>>
Gary Walker: JUST AHEAD ON
"NEED TO KNOW," IN THE WAKE OF
THE SEPTEMBER 11th TERRORIST
ATTACKS, BIOTERRORISM HAS
BECOME A HOUSEHOLD WORD.
ROCHESTER CERTAINLY HASN'T HAD
A RECENT HISTORY OF BEING A
TARGET FOR TERRORISM, BUT
NONETHELESS, PEOPLE HERE ARE
ASKING: WHAT IF SUCH AN
ATTACK WERE TO HAPPEN HERE,
JUST WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT?
HOW WOULD ROCHESTER RESPOND?
FOR THE NEXT HOUR, "NEED TO
KNOW" BRINGS YOU A CHANCE TO
CALL IN AND ASK LOCAL
EMERGENCY DISASTER EXPERTS
YOUR QUESTIONS.
HOW PREPARED ARE WE?
AND JUST HOW WOULD WE HANDLE
SUCH A CRISIS?
ROCHESTER RESPONDS NEXT ON
"NEED TO KNOW."
>> SENDING ANTHRAX IN THE MAIL
IS AN ATTEMPT TO INJURE, TO
KILL, TO HURT PEOPLE.
>> THIS IS "NEED TO KNOW," THE
ROCHESTER AREA'S ONLY IN-DEPTH
NEWS PROGRAM.
"NEED TO KNOW" IS A PRODUCTION
OF WXXI NEWS AND PUBLIC
AFFAIRS, COVERING ISSUES,
POLITICS, EDUCATION AND
CURRENT EVENTS.
>> "NEED TO KNOW" IS MADE
POSSIBLE BY THE DAISY MARQUIS
JONES FOUNDATION, BY DORSCHEL
LEXUS, AND THROUGH THE SUPPORT
OF VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
>> Gary Walker: THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US.
I'M GARY WALKER.
NOW, MANY OF YOU MAY HAVE
TUNED IN EXPECTING TO SEE A
DEBATE BETWEEN THE CANDIDATES
FOR MONROE COUNTY SHERIFF.
WELL, THIS IS NOT IT.
WE WILL BRING YOU THAT DEBATE
IN TWO WEEKS.
BUT TONIGHT, AMERICA IS ON A
HIGH LEVEL OF ALERT IN THE
WAKE OF THE LATEST ANTHRAX
EXPOSURES IN WASHINGTON AND
NEW YORK.
TO DATE, FIVE PEOPLE AROUND
THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD ARE
KNOWN TO BE INFECTED WITH THE
ANTHRAX VIRUS, AND ONE HAS
DIED.
AT LEAST 35 OTHERS HAVE TESTED
POSITIVE FOR ANTHRAX EXPOSURE.
31 OF THOSE 35 ON CAPITOL
HILL.
THEY WERE EXPOSED AFTER A
CONTAMINATED LETTER WAS SENT
TO SENATE MAJORITY LEADER TOM
DASCHLE.
FOR THE MOST PART, THE CAPITOL
IS SHUT DOWN TONIGHT UNTIL
TUESDAY WHILE AN ENVIRONMENTAL
SWEEP FOR MORE ANTHRAX IS
CONDUCTED.
IN NEW YORK, GOVERNOR GEORGE
PATAKI REPORTED TUESDAY THAT A
ROOM IN HIS MANHATTAN OFFICE
USED BY THE STATE POLICE
TESTED POSITIVE FOR ANTHRAX
SPORES.
NO SPORES WERE FOUND IN
PATAKI'S EXECUTIVE SUITE AND
THE GOVERNOR AND HIS STAFF ARE
TAKING CIPRO-FLOX --
CIPRO-FLOXACIN -- I'LL GET
THAT RIGHT -- AS A PRECAUTION
RIGHT NOW.
>> ...GET UPSET WHEN THIS TYPE
OF ACTIVITY OCCURS,
PARTICULARLY WHEN IT HITS HOME
IN YOUR OWN OFFICE, BUT
THERE'S A VERY SIMPLE MESSAGE:
WE CAN'T LET THEM WIN.
THESE ARE EVIL PEOPLE WHO
WE'RE GOING TO DRIVE BACK TO
THEIR CAVES WHERE THEY BELONG,
AND IN THE PROCESS WE'RE GOING
TO CONTINUE TO LIVE OUR LIVES
AS NEW YORKERS.
MAYBE WE'LL BE A LITTLE BIT
MORE DILIGENT AND A LITTLE
MORE CAUTIOUS IN WHAT WE DO...
>> Gary Walker: LOCALLY, WE
HAVE SEEN A SERIES OF FALSE
ALARMS AND PRANKS, BUT
HOSPITALS, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
AGENCIES REMAIN ON HIGH ALERT
FOR ANY POSSIBLE
CONTAMINATION.
BUT JUST HOW WOULD ROCHESTER
RESPOND IF AN OUTBREAK
HAPPENED HERE?
AND WHAT WOULD YOU NEED TO
KNOW?
TONIGHT, "NEED TO KNOW" BRINGS
LOCAL LEADERS AND EXPERTS
TOGETHER TO ANSWER YOUR
QUESTIONS BY DIALING IN AT
454-6922.
THAT'S 454-6922.
THROUGHOUT TONIGHT'S PROGRAM,
WE WILL BE MONITORING ANY
BREAKING NEWS, AND WE WILL
INTERRUPT THIS PROGRAM TO
BRING IT TO YOU SHOULD IT
OCCUR.
NOW, JOINING ME TO DISCUSS
ROCHESTER'S LEVEL OF READINESS
AND TO TAKE YOUR PHONE CALLS
ARE:
MONROE COUNTY EXECUTIVE JACK
DOYLE;
ROCHESTER FIRE CHIEF FLOYD
MADISON;
MUFFY MEISENZAHL, MONROE
COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE
OFFICE OF EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS;
MONROE COUNTY DEPUTY HEALTH
DIRECTOR Dr. NANCY BENNETT;
MONROE COUNTY FIRE COORDINATOR
ED RILEY;
Dr. JOHN BENITEZ, THE CHAIRMAN
OF THE STRONG HEALTH DISASTER
PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE AND
DIRECTOR OF THE FINGER LAKES
POISON CONTROL CENTER.
ALSO JOINING US IS CAPTAIN
STEVEN WHITE OF TROOP "E" OF
THE NEW YORK STATE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
NOW, FOR THOSE OF YOU, AGAIN,
AT HOME WATCHING THIS PROGRAM,
IF YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE, WE
ENCOURAGE YOU TO CALL IN AND
ASK OUR PANELISTS ANY
QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS
MATTER.
NOW, THE PHONE NUMBER TO CALL
AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SCREEN:
454-6922.
LET'S GET STARTED...
WE'LL START WITH THE COUNTY
EXECUTIVE.
