East Idaho airports discuss safety after Florida shooting

A deadly shooting at the Fort Lauderdale, Florida-Hollywood International Airpor in Florida has airports nationwide evaluating safety.

At the Idaho Falls Regional Airport Director, Craig Davis said security procedures are already in place and no changes are currently being made.

“The airport assigned law-enforcement officers and airport employees remain extra vigilant through performing additional inspections in and around the terminal on a 24-hour basis,” Davis said. “As a commercial service airport, IDA is on standby awaiting any additional security directives from the Department of Homeland Security.”

The former director of the Idaho Falls Regional and Pocatello Regional Airport told KIFI/KIDK that preparing for an event like what happened in Florida is nearly impossible. He says it is all in how the airport reacts.

“What we did at the airport is all the airline employees, as well as the security personnel are trained to watch for unusual behavior,” said Len Nelson, the former IDA and Pocatello airport director. “Particularly unaccompanied bags or backpacks or something like that. A bomb is a nasty thing that can be set down any place also, so those are always things we train for and watch for.”

The current director of the Pocatello airport reiterated Nelson’s comments. He said it is “too soon to make decisions” and the airport is waiting for more information about the shooting before determining if changes need to be made.

The man police say opened fire with a gun from his checked baggage at the airport in Fort Lauderdale had a history of mental health issues, some of which followed his military service in Iraq.

That is according to relatives who say Esteban Santiago was receiving psychological treatment at his home in Alaska. His aunt told The Record in New Jersey that after he returned from Iraq. “It was like he lost his mind,” she said. “He said he saw things.”

Five people were fatally shot. Eight others were wounded.