few seconds longer, but it's still faster than a pat down.

I visited the White House earlier this year and they have a new generation of metal detector that is safe for a pm! Don't know how long it will take to get them in the airports but it was pretty cool.

Hope its unusual,

by sue uk - 2012-10-01 12:10:54

l am flying to South Africa for a month next week & if "they"make me miss my flight l will be leaving people a "little injured" :-) Seriously though, no l haven't heard that story but l am sure these things happen.
While l am here has anyone any tips for my journey, do's & don'ts etc.
lt is the first time in many years that l have felt well enough to go anywhere & so it is a huge adventure for me,plus l will be meeting up with my bro' for the first time in 20yrs.
Love my pacemaker :-)
Sue x

wasn,t thinking

by jessie - 2012-10-05 01:10:32

out here in calgary alberta for thanksgiving this weekend with our loved ones....before boarding last sunday in london ontario i completely forgot i had a pacemaker and walked thru the scan...i survived it but i was a bit shook up that i completely forgot i had a pacemaker. i walked quickly thru so wondered if that helped?? any thoughts on this would be appreciated.jessie

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