YOU ARE THE HIGHEST ELECTED
OFFICIAL IN THIS PART, AND WE
HAVE HEARD CONSIDERABLE
CONCERN FROM OUR VIEWERS AND
LISTENERS OVER THE PAST COUPLE
OF WEEKS ABOUT TERRORISM HERE,
EITHER BIOTERRORISM OR
OTHERWISE.
SHOULD FOLKS HERE BE
CONCERNED?
>> WELL, I THINK IT'S ONLY
NATURAL TO BE CONCERNED.
BUT, GARY, LISTEN, PEOPLE IN
THE COMMUNITY HAVE TO ALSO
UNDERSTAND THIS COMMUNITY --
AND YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR THIS
TONIGHT FROM THESE EXPERTS.
THIS COMMUNITY IS MORE
PREPARED THAN PROBABLY MOST
OTHER COMMUNITIES IN AMERICA
TO HANDLE THESE KINDS OF
ISSUES AND THESE KINDS OF
CHALLENGES.
WE HAVE RESPONDERS WHO ARE
WELL TRAINED, WHO ARE REALLY
THE LEADERS OF THE PACK SO TO
SPEAK, AND THEY ARE SO WELL
TRAINED THAT PEOPLE IN THE
COMMUNITY, ALTHOUGH THEY
SHOULD BE CONCERNED, CAN ALSO
HAVE A HIGH DEGREE OF
CONFIDENCE IN THE COMPETENCE
OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING
TO ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS.
>> Gary Walker: WE HEAR A LOT
AGAIN FROM LISTENERS AND
VIEWERS, AND ANYBODY CAN
ANSWER THIS QUESTION, BUT IS
THERE ANYTHING UNIQUE OR
PARTICULAR TO ROCHESTER THAT
WOULD MAKE US A BETTER TARGET
OF OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY KIND OF
TERRORISM THAN ANY OTHER
COMMUNITY IN THE UNITED
STATES?
>> WELL, I DON'T KNOW;
THAT'S PROBABLY DEBATABLE, BUT
I REALLY WOULDN'T THINK SO.
ALTHOUGH WE HAVE -- WE'RE NOT
A BIG CITY, AS WE ALL KNOW.
BUT THE FACT IS THAT WE DO
HAVE CERTAIN THINGS HERE IN
THIS COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
CONTRACTORS HERE THAT MOST
PEOPLE ARE NOT AWARE OF OR
FAMILIAR WITH THAT DO WORK,
ARMS, MUNITIONS WORK AND OTHER
TYPES OF HIGH-TECH WORK FOR
THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
BUT IT'S HARD TO SAY REALLY.
I WOULDN'T THINK THERE'S
ANYTHING THAT STANDS OUT THAT
WOULD MAKE US MORE SUSCEPTIBLE
TO THIS KIND OF ACTIVITY THAN
ANY OTHER PLACE.
BUT OKLAHOMA CITY WAS LIKE
THAT, TOO, AND OF COURSE THAT
WAS AN UNFORTUNATE EVENT, NOT
RELATED TO THIS KIND OF
TERRORISM BUT ANOTHER KIND OF
TERRORISM, AND WHO WOULD HAVE
THOUGHT THAT IN THE HEARTLAND
OF AMERICA?
>> Gary Walker: POINT WELL
TAKEN.
AGAIN, OUR NUMBER HERE IS
454-6922.
ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT
OUR LEVEL OF PREPAREDNESS FOR
ANY SORTS OF ACTIVITY,
TERRORIST ACTIVITY,
BIOTERRORISM OR OTHERWISE,
WE HAVE EVERYBODY IN THIS
COMMUNITY WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY
IS THAT.
THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN THIS
COMMUNITY YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT
TONIGHT.
AGAIN, THE NUMBER TO
PARTICIPATE IS 454-6922.
AND, Dr. BENNETT, DIRECTOR OF
THE MONROE COUNTY HEALTH
DEPARTMENT, A LOT OF PEOPLE
HAVE BEEN CALLING US AND
ASKING US QUESTIONS WHICH WE
REALLY CAN'T ANSWER, SO WE
TURN TO YOU.
HAS THERE BEEN ANY CASE OR ANY
LEGITIMATE THREAT, MEDICAL,
BIOTERRORISM OR OTHERWISE, IN
THIS COMMUNITY IN THE LAST FEW
MONTHS?
>> NO.
FORTUNATELY, WE HAVE NOT HAD
ANY SERIOUS SITUATIONS.
WE HAVE HAD A LARGE NUMBER OF
SITUATIONS THAT WE HAVE NEEDED
TO RESPOND TO AND WE, AS
Mr. DOYLE WAS SAYING, WE HAVE
REALLY AN INCREDIBLY GOOD
RESPONSE SYSTEM IN PLACE IN
THIS COMMUNITY WITH VERY
HIGHLY TRAINED FIRST
RESPONDERS.
SO THEY HAVE BEEN RESPONDING
TO MANY SITUATIONS, SOMETIMES
BY PHONE, SOMETIMES BY GOING
TO THE SITE, DEPENDING ON WHAT
THEY CONSIDER TO BE
APPROPRIATE.
>> Gary Walker: OKAY.
454-6922 IS OUR NUMBER IF YOU
HAVE A QUESTION.
COULD ANYBODY ON THE PANEL
HELP ME UNDERSTAND OR HELP THE
AUDIENCE UNDERSTAND THAT
SHOULD SOMETHING LIKE THAT
OCCUR, SHOULD THERE BE A
REPORT OR SHOULD SOMEBODY JUST
BE CONCERNED ABOUT SOMETHING,
A SUSPICIOUS PACKAGE, WHAT'S
THE FOOD CHAIN OF ACTIVITY
HERE?
WHAT DO THEY DO?
>> GARY, THE PROCEDURE THAT WE
HAVE REALLY ESTABLISHED IN
THIS CASE, AND WE HAVE
ACTUALLY HAD OUR COMMITTEE FOR
A NUMBER OF YEARS, IS FOR THE
COMMUNITY TO DIRECTLY CALL
911, AND THROUGH THE 911
SYSTEM, WE HAVE SET UP A
PROTOCOL FOR A FALLOUT INTO
THE ASSESSMENT AREA, WHETHER
IT BE ONE PERSON, TWO PEOPLE
OR A TEAM OF PEOPLE.
SO THE 911 NUMBER IS THE
NUMBER WE'RE ASKING THE
COMMUNITY TO USE.
>> Gary Walker: FIRST LINE OF
DEFENSE, 911.
THE NUMBER WE'RE ASKING YOU TO
USE IS 454-6922.
I UNDERSTAND OUR FIRST CALLER
IS ON HOLD AND WE'RE GOING TO
GET TO YOU.
IT'S DEBORAH FROM THE CITY OF
ROCHESTER.
