Office Of Emergency Preparedness

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Response to the Receipt of Envelopes or Packages 
Suspected to Contain Anthrax or Other Biological Agents.

 

The purpose of these guidelines are to recommend procedures for handling such incidents relating from receipt of mail containing possible Biological Agents.

DO NOT PANIC:
Anthrax organisms can cause skin infection, gastrointestinal infection, or pulmonary infection. To do so the organism must be rubbed into abraded skin, swallowed, or inhaled as a fine, aerosolized mist. All forms of disease are generally treatable with antibiotics.

For anthrax to be effective as a covert agent it must be aerosolized into very small particles. This is very difficult to do and requires a great deal of skill and specialized equipment. If the small particles are inhaled, life-threatening infection can occur, but prompt recognition and treatment are effective.

Anthrax cannot be aerosolized out of an envelope or package containing powder. The same facts and conditions apply for most other bacteria likely to be used as biological weapons.

UNOPENED LETTER OR LETTER THAT APPEARS EMPTY OR A SUSPECT LETTER OR PACKAGE:

  1. NOTIFY your supervisor, local law enforcement, and FBI.
  2. PLACE envelope in a plastic bag or glassine envelope.
  3. WASH hands with soap and water.

FOR ALL SUSPICIOUS UNLABELED MAIL, NOTIFY LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. DO NOT OPEN.

ENVELOPE WITH POWDER AND POWDER SPILLS OUT ONTO SURFACE:

  1. NOTIFY your supervisor, local law enforcement, and the FBI.
  2. DO NOT clean powder up. Keep others away.
  3. WASH hands with soap and water.
  4. DO NOT brush off clothes.
  5. REMOVE clothing, jewelry, etc. and place in two plastic bags as soon as possible. You will receive further instructions.
  6. SHOWER with soap and water as soon as possible at home. DO NOT use bleach or other disinfectant.
  7. PUT on fresh clothing.
  8. LIST all people who had contact with the powder and give to Office of Public Health. They will provide further instruction.

PACKAGE MARKED WITH THREATENING MESSAGE SUCH AS "ANTHRAX":

  1. NOTIFY your supervisor, local law enforcement and the FBI.
  2. DO NOT OPEN.
  3. LEAVE package and EVACUATE the room.
  4. KEEP others from entering.

AEROSOLIZATION, SMALL EXPLOSION, OR LETTER STATING "ANTHRAX IN HEATING SYSTEM":

  1. NOTIFY your supervisor, local law enforcement, and the FBI.
  2. LEAVE room immediately.
  3. SECURE entry.
  4. SHUT DOWN air handling system.
  5. REMAIN on premises until responders arrive.
  6. LIST all people who were in the building at the time and give to Office of Public Health. They will provide further instruction.

If anyone feels like they have been exposed, call the Infectious Disease Epidemiology Section at 1-800-256-2748. If any results are confirmed, the Office of Public Health will contact you with further instructions regarding additional testing and/or treatment.

CONTACT NUMBERS:

Local Law Enforcement Authority: 911
FBI: (Louisiana field office): 504-816-3000
Louisiana Office of Public Health: 504-568-5005 or 800-256-2748

LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY WILL PROVIDE INSTRUCTION FOR 
DISPOSAL OF ITEM IF NOT REMOVED FOR TESTING.


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Related Information

Center for Disease Control & Prevention
Louisiana Department of Health & Hospitals
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
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