Kaamco Cargo January Meeting
Corona virus, mail, FOD ,security updates
AIRPORT VOICE, FEBRUARY 2020 5
The January Kaamco
Cargo meeting was a packed
house with people back to
work after the holidays. The
committee members Suki
Min, Yasin Tisdale, Phil Jensen,
Peter DeBenigno and Irwin
Gold presided over reports
requested from cargo
companies, ground handlers,
freight forwarders, airlines,
CBP, CDC, and TSA representatives.
Topics ranged from
mail backlog problems, airport
debris, airport security
and the Corona virus and
overviews reported below.
MAIL
Top of the list to cover was
the ongoing concern over the
mail backup. According to
Phil Jensen, there has been an
improvement in the mail handling
flow. Concerns shared
with the Post Office and Port
Authority and ground handlers
have borne fruit. Both
WFS and dnata had been
working to move the numerous
empty containers, and
other related material. Now
the number of ULDs and dollies
with mail has been reduced
to a low of 300in the
area near the Post Office.
This improvement was
based on less e-commerce
volume, tariff issues backing
things up, and more staffing.
FOD
In a related matter, there
is a relationship to the huge
volume of mail, and the FOD
equipment found left behind
in the ramp working areas.
Some of this equipment includes
metal pallets, dollies
and ULD containers. That
which has been left uncollected
for a certain period of
time becomes foreign object
debris or FOD. This debris left
in operational areas can be
dangerous to both the workers,
and the aircraft since any
piece may find itself on a runway.
The larger pieces of FOD
are a continual problem which
has been steadily addressed
by Kaamco Cargo and the
Port Authority for over a year.
Since recent discussions and
a meeting with the Port, the
JFK Airport management has
issued new rules briefly noted:
Basically the “abandoned”
equipment must be moved immediately
or face towing to
the impoundment area which
is near the water treatment
plant. These items will remain
there for about 30 days
until which time they can be
redeemed with a payment. If
not claimed they will be destroyed.
In addition “ ground handlers
must regularly commit
staff and equipment to organize
their customers equipment”
with a staffing plan submitted
to the Port by March 1.
TSA
TSA Assistant Federal Security
Director for Inspections
of the TSA Jim Fitzgerald
spoke about the airport
threat level saying “ There is
no increase to the threat level
at this time. There is no specific
threat to JFK or to aviation.”
This was in response to
a federal bulletin issued right
after the Gen.Suileman murder.
The bulletin expressed
concern over potential retaliation
especially by Iranian and
other “bad guys” cyber terrorism.
Fitzgerald explained
that there is no change to the
national or local threat level
but that heightened concern
was in order, specifically in
cyber terrorism. He said that
it was prudent for everyone “
to get with your IT people, ” to
be more careful with personal
and professional internet usage
and to have current safeware
for potential computer
hacks. The updated NTAS
bulletin extends the current
threat level and recommendations
to March 18th.
In addition Fitzgerald informed
the group that the
TSA is running free training
classes for the cargo community.
He said their trainer
will go out to all 19 facilities to
give this training. called The
First Observer. This training
is “really good for folks doing
security on a daily basis.” Using
the See something, say
Something philosophy, they
train people for what doesn’t
look right. What are the preindications
of somebody doing
something nefarious to someone
or a facility. He encouraged
all the cargo companies
to enroll their emp0louees so
that threats are recognized
and preventative measures
can be taken to avoid security
breaches.
Fitzgerald also took the
opportunity to introduce his
new member staff, Mr. Brian
, one our cargo supervisors,
and new cargo inspectors that
will be making their rounds.
CORONA VIRUS
Dr. Drew Posey of the Center
for Disease Control JFK
Quarantine Station gave a
report on the current state
of the Wuhan virus and gave
his thoughts on the how to
protect against catching the
virus. Posey said that this
virus if of a family of many
common cold viruses but can
be more dangerous creating
pneumonia that has killed
people. Some symptoms are
the same with a fever, cough
, runny noses, these kinds of
symptoms. It can be transmitted
the same way a common
cold is, by being exposed to a
cough or sneeze, or touching
a item recently handled by an
infected person just like precautions
taken in the winter
to avoid a common cold. He
suggested that common practices
such as not touching
your face, eyes, or mouth with
your hands and washing regularly
after handling items of
an unknown source or from
multiple persons touching
items.
Jensen asked about flight
cancellations, and how this
situation affect cargo commodities.
Posey responded
that the biggest focus is on
people. With people blocked
from coming into the country,
there has been a decrease in
the number of screenings with
restricted air travel. For cargo
he said that if anyone sick
touches anything and someone
else touches it, the same
avoiding cold rules apply;
don’t touch your face, mouth
or nose just like the avoiding
cold concepts as home. That
is how it is spread at home or
anywhere.
The doctor said that for
cargo it seems they wear
gloves as a rule so not usually
touching their face. So the
risk of transmitting the virus
is so low. He believes that if
the material is dry, then the
virus dies out. So, cargo usually
is dry and spends a lot of
time in the air so the material
is likely to be dry and dead. If
material if dry, risk is so, low.
Another question was
asked if there was a change
from the government that
wearing masks was advisable,
how would the message
get out?
Posey replied that the message
would be shared with
other federal agencies and
quarantine stations. “We have
a steady flow of info from Atlanta
for any new developments
that are shared with
us,” he said. From a quarantine
facility matter, “For
us now, it would be a bulletin
from CDC. from Atlanta.
There is lots going on within
the CDC, World Health Organization
and China health authorities
to learn as much as
they can about outbreak and
incubation period. “
He continued, “ For us, a
CBP officer can see if a traveler
has been in Wuhan recently.
If so, that person is referred
to us. We do not have
a recommendation for CDC
Atlanta for us to wear a mask
in that first encounter to talk
with someone.
Posey said “I am not an
expert on this, things I have
read in the news is that there
are a lot of animal or wet
markets with exotic animals
and wildlife. Virus probably
originated in that type of
market possibly by a snake or
bat that had a human interaction
and the virus may have
changed and transmitted.
Cargo doesn’t contain exotic
animals he said, (although
cargo people know this is not
entirely true) . Continung, he
commented, “ I want to add to
my knowledge, is that people
that have been sick in the US
have had a connection with
Wuhan, or in the area. The 6
cases( now more) cases in the
U.S., had some exposure to
people who were sick or Wuhan.
Asked about immunization,
Posey said he doesn’t
know about immunization,
how long it takes to develop
and to do what is says and
move through FAA approvals.
Since there was no detail
on the virus and dogs specifically
it was suggested that individuals
and airlines contact
the The Ark facility at the airport
and consult with them for
animal handling that might
be a risk.
Jim Fitzgerald Assistant Federal
Security Director for Inspections
of the TSA, Jim Fitzgerald
Pallets and mail outside Building 197 mail area. Photos by Jeff Yapalater