GO AHEAD, DEBORAH.
>> Caller: YES.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THE
CITY OF ROCHESTER WOULD BE
PREPARED IF DISASTER STRIKES
HERE SUCH AS THE ANTHRAX
SITUATION OR WHATEVER HAPPENED
IN NEW YORK CITY SEPTEMBER
12th?
I WANT TO KNOW IF ROCHESTER
WOULD REALLY BE PREPARED TO
DEAL WITH A SITUATION LIKE
THAT AND I'M ASKING EVERYBODY
ON THE PODIUM THERE?
>> Gary Walker: OKAY.
HOW ABOUT IT, CHIEF?
>> I'LL JUMP IN FIRST.
I THINK THIS CITY IS WELL
PREPARED, AND AS THE COUNTY
EXECUTIVE SAID, I THINK THIS
COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE IS
PROBABLY BETTER PREPARED THAN
MOST COMMUNITIES IN AMERICA.
NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE WONDERFUL
AND WELL-TRAINED EMERGENCY
SERVICES FORCES HERE, BUT ALSO
WE HAVE A LOT OF EQUIPMENT
THAT WE HAVE ACQUIRED OVER
TIME THROUGH GRANTS OR
CONTRACTS WITH THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT.
THE COUNTY RECEIVED SOME
EQUIPMENT LAST YEAR.
WE RECEIVED SOME EQUIPMENT
UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
AND HUMAN SERVICES MEDICAL --
METROPOLITAN MEDICAL RESPONSE
SYSTEM.
SO I THINK WE'RE PREPARED TO
RESPOND TO THOSE THINGS.
NOW, OUR REACTION IS THIS:
WE'RE FIRST RESPONSE;
A PHONE CALL WILL COME IN.
WE HAVE TO RESPOND; WE HAVE TO
REACT TO WHAT WE SEE,
AND WE TRAIN FOLKS TO REACT.
WE TRAIN FOLKS TO A HIGH LEVEL
OF AWARENESS IN THESE TYPES OF
INCIDENTS BECAUSE THE CRITICAL
POINT IS IDENTIFYING WHAT
WE'RE DEALING WITH, AND THEN
YOU CAN TAKE THE NECESSARY
STEPS TO TRY TO MITIGATE IT OR
TO ASSIST FOLKS THROUGH THE
EVENT.
SO WITH THAT, I THINK WE'RE
WELL PREPARED TO DO THAT.
>> Gary Walker: OKAY.
AGAIN, 454-6922.
ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT
THE LEVEL OF PREPAREDNESS IN
THIS COMMUNITY.
IT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE TO BE
MONROE COUNTY.
IF WE HAVE VIEWERS AND
LISTENERS -- PLEASE RESPOND
FROM THE AREA.
WE DO HAVE FOLKS HERE -- AND
ONE THING I NOTICE IS THAT
EVERYBODY KNOWS EACH OTHER UP
HERE BECAUSE THEY'RE IN
CONGRESS WITH EACH OTHER ALL
THE TIME.
THIS IS WHAT THEY DO.
THIS IS THE LEVEL OF
COOPERATION.
TO HANDLE ANY EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS PLAN HAS TO BE
PRETTY IN-DEPTH AND PRETTY
CONCISE.
I HAVE SEEN IT PERSONALLY UP
FRONT MYSELF DURING THE ICE
STORM, AS A MATTER OF FACT.
MUFFY MEISENZAHL IS OFFICER OF
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.
DO WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE --
IS THERE ONE PLAN, FIVE PLANS,
TEN PLANS, A MULTITUDE OF
PLANS?
I MEAN, HOW DOES YOUR OFFICE
WORK?
>> WE OPERATE UNDER AN
UMBRELLA CALLED THE MONROE
COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT PLAN WHICH SETS OUT
GUIDANCE, AND AS YOU SAID, WE
ALL KNOW EACH OTHER BECAUSE WE
WORK TOGETHER IN PLANNING AND
TRAINING TO PROMOTE THE
COOPERATION AND TO UNDERSTAND
THE RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY
THAT CAN BE DRAWN ON DURING AN
EVENT.
WITHIN THAT COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN, THERE ARE SOME SPECIAL
RESOURCES AND SPECIAL MODES OF
COOPERATION THAT WE IDENTIFY
TO HANDLE SPECIFIC TYPES OF
HAZARDS: NATURAL HAZARDS,
WHAT WE CALL TECHNOLOGICAL
HAZARDS, WHICH WOULD BE
ANYTHING FROM A HAZARDOUS
MATERIAL SPILL TO A PLANE
CRASH OR A DERAILMENT... SO
WE'RE USED TO DEALING WITH ONE
ANOTHER.
WE UNDERSTAND HOW TO DO THAT,
AND WE WORK ON THAT ALL THE
TIME, WHETHER IT'S IN
EXERCISES OR TAKING THE
LESSONS LEARNED FROM AN ACTUAL
EXPERIENCE AND RESPONSE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD
LIKE TO MENTION, WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT THE READINESS OF THE
COMMUNITY AND THE PREPAREDNESS
OF THE COMMUNITY, AND I DON'T
THINK THE GENERAL POPULATION
HERE NECESSARILY UNDERSTANDS
WHAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE
COMMUNITY READY FOR THEM.
CHIEF MADISON MENTIONED SOME
FEDERAL GRANTS THAT ARE
AVAILABLE, AND CERTAINLY
MONROE COUNTY AND THE
ROCHESTER AREA IS WELL KNOWN
THROUGHOUT THE NATION, AS MANY
OF US UNDERSTAND, THE BUSINESS
THAT WE'RE IN.
BUT WE'RE RECEIVING A GRANT
RIGHT NOW WITH THE COUNTY
HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND WE'RE
ONE OF ONLY THREE COMMUNITIES
IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY TO BE
RECEIVING THIS KIND OF
FUNDING, AND IT'S BASED ON
WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE:
OUR READINESS, OUR
COOPERATION, OUR ABILITY TO
WORK WITH ONE ANOTHER AND THE
KINDS OF STRUCTURES WE HAVE IN
PLACE TO DO THAT, THE PLANS WE
HAVE, THE TRAINING WE HAVE AND
THE WAY WE COME TOGETHER TO
RESOLVE AN EMERGENCY, WHICH
LANDS US IN GOOD STEAD FOR
LOTS OF THINGS.
>> Gary Walker: I'M BEING TOLD
WE HAVE SOMEONE ON THE PHONE
RIGHT NOW.
IT'S OLGA FROM THE CITY OF
ROCHESTER.
OLGA, GO AHEAD.
YOU'RE ON THE AIR.
>> Caller: HI.
I HAVE A CONCERN.
I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE
SMALLPOX, IF ANYTHING SHOULD
HAPPEN HERE.
ARE WE READY FOR IT?
