Tampabay: Guard to place troops at TIA

TAMPA -- Fully armed members of the Florida National Guard will appear at security checkpoints at local airports on Friday, trained to show restraint but prepared, their commander said, to use whatever means are necessary to protect the flying public.

"The mission," said Gen. Doug Burnett, assistant adjutant general of the Guard, "is to increase security as a deterrent to terrorism and to build the confidence of the public that it is safe to come to the airport and fly again."

Burnett and members of his staff touched base around the state Tuesday as 400 Guard members left their civilian jobs to begin two days of training by the Federal Aviation Administration, preparing them to begin work at security checkpoints at 19 Florida airports.

The airports chosen for protection by the FAA include Tampa and St. Petersburg-Clearwater International airports.

Guard members who will be assigned to those facilities will come from elements of the 53rd Infantry Brigade stationed in Tampa.

The commanders declined to say how many Guard personnel would be assigned to each airport, but they did say each would be armed with an M-16 rifle, which can be set to fire on automatic and commonly is used with a 20-round magazine, as well as a Beretta 9mm sidearm.

"These are the weapons they are trained to use, the weapons they're most familiar with," said Col. Michael Fleming, chief of staff of the Florida National Guard.

Asked if the weapons would be loaded with live ammunition, Burnett replied, "When you ask for a soldier, you get the whole package, the uniform, the weapon and the ammunition."

Louis Miller, executive director of the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority, said on Monday that he had requested Guard help in searching vehicles after the short-term parking garage reopens, but Gov. Jeb Bush had not responded Tuesday.

Miller said the garage would reopen anyway, at 5 a.m. Thursday, using airport personnel to search back seats, trunks and undercarriages.

The short-term garage sits on top of the main terminal. The FAA has ordered strict security in areas where unattended vehicles are left within 300 feet of terminals.

"I really didn't expect to hear from the governor this quickly," Miller said. "We'll go ahead and start on our own."

In addition to previously announced rate increases for the remote economy parking lot and long-term garage, Miller said Tuesday that rates in the short-term garage, now $1 for each 30 minutes to a daily maximum of $12, would go to $1.25 per 30 minutes to a maximum of $14. The remote lot is going from $6 to $7 a day and long-term from $8 to $10.

"The cost of searching cars will exceed $1-million a year," Miller said. "The additional parking fees will more than cover it."

In a typical year, Miller said, the airport's share of parking revenue is $35-million.

Asked how long the searches would last, Miller replied, "Your guess is as good as mine."

Meanwhile, Burnett said it was his understanding that the statewide airport mission would last four to six months, "but that could be extended by the president."

"I really don't know what the point is where you say the mission is accomplished," he said. "When people come back to flying? When people say they're comfortable again in airports? I don't know."

Airport officials welcomed the Guard presence.

"This is what people need," said Al Austin, chairman of the aviation authority board. "What they've been concerned about is that we don't have enough security ... This should send a message that we are concerned, and they're safer than they've been in the last 10 years."

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