Insulin Pump at Miami and Port Canaveral

Hi everyone-

Specific question regarding security at Miami and Port Canaveral. We are doing a couple cruises next month leaving from these ports. My daughter is a Type 1 diabetic with an insulin pump. We know the pump cannot go thru the metal detectors - no problem, she disconnects and hands it around - they can inspect it.

But we are also bringing a loaner pump in a sealed box. Now of course we can't hand them a sealed box and say don't look in it, but the manufacturer wants a TSA inspection slip if the box is opened. No problem, but the security at these ports are not TSA. Do they have a similar slip they can give us? Has anyone gone through this?

Thanks

Ken

Hi everyone-

 

Specific question regarding security at Miami and Port Canaveral. We are doing a couple cruises next month leaving from these ports. My daughter is a Type 1 diabetic with an insulin pump. We know the pump cannot go thru the metal detectors - no problem, she disconnects and hands it around - they can inspect it.

 

But we are also bringing a loaner pump in a sealed box. Now of course we can't hand them a sealed box and say don't look in it, but the manufacturer wants a TSA inspection slip if the box is opened. No problem, but the security at these ports are not TSA. Do they have a similar slip they can give us? Has anyone gone through this?

 

Thanks

 

Ken

Make sure you take along a letter from her doctor as well. Shouldn't be a problem.

Hi everyone-

 

Specific question regarding security at Miami and Port Canaveral. We are doing a couple cruises next month leaving from these ports. My daughter is a Type 1 diabetic with an insulin pump. We know the pump cannot go thru the metal detectors - no problem, she disconnects and hands it around - they can inspect it.

 

But we are also bringing a loaner pump in a sealed box. Now of course we can't hand them a sealed box and say don't look in it, but the manufacturer wants a TSA inspection slip if the box is opened. No problem, but the security at these ports are not TSA. Do they have a similar slip they can give us? Has anyone gone through this?

 

Thanks

 

Ken

The port personnel will have no issue with the spare pump. Tell them what it is, they have likely seen one before and will know it can't go through the metal detector. Just be up front with them and you will be just fine.

If you don't get your answer, try the special needs board. However, I believe the first set of screeners you go through with your carry-ons are TSA (or some government agency) so I think you should be OK if you carry it on. For the stuff you check, if ship security is concerned about it, they will bring you to the infamous "naughty room" and may ask you to open it (or they would x-ray it). So, I'd suggest making it a carry-on item.

I believe they also recommend you bring a note from a doctor explaining it, incase you get a less-informed screener.

Agreed, we will be there - we will carry it on. But the manufacturer states if we open the box we could be charged the full cost of the loaner pump. (I am pretty sure they won't, but they do want a "TSA Inspection Slip" if the box is opened.) So I was just curious if the private security that staffs these ports has something like a "TSA Inspection Slip."

Ken

My son carried his loaner in his backpack and they did not look at any of that (among all the other junk!).

Have a great trip

My stepson, wears the pump he has never taken it off to go through security.

At the airport tsa is told he is wearing the pump, they look at it but it's never been disconnected, they just need to know a medical device is being worn.

At the port it has never been detected, the security level is not at tsa level.

My granddaughter is a type 1 diabetic. She carries needles and insulin with her and she has never even been asked to take them out of her carryon. If your stepson makes an alarm go off because of his pump he can just show the agent what it is and I don't think it will be an issue.

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The letter from her doctor is the most important and letter re the loan pump

Don't think it will be an issue

Never had a problem with my uncle and his pump

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We didn't have a problem with the loaner pump either. My daughter's pump can go through a metal detector so she wore her pump without disconnecting, but it can't go through the x-ray belt, so I put all her medical supplies in one drawstring backpack and had it hand screened. Not a problem in the airport and not a problem at Port Canaveral. They did do a modified pat down of her after all metal detectors - that means getting onboard after being in port as well because her brand of pump sets off the metal detector every time. It adds a bit of time to the process (they need a same sex security agent), but really not that bad.

Agreed, we will be there - we will carry it on. But the manufacturer states if we open the box we could be charged the full cost of the loaner pump. (I am pretty sure they won't, but they do want a "TSA Inspection Slip" if the box is opened.) So I was just curious if the private security that staffs these ports has something like a "TSA Inspection Slip."