MY CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN,
AND SINCE 1972, NOBODY HAS
BEEN VACCINATED FOR IT.
ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO
HANDLE THIS?
>> Gary Walker: I SEE.
SO YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT
INFESTATION OF SMALLPOX.
>> Caller: CORRECT.
>> Gary Walker: OKAY.
WELL, I GUESS, Dr. BENNETT, WE
HAVE TO TURN TO YOU.
>> THAT'S A VERY GOOD
QUESTION.
SMALLPOX IS A VERY DIFFICULT
ILLNESS FOR US TO DEAL WITH IN
THIS CONTEXT.
>> Gary Walker: HOW SO?
>> IT IS VERY TRANSMISSIBLE
FROM PERSON TO PERSON, UNLIKE
ANTHRAX WHICH CAN'T BE PASSED
FROM ONE PERSON TO ANOTHER.
HOWEVER, SMALLPOX IS ALSO A
DIFFICULT VIRUS TO USE AS A
WEAPON IN THAT IT WOULD REALLY
REQUIRE A HIGH LEVEL OF
SOPHISTICATION TO GROW
SMALLPOX AND IT WOULD PROBABLY
ALSO REQUIRE A LARGE QUANTITY
OF SMALLPOX TO BE RELEASED AT
ONCE TO REALLY CREATE AN
EPIDEMIC.
WE ARE CERTAINLY PREPARED TO
RECOGNIZE AN INDIVIDUAL CASE
OF SMALLPOX OR A FEW CASES AND
TO TAKE THE STEPS THAT WE
WOULD NEED TO TAKE TO CONTAIN
THAT.
IT IS ONE OF THE FIVE OR SIX
AGENTS THAT WE HAVE HAD
TRAINING ON, THAT PEOPLE KNOW
ABOUT, THAT WE HAVE FOCUSED ON
HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS BEING
ABLE TO IDENTIFY, SO IT'S ONE
THAT WE HAVE REALLY THOUGHT
ABOUT QUITE A BIT.
>> Gary Walker: WHEN IS THE
LAST TIME WE HAVE SEEN A CASE
OF SMALLPOX IN MONROE COUNTY?
>> MANY, MANY YEARS.
SMALLPOX HAS BEEN ERADICATED
IN THE WORLD FOR QUITE A LONG
TIME.
IT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE GREAT
SUCCESS STORIES OF PUBLIC
HEALTH, THAT WE WERE ACTUALLY
ABLE TO GET RID OF THIS VIRUS
ALL TOGETHER.
AND IT IS A VERY SERIOUS
ILLNESS THAT CAUSES DEATH IN A
HIGH PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WHO
CONTRACT IT, AND SO IT WAS A
GREAT THING WHEN WE GOT RID OF
SMALLPOX.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE VIRUS STILL
EXISTS IN THE WORLD, WE
BELIEVE ONLY IN TWO VERY WELL
CONTAINED PLACES, BUT THERE IS
CONCERN THAT MAYBE WE'RE WRONG
ABOUT THAT.
>> Gary Walker: WHY WOULD THEY
KEEP IT?
(Laughing)
>> IT WAS ACTUALLY A BIG
DEBATE.
>> Gary Walker: WHY NOT,
"WELL, LET'S GET RID OF IT!"
>> ACTUALLY, THE REASON IT WAS
KEPT WAS TO HAVE SMALLPOX WITH
WHICH TO MAKE VACCINES.
>> Gary Walker: AH.
OKAY.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THAT'S A
GREAT SEGUE INTO THIS NEXT
QUESTION.
I'M SORRY, I DID NOT CATCH
YOUR NAME.
>> Operator Recording: PLEASE
CHECK YOUR MAIN TELEPHONE AND
EXTENSION...P-U-A-R-O-4...
>> Gary Walker: OKAY, GUYS.
I THINK THAT'S NOT THE CALLER.
DO WE HAVE A CALLER ON-LINE?
GO AHEAD.
OKAY.
THERE WAS A QUESTION OFF-AIR,
AND IT WAS ABOUT SMALLPOX.
DO WE HAVE A VACCINE AVAILABLE
IN MONROE COUNTY RIGHT NOW FOR
SMALLPOX AND HOW MUCH AND HOW
MUCH IS ENOUGH, I GUESS?
>> NO, WE DO NOT HAVE A
VACCINE AVAILABLE IN MONROE
COUNTY.
SMALLPOX VACCINE IS NOT
AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC
CURRENTLY.
THERE IS A STOCKPILE OF ABOUT
15 MILLION DOSES IN THE UNITED
STATES AND THERE ACTUALLY IS
MORE SMALLPOX VACCINE BEING
MADE CURRENTLY.
HOWEVER, IT IS NOT APPROVED BY
THE F.D.A. FOR GENERAL USE AND
ANY USE OF IT WOULD HAVE TO BE
UNDER THE AUSPICES OF REALLY
SOMEONE DECLARING A NECESSITY
FOR IT.
HOWEVER, THAT BEING SAID,
THERE'S ALSO SOMETHING CALLED
THE NATIONAL PHARMACEUTICAL
STOCKPILE, WHICH IS A SYSTEM
THAT'S BEEN CREATED UNDER THE
AUSPICES OF THE CENTER FOR
DISEASE CONTROL THAT WILL MAKE
IT POSSIBLE TO DELIVER A
VARIETY OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF
SUPPLIES TO A COMMUNITY WITHIN
12 HOURS, SO IT'S A VERY RAPID
-- THEY CALL IT A PUSH
PACKAGE.
BASICALLY, RIGHT AWAY, IN
TWELVE HOURS, YOU GET THE
INITIAL SUPPLIES, AND THEN
LATER ON IF YOU NEED MORE,
MORE COMES.
SO WE BELIEVE THAT SHOULD WE
HAVE, HORROR OF HORRORS, A
CASE OF SMALLPOX THAT WE WOULD
BE VERY QUICKLY BACKED UP BY
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
>> Gary Walker: IT WOULD BE
CONSIDERABLE NATIONAL SHOCK
WAVE IF A CASE OF SMALLPOX
SHOWED UP IN MONROE COUNTY.
>> YES.
>> Gary Walker: SO IT'S NOT A
VERY LIKELY SCENARIO FOR US
HERE?
>> WE DON'T THINK SO.
AGAIN, OBVIOUSLY, WE DIDN'T
THINK LOTS OF THINGS WERE
GOING TO HAPPEN THAT HAVE
HAPPENED IN THE LAST MONTH, SO
I WOULDN'T WANT TO SAY THAT,
BUT WE GENERALLY AT THE HEALTH
DEPARTMENT BELIEVE THAT MONROE
COUNTY IS NOT A PLACE THAT'S
GOING TO ATTRACT UNDUE
ATTENTION.
