Puffers in Airports

While flying this week, Aussie and I were "selected" to experience the newest device in airport security, the "puffer". Here's a summary:

TSA has deployed 59 explosives detection trace portals at 24 airports, also known as “puffer” machines. At the security checkpoint, puffs of air are blown at a passenger walking through a portal. The portals are designed to detect explosive materials on passengers. The machine can detect one billionth of a gram of explosive material."Its cutting edge technology," said Earl Morris of the Transportation Security Administration. "It's what's available out there and we're thrilled to have it because its another layer that we've added to the system in order to protect the flying public."

Passengers enter a portal chamber and wait for a puff of air that targets the human body. "The puff stirs air around the person and the air sample is then collected and analyzed," said Morris. The whole process takes about 15 seconds.

The "puffers" are in 59 airports in Washington, DC: (BWI, Dulles International and Reagan National); New York: (JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, Rochester); Florida: (Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, Jacksonville, Tampa, Miami); California: (LAX, San Francisco, San Diego); Phoenix; Boston; Las Vegas; Dallas (DFW); Pittsburgh; San Juan, P.R.; Providence, R.I., Gulfport-Biloxi, Miss; and Indianapolis, Ind.