Following anthrax exposure reports in New York, Washington, Florida and Nevada, Charlottesville and Albemarle County officials say they are prepared for biological or chemical attacks.
At a press conference yesterday, officials discussed public health safety measures, law enforcement protocols, emergency response plans and medical preparedness in the event of a local anthrax epidemic. Officials agreed the possibility of local anthrax infection is minimal.
"We are confident that we are ready to deal with the emergencies at hand," said Charles Werner, Charlottesville Fire Department's deputy chief.
Despite two anthrax scares last week at a Charlottesville Staples store and in front of Madison Hall, where police reported the presence of an unknown powder, there have been no incidents of anthrax exposure in the area, Charlottesville police Lt. J.W. Gibson said. The powder at Madison Hall turned out to be chalk.
"This is a psychological weapon more than a tactical weapon," Gibson said.
In powder form, anthrax can be clearly identified and felt. If one comes in contact with a unknown powdery substance, police recommend washing hands to kill bacteria and alerting law enforcement officials immediately.
Although local police have not reported anthrax pranks, Gibson said a false report falls under terrorist threat statutes in which the perpetrator could face life imprisonment.
Anthrax pranksters are "absolutely conducting a terrorist attack, we're absolutely going to pursue them and we're going to prosecute them," he said. "The people perpetuating these hoaxes are doing probably the most unpatriotic thing at the moment in the nation."
Anthrax is difficult to contract in any form, but especially in the inhaled, or pulmonary, form. The skin, or cutaneous, form is more common, but a person only is infected if the bacteria penetrates an open wound, said Susan McLeod, director of the Thomas Jefferson Health District.
"What he have in this country right now really is a public health crisis, but in our community and in 95 percent of the other communities across the country, that crisis is a public health crisis in terms of fear, anxiety and irrational types of behaviors," McLeod said. "What we need to do is try to reassure the public that this is not a significant problem, that we have professionals who are trained and who are working jointly between law enforcement the public health community."
Area hospitals also have well-defined plans to coordinate emergency responses and training protocols in the event of an outbreak. The University Medical Center and Martha Jefferson Hospital routinely communicate with local officials regarding their space capacities and also must execute crisis drills twice a year to ensure the effectiveness of procedures, said Marge Sidebottom, University hospital emergency preparedness chairwoman.
Although hospital doctors are prepared to treat anthrax patients, emergency room physicians will refer potential patients to the Virginia Department of Health, emergency room physician Robert Reiser said.
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