>> ISN'T IT TRUE THAT IF YOU
ARE OVER 32 YOU WERE
VACCINATED AND IN THE ARMY
THEY SCRATCHED YOU WITH A NEW
PIECE -- YOU WERE IN THE ARMY,
WEREN'T YOU, GARY?
>> Gary Walker: I'M OVER 32!
>> SO YOU WERE VACCINATED.
SO DOES THAT MEAN IF YOU WERE
VACCINATED, YOU'RE IMMUNE FROM
SMALLPOX?
>> NO, UNFORTUNATELY, SMALLPOX
IMMUNITY WANES WITH TIME AND
PROBABLY, DESPITE THE FACT
THAT MANY OF US ON THIS STAGE
MAY CARRY A MARK ON US, WE'RE
NOT IMMUNE.
>> Gary Walker: OKAY.
AGAIN, 454-6922 IS THE NUMBER
TO CALL IF YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS AT ALL ABOUT THE
STATE OF PREPAREDNESS IN OUR
COMMUNITY FOR ANY SORT OF
TERRORISM OR VIOLENCE THAT'S
VISITED UPON US.
Dr. BENITEZ, DISASTER
PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE... A
LOT OF WORDS, ALL THE RIGHT
WORDS TO BE ON THIS PANEL, BUT
COULD YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY
DO YOU DO AND HOW DO YOU
RELATE TO THE REST OF THIS
PANEL?
>> BASICALLY, I STARTED MY JOB
HERE IN TOWN IN THE POISON
CENTER AS DIRECTOR THERE.
SEVERAL YEARS AGO WE RECEIVED
GRANTS FOR TRAINING IN
BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL
TERRORISM WARFARE AGENTS, AND
BECAUSE OF THAT, THE HOSPITAL
THEN SORT OF PICKED ON OUR
EXPERTISE TO REVIEW OUR
EXISTING PROTOCOL FOR
DISASTERS, TO MAKE IT MORE
APPROPRIATE TO INCLUDE
TERRORISM, FOR EXAMPLE.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT ONE
INDIVIDUAL AGENCY CAN'T
SURVIVE BY ITSELF; IT'S REALLY
AN INTEGRATION OF DIFFERENT
SYSTEMS AND THAT'S WHY THE
PANEL, WE KNOW EACH OTHER FROM
OTHER VENUES.
BUT THEN WE CAN TALK WITH THE
FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE HAZMAT
TEAM; WE CAN TALK WITH PUBLIC
HEALTH; WE CAN TALK WITH
DIFFERENT AGENCIES THAT WE
NEED TO AND HAVE A PLAN AT THE
HOSPITAL LEVEL FOR HOW WE HELP
THE COMMUNITY ALONG WITH
EVERYBODY ELSE.
>> Gary Walker: SO THERE'S A
PLAN IN PLACE RIGHT NOW THAT
SHOULD A DISASTER OR EMERGENCY
HAPPEN IN ANY ONE OF THE AREAS
-- COULD BE FIRE, COULD BE
DISEASE, COULD BE EXPLOSION,
COULD BE TOXIC CHEMICALS --
THERE'S A PLAN IN PLACE THAT
WOULD TRIAGE OR FOCUS ON WHO
GOES TO THE HOSPITAL?
>> IT WOULD HELP, AGAIN, AT
THE COUNTY-LEVEL PLANNING AND
EVEN THE STATE LEVEL AND SO
FORTH, WHO WOULD NEED TO GO TO
THE HOSPITAL?
HOW DO THEY GET TO THE
HOSPITAL?
HOW DOES THE HOSPITAL RESPOND
TO THAT AND START
DECONTAMINATING THEM FURTHER
IF THEY SHOW UP AT THE
HOSPITAL WITHOUT GOING THROUGH
DECONTAMINATION AT THE SCENE
OF AN ACCIDENT?
IT'S NOT A MATTER OF TAKING
ONE EXISTING PLAN AND JUST
MAKING SURE THAT IT'S THERE
BUT REALLY REVIEWING IT,
TESTING IT WITH DRILLS AND SO
FORTH, MAKING CHANGES TO IT,
PUTTING NEW THINGS IN AS WE
FIND OUT THAT CERTAIN THINGS
DON'T WORK WELL OR NOT AS WELL
AS WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO SO
THAT NEXT TIME IT'S THAT MUCH
BETTER.
I MEAN, CONDITIONS ALWAYS
CHANGE AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT
THE NEXT THING MAY BE THAT MAY
BE HITTING OUR COMMUNITY.
>> Gary Walker: FAIR ENOUGH.
LET'S GO TO THE NEXT PHONE
CALL.
THE NUMBER AGAIN 454-6922.
ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS YOU
HAVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY
LEADERS, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE,
THE STATE POLICE, THE COUNTY
HEALTH DIRECTOR, THE DEPUTY
COUNTY HEALTH, ROCHESTER FIRE
CHIEF, OUR DIRECTOR FOR
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, OUR
FIRE COORDINATORS, THEY'RE ALL
HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
454-6922.
LET'S GO TO MARK ON THE PHONE.
HI, MARK.
HOW ARE YOU?
>> Caller: GOOD.
ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT
SMALLPOX.
IF THERE WAS AN OUTBREAK OF
SMALLPOX, A SIGNIFICANT ONE IN
MONROE COUNTY, HOW WOULD WE BE
TOLD WHAT TO DO WITH REGARD TO
LIKE VACCINATIONS OR WOULD
THERE BE QUARANTINES OR TRAVEL
RESTRICTIONS IN THE COMMUNITY?
COULD YOU JUST SORT OF EXPLAIN
THE BASIC WAYS -- THINGS THAT
WOULD HAPPEN IN THE COMMUNITY
IF THERE WAS AN OUTBREAK?
>> Gary Walker: AGAIN, I HAVE
TO TURN TO Dr. BENNETT.
>> THAT'S A BIG QUESTION.
IT'S TRUE THAT PROBABLY ALL OF
THE THINGS YOU MENTIONED WOULD
BE INVOLVED IF THERE WERE AN
OUTBREAK OF SMALLPOX.
WE WOULD ANTICIPATE THE NEED
FOR QUARANTINE, AND ACTUALLY
THE ATTORNEYS IN OUR COMMUNITY
ARE ADDRESSING THAT ISSUE FOR
US SO THAT WE ARE SURE WE KNOW
EXACTLY HOW THAT WOULD OCCUR.
IT'S ONE OF SEVERAL
CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH THE
COUNTY EXECUTIVE CAN DECLARE A
STATE OF EMERGENCY AND THERE
ARE CERTAIN POWERS THAT GO
ALONG WITH THAT DECLARATION.
WE WOULD CERTAINLY PROBABLY BE
DELIVERING VACCINATION.