 

Ken

Bet you could contact the manufacturer and talk about the fact that you're going on an international trip, and won't just be dealing with TSA. I bet they are just using the easy term "TSA" and really mean ANY border security group.

If you don't get your answer, try the special needs board. However, I believe the first set of screeners you go through with your carry-ons are TSA (or some government agency) so I think you should be OK if you carry it on. For the stuff you check, if ship security is concerned about it, they will bring you to the infamous "naughty room" and may ask you to open it (or they would x-ray it). So, I'd suggest making it a carry-on item.

What 1st set of screeners would that be? There is one screener where your carryons are xrayed. They are not TSA

Bet you could contact the manufacturer and talk about the fact that you're going on an international trip, and won't just be dealing with TSA. I bet they are just using the easy term "TSA" and really mean ANY border security group.

Agreed - hopefully they have some type of similar form.

Ken

What 1st set of screeners would that be? There is one screener where your carryons are xrayed. They are not TSA

Yes for carry on it is just one set and they are certainly not TSA.

Problem is she has a new pump -T-Slim by Tandem and the manufacturer says neither her primary or the back up can be Xrayed. No worries re the primary - we can just hand it to them, but this 'sealed box' thing and 'don't open it' could be a pain.

Ken

I've never had to disconnect or hand over my loaner pump when going through any type of security, TSA, cruise, or otherwise. It won't be a problem. They're familiar with the devices.

My son uses the Animas Ping and we have been in the same situation as you at both ports. We tell the person manning the metal detector that my son is wearing a pump and we hand them the backup. The backup is usually in a clear plastic case with security tape/strip holding it closed. They have never attempted to open the backup pump case. They merely inspect it visually and hand it back.

Make sure you take along a letter from her doctor as well. Shouldn't be a problem.

As a doctor who is starting to get a serious case of "letter fatigue", I'm going to throw my two cents in. Insulin pumps are no longer unusual things to encounter. No way TSA is going to want to see or care about a letter from a physician. It's like knee and hip implants- twenty years ago, they were unique enough that people needed to carry a letter or the information card. TSA no longer cares.

You don't need a letter for an insulin pump.

As a doctor who is starting to get a serious case of "letter fatigue", I'm going to throw my two cents in. Insulin pumps are no longer unusual things to encounter. No way TSA is going to want to see or care about a letter from a physician. It's like knee and hip implants- twenty years ago, they were unique enough that people needed to carry a letter or the information card. TSA no longer cares.

 

You don't need a letter for an insulin pump.

They letter we have is over nine years old. We have never been asked for it.

The real issue here is the "sealed box". How is any security supposed to know what it is without opening it or x-raying it?

My loaner pump (Animas) does not come in any container and I just put it in with the rest of my supplies. When I go through security, i hand it to the agent for a hand screening. My pump, I leave on (without the metal clip) and walk through the machine.

As far as a dr. note, mine is probably 15 years old. I have never been asked for it.

The letter from her doctor is the most important and letter re the loan pump

The letter from her doctor is the most important and letter re the loan pump

Feel free to ignore facts from those in the know.:confused:

You DON'T need a letter. I can't say it any more plainly than that.

I thought the same thing about the sealed box.

The exterior box of our loaner pump was sealed with very distinctive colored tape. My guess is that this tape was put on there by a previous TSA agent and the TSA agents and other security agents we encountered recognized it and knew it had been previously inspected and cleared. They did test the box for explosives at the airport, but not at the port.

ETA: my daughter uses a t:slim, too. They did say it was fine if it were opened, it just needed to be resealed by the agent. If the agent at the port opened it, I would just ask them to document that they opened it and that it was resealed immediately after inspection.

Feel free to ignore facts from those in the know.:confused:

 

You DON'T need a letter. I can't say it any more plainly than that.

The ONLY reason you may want a letter is if you are flying and want to bring liquids through security in your carry on luggage (to treat low blood sugar) that exceed the allowed amount. To avoid any issues, we always just bring solids through security - glucose tabs and/or candy usually. You can always buy a bottle of apple or orange juice inside the airport is my theory.

I don't think a doctor's letter means much. Today, anyone with a computer and a printer can create an official looking letter from a doctor and the TSA agents know it.

We have a friend who had a hip replaced and he always sets off the metal detector. Despite a letter from his doc and even though he is 80+ years old he always gets patted down.

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