TSA: More Than Just Airport Security
The Transportation Security Administration, or TSA, is a federal government agency responsible for protecting the nation’s transportation systems. While most people associate TSA with airport security, the agency’s duties extend far beyond the airport checkpoint. With approximately 65,000 employees, including 50,000 front-line workers at U. S. airports, TSA plays a crucial role in safeguarding the nation’s transportation networks and ensuring freedom of movement for people and commerce.
TSA is a branch of the Department of Homeland Security, created in response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Before TSA was established, travelers did not have to remove belts, shoes, or hats, limit liquids, or undergo full-body scans. However, after the attacks, Congress passed the Aviation and Transportation Security Act, giving TSA responsibility for airport security and protecting other modes of transportation on land and at sea.
Beyond airport security, TSA performs diverse functions that contribute to national security. Here are five surprising ways TSA fulfills its mission to protect the nation’s transportation systems.
TSA Protects the Nation’s Oil and Gas Pipelines
TSA is responsible for ensuring the security of the nation’s 2. 8 million miles of natural gas and hazardous liquid pipelines, the largest energy transportation network in the world. To accomplish this, TSA operates a special headquarters in Anchorage, Alaska, about 30 minutes from the popular hiking destination, Mount Baldy. The main focus of this office is to provide guidelines and training materials to ensure the pipeline industry’s preparedness and security align with the federal government’s standards. Cybersecurity is a particular concern for TSA, highlighted by the 2021 cyberattack on Colonial Pipeline, which caused gas shortages and flight disruptions. In response, TSA issued two mandatory security directives for pipeline owners and operators, outlining critical actions and improving infrastructure resilience.
TSA Tests Explosive Devices
In Atlantic City, New Jersey, known for its glitzy casinos and legendary boardwalk, TSA operates its Test & Evaluation Laboratory, where hundreds of specialists run critical tests on explosives and detection systems. This facility, along with satellite labs in Panama City, Florida, and Huntsville, Alabama, is instrumental in developing technologies used in aviation security, including trace detection methods. The lab houses cutting-edge equipment and laboratories for storing and testing a variety of domestic, foreign, and homemade explosives.
TSA Assists with Natural Disaster Relief
TSA employees are more than just hard-nosed airport security agents. In times of natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Hurricane Harvey in 2017, hundreds of TSA volunteers have been deployed to assist with logistics and provide support to relief efforts. The agency’s Surge Capacity Force, a volunteer program created after Hurricane Katrina, allows DHS employees to spend up to 45 days helping FEMA with response and recovery efforts. TSA volunteers also played a crucial role in staffing vaccination sites during the COVID-19 pandemic.
TSA Protects Surface