WE ARE ACTUALLY SORT OF USED
TO DOING MASS VACCINATIONS IN
THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE HAVE
HAD PUBLIC CLINICS FOR FLU
VACCINES FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
WE HAVE ALSO DONE CLINICS FOR
THINGS LIKE GAMMAGLOBULIN IN
THE CASE OF AN OUTBREAK OF
HEPATITIS "A."
CLEARLY THOSE CLINICS WOULD
HAVE TO BE SET UP VERY
QUICKLY.
COMMUNICATIONS WOULD INVOLVE
THE MEDIA, OF COURSE, AND IN
ADDITION WE HAVE VERY TIGHT
COMMUNICATIONS WITH ALL OF OUR
HEALTH CARE FACILITIES IN THE
COMMUNITY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
Dr. BENITEZ SAID WAS THE
EXTENT TO WHICH WE ALL WORK
TOGETHER, ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT MAKES THIS COMMUNITY
SPECIAL AND EASIER IS THAT WE
REALLY COMMUNICATE VERY, VERY
CLOSELY WITH THE MEDICAL
COMMUNITY, BOTH THE HOSPITALS
AND ALSO INDIVIDUAL
PHYSICIANS.
>> Gary Walker: I WANT TO TURN
TO CAPTAIN STEVEN WHITE OF THE
NEW YORK STATE POLICE AND,
FIRST OF ALL, ANY NEWS FROM
THE STATE POLICE OFFICE AND
THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE IN NEW
YORK CITY?
THERE'S BEEN NO ANTHRAX GROWTH
THERE OR ANY OTHER STATE
POLICE -- I KNOW THE STATE
POLICE USED THAT HEADQUARTERS.
>> WHAT I KNOW IS THAT THE
THREE PEOPLE WHO WERE EXPOSED
DOWN THERE WERE ALL TESTED AND
IT WAS FOUND THAT THEY HAD
NEGATIVE EXPOSURE SO THAT THEY
WERE OKAY.
OUTSIDE OF THAT, WE DON'T KNOW
OF ANY TROOPERS THAT WERE
EXPOSED.
THEY ASSEMBLED A LIST OF
TROOPERS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN AT
THAT LOCATION OVER THE LAST
WEEK OR SO AS PART OF THEIR
ASSIGNMENT DOWN THERE, AND AT
THIS POINT WE HAVE NOT TAKEN
ANY PRECAUTIONS TO HAVE OUR
TROOPERS TREATED OR ANY OF
THAT SORT OF THING.
SO IT APPEARS THAT THE
TROOPERS WILL BE FINE, THAT
THEY WEREN'T EXPOSED.
>> Gary Walker: WE HAVE A
QUESTION ALONG THOSE LINES
FROM JOE ON THE PHONE.
JOE, GO AHEAD.
>> Caller: DO YOU HAVE A FILE
OF PEOPLE WHO -- IN THIS SENSE
OF SPEAKING, LIKE DROPPING
BOMBS ON AFGHANISTAN BECAUSE
OF WHAT HAPPENED IN NEW YORK
CITY AND THE PENTAGON, AND I'M
SAYING THAT THEY HAVE PEOPLE
THAT WILL THINK OF ALL KINDS
OF STUPID THINGS.
DO THEY HAVE A FILE OF PEOPLE
WHO...
>> Gary Walker: WHAT I HEARD
WAS DO WE HAVE OUR EYE ON
INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY HAVE --
>> Caller: YEAH.
>> Gary Walker: LET'S TURN TO
THE POLICE OFFICIAL HERE.
I GUESS THE PHONE CALL IS DO
WE HAVE OUR EYE ON -- ARE WE
WATCHING INDIVIDUALS HERE OR
ARE WE LOOKING EVEN IN MONROE
COUNTY AND NEW YORK STATE FOR
INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY BE RELATED
TO THE TERRORIST ATTACKS?
>> TRUTHFULLY, I CAN'T ANSWER
THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE ARE LOOKING
AT ANYBODY IN PARTICULAR.
CERTAINLY OUR EYES AND EARS
ARE MORE ALERTED THAN NORMALLY
AND CERTAINLY IF PEOPLE WERE
TO CALL US WITH SUSPICIONS, WE
WOULD FOLLOW UP ON THOSE.
BUT I CAN'T SIT HERE AND SAY
THAT ABSOLUTELY WE'RE LOOKING
AT CERTAIN PEOPLE AND SUSPECT
CERTAIN PEOPLE FOR ENGAGING IN
THAT SORT OF ACTIVITY.
I CAN'T ASSESS THE RISK.
>> THERE IS ONE THING, GARY,
AND I THINK MAYBE Dr. BENNETT
OR MUFFY COULD ADDRESS THIS.
WHEN THERE IS AN ISSUE, WHEN
THERE'S WHAT MIGHT APPEAR TO
BE AN EVENT, THERE ARE TWO
TYPES OF RESPONSES.
THERE'S A LAW ENFORCEMENT
RESPONSE AND THERE'S A MEDICAL
RESPONSE.
THE LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE
WOULD INVOLVE LOCAL POLICE BUT
ALSO THE F.B.I.
AND THEN THERE'S A PROTOCOL
FOR THE MEDICAL PEOPLE THROUGH
HAZMAT, THROUGH THE HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS TEAM, WHICH IS VERY
WELL TRAINED AND AS A MATTER
OF FACT HAS ACTUALLY BEEN
TRAINED ON LIVE ANTHRAX DOWN
IN ALABAMA.
ED CAN ADDRESS THAT ISSUE
ALSO.
SO THE F.B.I. IS INTEGRALLY
RELATED TO WHATEVER INCIDENT
DOES OCCUR.
>> Gary Walker: DO BOTH OF
THESE ARMS TRIGGER AT THE SAME
TIME?
FOR EXAMPLE, SINCE SMALLPOX IS
SO RARE, YOU KNOW, HASN'T BEEN
SEEN IN YEARS... IF THERE WAS
A SMALLPOX CASE THAT EVER
HAPPENED HERE, WOULD THAT
AUTOMATICALLY TRIGGER A
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION AS
WELL?
>> YES, IT WOULD.
ESSENTIALLY, THESE AGENTS THAT
HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS AGENTS
OF BIOTERRORISM ARE -- IF
THEY APPEAR, THEY WILL BE
CONSIDERED A CRIMINAL EVENT AS
WELL AS A HEALTH ISSUE.
>> WE SHOULD STAY ON ANTHRAX
BECAUSE ED CAN DESCRIBE THE
TRAINING THAT THESE
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ON THE
COUNTY HAZMAT OPERATION HAVE
GONE THROUGH, ACTUAL LIVE
ANTHRAX SPORES...
>> RIGHT.
LAST YEAR ACTUALLY WE SENT TWO
OF OUR HAZMAT TEAM
COORDINATORS FROM THE COUNTY
TEAM TO FORT McCLELLAN,
ALABAMA, TO TRAIN WITH THE
MILITARY.
