A first responder is a person with specialized training who is among the first to arrive and provide assistance at the scene of an emergency, such as an accident, natural disaster, or terrorism. People who are considered to be “first responder” can vary – firefighters, law officers, paramedics and EMTs are almost always included. 911 operators are sometimes in the mix, as well. Since the age of COVID, that list has sometimes expanded to include doctors, nurses, Emergency Room staff, pharmacists, or medical employees in general.
Depending on the situation, first responders have a good deal going in that they’re frequently offered special privileges, discounts, etc. For example, Marriott has offered upwards of 50% off rooms via their “Salute To Heroes” rate. Almost all of the U.S.-based airlines have given first responder discounts at one time or another. And theme parks such as SeaWorld has sometimes given free admission to first responders. That’s to say nothing of the free sandwiches, ice cream, pizza, and other food and non-food items first responders have been offered, simply because people are grateful to them.
Changing topic for just a moment, the TSA has a good deal for active duty U.S. military members – they get TSA PreCheck for free. One of our readers asked us a while back if that benefit was available for retired military personnel or veterans. Another recently asked if such benefits would be extended to first responders.
Unfortunately, the answer for both is “no.” Here’s why.
While military personnel remain active, they’re vetted by the U.S. government on a regular basis. So extended TSA PreCheck to them is a simple process, since they’re already vetted by the federal government anyway. Once they’re retired or otherwise no longer on “active duty” status, they’re also no longer vetted on that regular basis; that’s why and when their complementary PreCheck status also ends.
Of course, first responders usually go through some sort of vetting as well. They oftentimes have to undergo fingerprinting, give permission for their prospective employer to do a background check, etc., as a precursor to their employment. However those checks are generally not on a federal level; just county or state. Therefore it’s not enough to satisfy the requirements for PreCheck.
The $85 it costs to get PreCheck mainly covers the expenses for the vetting the federal government has to do. Veterans and retired military personnel no longer get that high level vetting and first responders don’t get it in the first place. That’s why they don’t get PreCheck for free.
We’ve also seen the occasional comment that elderly and/or disabled individuals should get a discount for PreCheck, or perhaps a special line (PreCheck or otherwise) at the TSA security checkpoint.
Although both groups sometimes get those types of benefits in the civilian world, it’s highly doubtful either will ever be seen at the TSA security zone. Again, vetting costs are vetting costs, regardless of age. And, of course the TSA security checkpoint is 100% accessible as per ADA standards. If someone has difficult standing or walking through the queue, there is personnel available at airports to help them maneuver through it, even via an airport wheelchair (and yeah, I agree that system is not super dependable right now, but such is the case with just about every profession out there right now).
It would be lovely if those who are current or retired helpers, do-gooders, seniors, or anyone else who thinks they “deserve” to get PreCheck for free (or even a discount), could. It would also be nice if they could pay no (or less) taxes, regardless of their income level, just because of “who they are/were.” But this is the federal government we’re talking about, where everyone is supposed to be considered equal and is expected to pay their fair share. I guess that includes PreCheck.
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