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It is important that the response to an anthrax threat be in proportion to the level of danger at the incident scene. “Anthrax Threats” focuses on letter or packages that purport to contain anthrax. Illustrating guidelines from the National Defense Preparedness Office (NDPO), a consortium of federal agencies, the program outlines the four common scenarios requiring an anthrax response:
- A threat is made
by telephone or other means, but no package is discovered
- An unopened letter
or package is discovered that claims to contain anthrax
- A package is opened
that claims to contain anthrax, but no suspicious material is included
- A package or letter is opened that claims to contain anthrax, and a suspicious substance is found.
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Appropriate response procedures for each scenario are described. “Anthrax Threats” stresses that every anthrax incident must be treated as a crime scene, regardless of whether anthrax is actually involved. It explains the role of local law enforcement and the FBI, and provides guidelines for calling in the fire department, hazmat team, and local health officials.
The program tells how to manage victims who may have become contaminated by the product and describes the symptoms of infection for three types of exposure: inhalation, ingestion and cutaneous. It stresses that anthrax is not a contagious disease, and shows why spores are unlikely to cause harm beyond the immediate site of exposure. Other topics covered by the program include use of hazmat protocols, decontamination, managing evidence, protective clothing for responders, dealing with the ‘worried well,’ and clean-up.