IT WAS AN INVITATION THAT THEY
EXTENDED TO US; THE MILITARY
SENT THEM OUT THERE.
THEY ACTUALLY PERFORMED LIVE
AGENT TRAINING ALONG WITH THE
MILITARY PEOPLE.
AND THE MAIN PURPOSE OF IT WAS
FOR THEM TO TRAIN ON THE
EQUIPMENT THAT THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT HAS PROVIDED US,
THE DETECTION EQUIPMENT, TO
ACTUALLY SEE IT USED WITH LIVE
AGENTS.
AND IT WAS ALSO A
PSYCHOLOGICAL REASON AS WELL,
YOU KNOW, THAT THEY REALLY
BECAME VERY AWARE OF THE REAL
POTENTIAL --
>> Gary Walker: IT WOULD GET
MY ATTENTION, EXACTLY.
>> YEAH, THEY WERE PRETTY
IMPRESSED.
>> Gary Walker: LET ME ASK YOU
THIS: THIS TRAINING, IF YOU
TRAIN WITH LIVE ANTHRAX, I
GUESS THEY WEREN'T SUGGESTING
THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE JUST
TRANSPORTING ANTHRAX THROUGH
YOUR COMMUNITY ONE DAY; THEY
WERE LOOKING AS IF THIS WERE A
TERRORIST ACT?
>> YES, CORRECT.
AND THEY TRAINED WITH SARIN;
THEY TRAINED WITH CERTAIN
OTHER CHEMICAL WARFARE AS
WELL, NOT ONLY BIOLOGICAL, SO
THERE WAS OTHER NERVE AGENTS.
>> Gary Walker: BECAUSE THAT
WAS AN OFF-AIR QUESTION WE DID
RECEIVE IN THAT WE KNOW WE
HAVE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
FOR THINGS LIKE TRAIN WRECKS
AND ICE STORMS AND FLOODS AND
TORNADOS, OR WHATEVER NATURAL
DISASTERS, BUT IS THERE A
DIFFERENCE IN THE PLANNING OR
DO YOU TRAIN FOR TERRORISM
BASICALLY?
IS THAT PART OF THE
REPERTOIRE...
>> THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON WITH
CHIEF MADISON'S TEAM AND OUR
TEAM IN THE LAST TWO AND A
HALF YEARS, ALONG WITH THE
F.B.I. AND ACTUALLY THE TWO
BOMB SQUADS FROM THE CITY AND
COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
WE'RE TRAINING FOR THOSE
UNEXPECTED EVENTS THAT ARE OUT
OF OUR NORMAL RESPONSE MODE.
ONE OF THE FORTUNATE THINGS IS
WE HAVE A VERY SOPHISTICATED
TRAINING CENTER WITH VERY NICE
FACILITIES TO REALLY DO IT IN,
NOT ONLY BEING PROVIDED WITH
EQUIPMENT, BUT THE TRAINING IS
THE OTHER COMPONENT THAT YOU
NEED BEFORE YOU HAVE A
RESPONSE THAT YOU FEEL
COMFORTABLE WITH.
>> ...ON SCOTTSVILLE ROAD, IN
CONJUNCTION WITH THE CITY AND
THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, A $26
MILLION FACILITY THAT MOST
PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY ARE
NOT EVEN AWARE OF.
BUT THIS IS A TOTALLY
STATE-OF-THE ART KIND OF --
>> Gary Walker: YOU PASS IT
EVERY NOW AND THEN AND SEE ALL
SORTS OF ACTIVITY, YOU KNOW,
AND WONDER WHAT'S GOING ON
THERE.
>> BELIEVE ME, THIS IS CUTTING
EDGE.
>> Gary Walker: IS THIS PART
OF THE CITY TRAINING?
>> YES, AND PART OF THE GRANTS
AND CONTRACTS WE TALKED ABOUT,
THE METROPOLITAN MEDICAL
RESPONSE SYSTEM AS WELL AS
OTHERS, WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO
TABLETOP EXERCISE.
WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO
FUNCTIONAL EXERCISE WHERE THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL COME
IN AND EVALUATE OUR RESPONSE
TO THE TYPE OF INCIDENT THAT'S
PUT BEFORE US.
IN SOME OF THESE CASES, THEY
COME IN WITH THE SCENARIO AND
WE HAVE TO RESPOND TO THE
SCENARIO.
>> Gary Walker: SO IT'S A
FEDERAL MEASURE.
IT'S NOT JUST YOU THINK YOU'RE
UP TO SNUFF BUT THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT COMES IN AND SAYS
YOU ARE OR NOT?
>> THE IDEA IS TO COME IN AND
EVALUATE YOUR RESPONSE AND TO
ADVISE US WHERE WE CAN
IMPROVE.
I THINK THAT'S THE KEY, IS
THAT WE HAVE SOME EXPERTS OUT
THERE IN THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT.
THIS IS A LOCAL COMMUNITY.
THEY GIVE US A SCENARIO TO
RESPOND TO.
WE RESPOND TO IT AND THEY TELL
US WHERE WE CAN IMPROVE OR HOW
WE CAN HANDLE THE SITUATION
BETTER, WHETHER IT'S MORE
TRAINING OR WHETHER IT'S
BETTER EQUIPMENT OR WHETHER
IT'S JUST A LOCAL RESPONSE OR
HOW WE BRING OUR FOLKS
TOGETHER THROUGH THE
NOTIFICATION PROCESS.
>> Gary Walker: SO THIS IS
CITY AND TOWNS AND EVERYBODY
IS ALL ON THE SAME PAGE HERE.
>> WITH THE M.M.R.S., I MEAN,
WE HAVE EXCELLENT COOPERATION
WITH THE COUNTY, HEALTH,
MUFFY, AND ALL OF OUR
HOSPITALS ARE PART OF THIS
PLANNING TEAM.
SO IT JUST GOES ALONG TO SAY
ABOUT THE EXCELLENT
COOPERATION IN THE AREA AND
TRYING TO PREPARE OURSELVES
FOR THESE TYPES OF EVENTS.
>> Gary Walker: THANKS, CHIEF.
LET'S GO TO THE PHONES AGAIN.
454-6922.
WE HAVE ANYBODY WHO'S ANYBODY
IN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND
DISASTER COORDINATING.
THEY ARE HERE TO TAKE YOUR
CALLS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS, IF
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT
OUR PREPAREDNESS IN THIS
COMMUNITY, NOW IS THE TIME.
WITH ANY QUESTIONS, IF THESE
FOLKS CAN'T ANSWER IT, I DON'T
KNOW WHO CAN.
DAVE FROM SPENCERPORT IS ON
THE PHONE.
SORRY FOR MAKING YOU WAIT SO
LONG, BUT GO AHEAD.
