Community helps TSA employees

Before the Federal government shutdown stopped, residents were asked to help TSA employees at the Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport to make ends meet until the shutdown was over.

The seven TSA employees at the airport had been working since Dec. 22 without being paid, this means they have missed two paychecks, airport director Devon Brubaker.

Due to the loss in pay, Brubaker asked the community to help by donating nonperishable food items, diapers and wipes, groceries, laundry detergent, dish detergent, toothpaste, soap, pet food and cat litter.

Residents donated these items to the Rock Springs Chamber of Commerce or the airport’s general aviation facility for the TSA employees. Brubaker said the TSA employees were not allowed to accept cash, credit cards, checks or monetary donations.

However, those that were donated to the airport or chamber were used to purchase groceries and other household items the employees needed. Local restaurants were also kind enough to donate meals to the TSA employees during the shutdown.

With the shutdown over, for now, Brubaker expects the employees to receive their paychecks sometime this week.

“The end of the shutdown is definitely a morale booster,” Brubaker said. “However, they are only cautiously optimistic due the short nature of the continuing resolution.”

The employees are concerned that another shutdown will take place after a deal hasn’t been reached within the three-week deadline.

“I wish we could predict this,” Brubaker said. “In the meantime, we are making sure we are ready to support our federal partner employees in case it happens again.”

Regardless of what the future holds, Brubaker is grateful for what Sweetwater County residents have done for the employees.

“I am always amazed every time a need exists in our community. I have lived all over the country and would put our community up against any community out there,” Brubaker said. “It truly makes our staff and our federal partner employees proud to serve a great community. I just want to once again thank our amazing community for their kindness.”