Homeland Security: TSA agents partly to blame for JFK airport panic
Saturday, 22 Nov, 2016
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The actions of some TSA airport agents were blamed in part for contributing to panic during a false security scare at New York JFK Airport earlier this year.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson will implement recommendations which arose after an investigation into the August 14 incident which put part of the airport on lockdown.
Hundreds of passengers streamed out of a terminal when false reports of gunfire quickly spread by word of mouth and social media.
This was in part legitimized when TSA agents joined passengers in fleeing the terminal, according to the investigation report.
To make matters worse, Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents in another terminal drew their weapons as they received news which only served to increase the panic.
Airport employees and security personnel, rather than calming the customers, increased the panic by their response which led to a mass evacuation," the report said.
There were no injuries caused but ‘the danger posed by a panicked mass of people fleeing for their lives cannot be overstated,’ it added.
The initial panic was caused by the sounds of loud cheering as waiting passengers watched the Rio Olympic Games.
Cuomo and Johnson said all airport workers will undergo more training in evacuation procedures and crowd management.
Additionally, joint exercises will be conducted involving various security agencies with one scheduled for next month.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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