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What If,Infectious diseases,like anthrax was to spread,what could we do?

The Russians made and vaccine-proof anthrax.The Americans asked to see it,and the Russians refused.If that's not frightening enough,Alibek told Diane Sawyer that Russian scientific publlications have reported a genetic marriage between smallpox and a brain virus called VEE.He believes they have engineered yet another deadly genetic merger -
Infectious diseases may be introduced into an unsuspecting U.S.population not only from natural human,animal,or plant sources but also deliberately as part of a "bio-terrorism'scheme-that is,as part of release of pathogens intended to harm humans directly or to damage the animals,or plants on which we depend.Although casualties may be limited if unsophisticated groups deploy biological weapons attack is of gave concern.....
Unlike nuclear or conventional bombs or even chemical weapons,a biological weapon is unlikely to cause instant harm.Thus,because symptoms take time to develop,and act of bio-terrorism may go undetected for days or even weeks after it occurs.For example,if a biological agent were secretly in a busy metropolitan travel center such as Washington RR National Airport,cases affecting travelers might not begin to appear until 2 to 14 days later and then .
Dr.Osterholm went on to point out that infected individuals would not be met by trained "first response "teams,but would seek medical attention in emergency rooms,doctors'offices,and clinics in scattered locations.The man with the slight cough sitting next to you at church,the woman who shook your hands as your entered the door--anyone who had come in contact with biological agent could pass a fatal disease to you with out knowing it.
Have I scared you ? The folks in Washington are scared,too.
What could your Fire Deptpartments do,if and when this was to happen?

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Comment by Brenda Tenney on November 2, 2008 at 7:57pm: I got information from one of the Books I read,and also,from and course,we had in and training program.Haz-mat..
If you come across the book"From Daniel To Doomsday"
Author' John Hafee.,,Read this book,a great book to read,written 1999....

Comment by Todd McKee on November 2, 2008 at 6:15pm: Anthrax is an acute disease in humans and animals caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, which is highly lethal in some forms. There are effective vaccines against anthrax, and some forms of the disease respond well to antibiotic treatment.

The anthrax bacillus is one of only a few that can form long-lived spores: in a hostile environment, caused perhaps by the death of an infected host or extremes of temperature, the bacteria become inactive dormant spores which can remain viable for many decades and perhaps centuries. Spores are found on all continents except Antarctica. When spores are inhaled, ingested, or come into contact with a skin lesion on a host they reactivate and multiply rapidly.

Anthrax most commonly infects wild and domesticated herbivorous mammals which ingest or inhale the spores while eating grass or browsing. Ingestion is assumed to be the most common route by which herbivores contract anthrax, but this is as yet unproven. Carnivores living in the same environment may ingest infected animals and become infected themselves. Anthrax can also infect humans when they are exposed to blood and other tissues from infected animals (via inhalation or direct inoculation through broken skin), eat tissue from infected animals, or are exposed to a high density of anthrax spores from an animal's fur, hide, or wool.

Anthrax spores can be grown in vitro and used as a biological weapon. Anthrax does not spread directly from one infected animal or person to another, but spores can be transported by clothing, shoes etc.; and the body of a mammal that died of anthrax can be a very dangerous source of anthrax spores.

The name anthrax comes from anthrakitis, the Greek word for anthracite (coal), in reference to the black skin lesions victims develop in a cutaneous skin infection.
This is not anything new under the sun! In the 1980'a abortion clinics were being bombed and letters were sent. Then after 9/11 there were numerous letters sent my an angry guy in a laboratory that shut down the USPS. This created a panic all over the country regarding white powder. Fire Departments all over the country raced to secure a Twinkies box with sugar. Everyone was scared after the real thing was found. Please share some thoughts in the forum I posted called Is the white powder back? or Share some of your thoughts in the group called Unique HazMat Incidents.

Thank you

Todd McKee

Comment by Todd McKee on November 2, 2008 at 6:04pm: May I please ask where you got this information from? Specific sources! Ty

Todd McKee

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