Burbank Airport Officers Fundraise for Unpaid TSA Agents

Firefighters and police officers at Hollywood Burbank Airport are passing the boot for their TSA colleagues, literally.

Using the classic firefighter fundraising tradition of collecting cash in upturned boots, airport safety personnel are gathering donations from travelers in the terminal to help Transportation Security Administration officers who have not received a paycheck in more than 30 days. The funds get converted into gas cards, giving screeners a practical way to cover the cost of getting to work while the partial federal government shutdown drags on.

The shutdown began Feb. 14, when Congress hit a stalemate over funding for the Department of Homeland Security. With Republicans and Democrats unable to reach an agreement, TSA officers became among the federal workers caught in the middle, required to show up and screen passengers with no pay coming in return.

The human cost has shown up in the numbers. More than 300 TSA agents nationwide have quit since the shutdown started. At airports across the country, including Hollywood Burbank, the lines have grown longer as the workforce thins out.

Edward Skvarna, Director of Public Safety at Hollywood Burbank Airport, spoke directly to what his TSA colleagues are doing and what it means for everyone moving through the airport.

“These people are patriots and great Americans,” Skvarna said. “To come in for 30 days and work without pay to keep the airline system operating, we can’t put passengers on airplanes if the TSOs aren’t screening them. So it’s a huge debt of gratitude from the airport and the airport community.”

The gas card approach is a small but targeted fix. With Southern California gas prices stubbornly high heading into spring, a daily commute to the airport adds up fast, especially when the paycheck has stopped. Airport firefighters and police officers identified that as one of the most immediate pressure points and focused their effort there.

The fundraiser reflects something specific about the culture at a smaller regional airport like Hollywood Burbank. The facility handles a fraction of the daily volume that LAX absorbs, and the workforce operates in closer proximity. Officers, firefighters, and TSA screeners know each other. When one group stops getting paid, the others notice.

Hollywood Burbank Airport sits at the northwest edge of the city and serves as a major connector for Burbank’s entertainment industry workforce, along with residents across the San Fernando Valley who prefer its shorter security lines and easier parking over the controlled chaos of Los Angeles International. The irony of lengthening security lines at a place known for its efficiency is not lost on regular travelers.

The fundraiser puts the burden on willing passengers rather than the workers themselves, which is the point. Travelers moving through the terminal who choose to drop cash into a firefighter boot are making a direct contribution to keeping the screening operation staffed and functional. No overhead, no organizational bureaucracy. The money goes to the people doing the job.

There is no timeline on when the shutdown ends. The congressional disagreement over DHS funding has shown no clear signs of resolution, and TSA officers continue to report for work in the meantime. Nationally, unions representing TSA workers have warned that the pace of resignations will accelerate the longer the situation continues. Every agent who quits to find paying work is one fewer screener available at checkpoints.

At Hollywood Burbank, the response from fellow airport employees has been to do what they can with what they have. A firefighter boot full of donations will not solve a federal budget standoff. But gas cards in the hands of workers who are still showing up every morning is a concrete form of support in a situation where concrete help is hard to come by.

Passengers who want to donate can do so in the terminal. The funds go directly to TSA officers working at the airport.