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Useful, or 'a joke'? Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli Medford police officer Rob Havice and his drug-detecting springer spaniel, Robb, inspect baggage at the Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport. The increased presence of police and police dogs is one of several security measures adopted since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The Medford airport's heightened security will stay in place; for airport officials, the biggest problem is money By JILL BRISKEY Mail Tribune Beefed-up security costs roughly $1,000 a day at the Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport, and you're just as likely to find passengers who think it's justified as those who dismiss it as expensive window dressing. "Every penny is worth it, even if we're out here in the middle of nowhere," Medford resident and secretary Dee Alverez says as she waits for her son's flight to arrive from San Francisco. "You can't take any chances, and that costs plenty. It's money well spent, if you ask me." Security doesn't change plan for new terminal at airport Security requirements imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks will neither hasten nor delay plans for a new terminal at the Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport, says Director Bern Case. Construction is still three to five years away. "We're going to move toward it as quick as we can, but it's more important for us that we build it right," Case says. "It's working now." Case says a study to determine the airport's current and future needs is ongoing. No design plans have been drafted yet, and no cost estimates for a new facility are available, he says. Minor changes in the terminal's interior are on the horizon, however. Case says bathrooms will be added to the passenger screening area. New regulations prohibit passengers from leaving the screening area except to board the plane. Occasionally, the wait takes up to 30 minutes. But ask Debby Leavens what she thinks, and you'll get a little different reaction. "It's just a joke," says the Medford payroll service employee. "It's not an 'international' airport. They wouldn't know what to do if there was a bomb. It's almost laughable." Call it what you will, says airport Director Bern Case, but the heightened security - and its costs - are here to stay, thanks to requirements imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Neither Case nor FAA spokesman Jerry Snyder in San Francisco will discuss the specifics of added security measures, but it's not hard for passengers to see for themselves where the extra costs come from. Vehicles are searched before entering Medford's airport. Visitors must park 300 feet from the terminal. National Guardsmen, paid security personnel and Medford police are a constant presence. Baggage is screened by wand, X-ray machine or hand, and sometimes sniffed by drug dogs as well. People are screened more carefully, too. Some are even told to take off their shoes. The precautions, though time-consuming, are aimed at making airports safer for everyone. But across the nation, the most pressing problem for airports isn't frustrated passengers, time delays or confusion. It's the skyrocketing costs. A turbulent time Since the attacks, Case estimates that roughly $151,000 has been spent on added security locally. That's on top of the approximately $360,000 that already was earmarked for security in the airport's $13.5 million annual budget. Hired security, who patrol the facility and screen vehicle trunks, make up the largest bulk of the airport's safety costs, Case says. Know the ropes, save some time Passengers unfamiliar with new security regulations at airports often cause lengthy time delays. Federal and local aviation officials have offered the following tips for travelers. Arrive early - Larger facilities urge passengers to arrive two hours before each flight. Airport Director Bern Case says one hour and 15 minutes is sufficient at Medford's airport. Pack lightly - New federal rules require airlines to match every piece of luggage with a passenger. Baggage must be screened through X-ray, and each piece is subject to either hand searches, bomb-sniffing dogs or equipment that can detect traces of explosives. Case urges passengers to pack lightly if possible. "People take too darn much. On a four-day trip, you don't need a steamer trunk," he says. Be prepared - Remove all metal objects from your pockets while waiting in line at the ticket area. Have your photo identification ready and be prepared to answer questions about your luggage. Dress accordingly - Wear shoes that are easy to slip on and off. Avoid clothing, belts and shoes with metal. Follow the rules - Double-check the list of items that are prohibited from being packed in carry-on luggage. The rules are listed on the Federal Aviation Administration's Web site: www.faa.gov. Case says money from contingency and emergency reserve funds will be used to pay for the unexpected expenses through the fiscal year, which ends in July. The contingency fund is often used to pay for airport improvements or studies. Airport officials anticipate spending another $150,000 on security before the fiscal year ends. "We'll stay within budget," he says. "It's nice to be able to get through." The FAA qualified the Medford facility as a Level 3 airport, a classification that requires a higher level of security than smaller airports. The Portland airport is ranked Level 2. An airport's classification level is based on size and potential for threat. Smaller facilities, such as the Eastern Oregon Regional Airport at Pendleton, are labeled Level 4. "We're a lot smaller," says Pendleton Airport Manager Larry Dalrymple. "We're exempt from a lot of things." Dalrymple says Pendleton has spent $63,000 for extra security since Sept. 11. Curbside drop-off isn't allowed at the Pendleton airport, but visitors don't have to park 300 feet away, either. The FAA does not require a police presence, although the airport has private security personnel. "We get off pretty easy," Dalrymple says. It's not so easy at the Eugene airport, which like Medford is Level 3. In 2001, Eugene received 726,533 passengers, compared to Medford's 464,535. Both facilities have adopted similar security precautions, says Operations Manager Mike Coontz. He estimates that increased costs will reach more than $800,000 by next September, a figure that breaks down to roughly $2,222 a day. "It sounds like Eugene is very similar to what's happening in Medford," says Coontz. "The mandates are the same. Airports will choose to (implement) the requirements in different ways." Coontz says Eugene police officers patrol the facility in Lane County, but the 300-foot parking rule is not in place. Instead, a trained security guard is posted in front of the terminal and a tow truck stands ready at all times. (Case has said such measures would prove too costly in Medford.) Coontz says Eugene officials are considering instituting vehicle checks similar to Medford's. Future horizons Case is hopeful that an FAA grant will help offset security costs for the next fiscal year. The county is seeking more than $1 million from the grant, which could pay for capital improvements as well as security. By the end of the month, Case should know how much money will be awarded locally. He estimates that thousands of facilities nationwide applied for the same grant. "We should receive some portion," Case adds. "Maybe not all that we've asked for." The Medford airport will lose its National Guardsmen in April, but Case anticipates that at least one security guard from the federal Transportation Security Administration will arrive in March. The TSA is in the process of writing short-term contracts with private security companies that already provide service to airlines. An estimated 30,000 new employees are expected to be hired and trained by the end of the year. How much money will be budgeted for Medford airport security in 2002-2003 will depend on the FAA grant, Case says. However, increased costs could affect plans for improvement projects at the airport. "Security is an evolving process," he says. "We just don't know what the next change will be." Drug-sniffing dogs earn good marks at airport Sams Valley resident Teresa Kelly can't help but smile as a small brown and white dog scampers around her luggage inside the Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport. Detecting no scent of narcotics, the 2-year-old springer spaniel turns his gaze to Medford police officer Rob Havice and begs for his reward - a slightly used tennis ball. Havice and his dog, Robb, are a welcome sight for Kelly, who arrived moments earlier from a Florida vacation. Just seeing a police officer and canine at the airport makes the place seem safer, she says. "I think it's kind of cool to see the dogs," Kelly says. "Nobody's going to try anything with a dog here. I think it's a good thing." Kelly's feeling of security is the goal of airport officials and Medford police officers, who have increased their patrols at the terminal since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. "Just having a presence can make a difference," Havice says. "Nine out of 10 times, it takes care of any problem." Medford police regularly visited the airport in the past, but their level of service increased following the attacks. Airport Director Bern Case says the Federal Aviation Administration requires police protection at the Medford facility in addition to private security personnel. Since October, a Medford police officer and police dog have spent up to six hours a day at the airport, seven days a week. Usually it's a single officer accompanied by a patrol or narcotics dog working during peak hours, says Lt. Tim George. "Everybody's tuned into everybody. It's a good mix for both of us. It's a good match," George says of police and airport officials. "It helps us train our dogs. We get an opportunity to exercise them." Police at the airport spend most of their time in the screening area, but they also patrol the entire facility while on duty. They respond when help is requested from National Guardsmen, security personnel or airline screening employees. George says since October, the airport has paid Medford's police department about $14,000 for the service, roughly $29 an hour. Medford police have handled 52 calls of service at the airport since Sept. 11 and have made three arrests for drug possession, all marijuana. One intoxicated woman who attempted to urinate in potted plants in the terminal was escorted to the county's sobering unit. Officers also have successfully dealt with a number of frustrated, angry passengers without making any arrests. Medford police dogs aren't trained to sniff out explosives, but they are used for drug-detection when international freight flights arrive. They also help when airline screening employees become suspicious of a piece of luggage and request assistance. Havice says he'll allow the dogs to randomly sniff baggage coming through on the conveyor belt as well. Havice adds that although the dogs are not trained to recognize explosives, they will respond to a chemical odor produced by certain forms of explosives. "We can tell by their behavior if something is there," Havice says. Medford officer Dave Plummer, who handles patrol and narcotics dog Tanja, says incoming passengers may not know what the dogs are capable of, but "just seeing the (police) car in the parking lot makes a difference." Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.