>> Caller: THANK YOU FOR
TAKING MY CALL.
MY QUESTION IS REGARDING
ANTHRAX AND MAILROOM HANDLING
FOR LARGE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE
SCHOOL DISTRICTS OR THE COUNTY
OR EVEN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
I KNOW THERE'S GUIDELINES FROM
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
THE NEW YORK STATE POLICE AND
I HAVE SEEN THE GUIDELINES,
AND I'M JUST WONDERING WITH
ALL THE PUBLICITY ABOUT
ANTHRAX AND THE AWARENESS HOW
FAR AN ORGANIZATION SHOULD GO
IN INFORMING THEIR STAFF WHO
HANDLE MAIL?
IS IT ENOUGH TO GIVE THEM
COPIES OF THE GUIDELINES OR
SHOULD WE TAKE IT A STEP
FURTHER AND PROVIDE IN-HOUSE
TRAINING TO STAFF WHO HANDLE
AND OPEN MAIL OR IS THIS GOING
TO CAUSE MORE ANXIETY?
>> Gary Walker: THAT'S A GREAT
QUESTION.
I'M TRYING TO THINK ON WHO ON
THE PANEL...
MUFFY, PERHAPS YOU COULD
HANDLE THAT?
>> WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS
QUESTIONS TO THAT POINT FROM
VARIOUS --
>> Gary Walker: COMPANIES --
>> -- INSTITUTIONS, YES,
WHETHER IT BE BANKS, SCHOOLS,
SMALL BUSINESS, LARGE
BUSINESS.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW WHAT
THEY SHOULD BE DOING FOR
HANDLING THE MAIL AND
PRECAUTIONS THAT THEY SHOULD
TAKE.
CERTAINLY IF YOU HAVEN'T MADE
SOME ARRANGEMENTS WITH YOUR
FOLKS WHO DEAL WITH MAIL, YOU
NEED TO TALK WITH THEM AND
HAVE THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS
IS ALL ABOUT.
IF THERE IS SUSPICIOUS
ENVELOPES, PACKAGE, PADDED
ENVELOPE, WHATEVER CAN COME
THROUGH EITHER THE U.S. MAIL
OR THROUGH A COURIER OR
DELIVERY SERVICE, YOU NEED TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT MAKES THAT
PACKAGE SUSPICIOUS.
SO AWARENESS OF WHAT YOU
SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR IN TERMS
OF POSTMARKS, HANDWRITING,
LABELING, WHETHER -- IF IT
COMES AND IT'S DROPPED AT THE
DOOR AND HAS A U.P.S. LABEL,
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT U.P.S.
DELIVERED IT.
WE HAVE SEEN INSTANCES WHERE
MAILING LABELS HAVE BEEN
STOLEN TO ACCOMPLISH THIS
PURPOSE.
IF THERE'S SOMETHING
SUSPICIOUS ABOUT IT, LEAVE IT
ALONE.
IF IT'S UNOPENED, COVER IT UP
IN SOME MANNER.
IF YOU CAN CONTAIN IT IN
SOMETHING THAT'S AIR-TIGHT,
LIKE A PLASTIC BAG OR A
PLASTIC WRAPPING, YOU SHOULD
DO THAT.
YOU SHOULD CALL 911 BECAUSE
THEN YOU GET AN ASSESSMENT
TEAM WHO CAN FURTHER EVALUATE
THE RISK INVOLVED.
>> Gary Walker: CAN I STOP YOU
THERE AND ASK -- BECAUSE THIS
HAPPENED TO ME TODAY.
I GOT A PACKAGE FROM NEW YORK
CITY THAT I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE
THE ADDRESS AND IT SAID
"RANDOM" ON THE TOP, AND I
THOUGHT, "RANDOM?"
I GOT UP, JUST WALKED AROUND
AND LOOKED AT IT AND LOOKED AT
IT AND THOUGHT, "WHAT IN THE
WORLD IS THIS THING?"
I FINALLY REMEMBERED AND
OPENED IT.
BUT MY QUESTION IS IF YOU DO
HAVE A SUSPICION, MANY PEOPLE
ARE GOING TO SAY, "MY GOD!
I CAN'T PICK UP AND CALL 911.
WHAT AN IDIOT.
I'LL BE BOTHERING -- THOSE
PEOPLE ARE BUSY.
I'LL FEEL LIKE AN IDIOT!"
>> THERE IS PROTOCOL ON THAT.
MAYBE Dr. BENNETT WANTS TO
ADDRESS THAT.
>> OUR RECOMMENDATION SO FAR
HAS BEEN, AS MUFFY SAID, IF
YOU'RE REALLY WORRIED ABOUT A
PACKAGE, TO CALL 911.
IN SOME INSTANCES, IF IT'S
JUST A PACKAGE THAT YOU'RE NOT
REALLY WORRIED ABOUT BUT YOU
DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S FROM AND
IT'S NOT -- YOU DON'T
RECOGNIZE THE RETURN ADDRESS
OR WHATEVER, YOU CAN JUST BAG
IT UP AND THROW IT AWAY
BECAUSE THERE'S PROBABLY
NOTHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO
WITH IT ACTUALLY.
BUT IF IT'S -- ONCE IT'S
OPENED OR IF THERE'S SOMETHING
REALLY CONCERNING ABOUT IT, WE
WOULD PREFER THAT PEOPLE DO
CALL 911.
WE KNOW THAT IT MAKES MORE
WORK FOR US, BUT IT'S REALLY
SAFER TO MAKE MORE WORK FOR US
AND THEN HAVE OUR ASSESSMENT
TEAM CALL BACK AND DISCUSS
WITH YOU WHAT THE NATURE OF
THE PACKAGE IS AND GIVE YOU
SOME ADVICE ABOUT IT.
>> Gary Walker: SO IF YOU HAVE
A REAL CONCERN, DON'T BE
SQUEAMISH?
>> YES.
>> Gary Walker: CALL --
>> YES.
WE'RE REALLY ABLE TO CALL BACK
AND AS WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE,
THE ASSESSMENT TEAM IS SO
HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED THAT THEY
REALLY ARE ABLE TO ASSESS THE
RISK.
>> ANOTHER PIECE TO THAT
ASSESSMENT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN
REALLY INUNDATE YOUR EMERGENCY
911 SYSTEM --
>> Gary Walker: EXACTLY.
THAT WOULD BE A BIG FEAR, I
WOULD THINK.
>> UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE
PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO USE
THIS FOR THE REST OF OUR
LIVES, SOME TYPE OF VIGILANCE,
YOU KNOW.
MAIL IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS
WE'RE SO USED TO LOOKING AT.
I MEAN, I GOT NINE PIECES OF
JUNK MAIL YESTERDAY AND ONLY
TWO I REALLY NEEDED TO LOOK
AT, BUT I LOOKED THROUGH THE
REST OF THEM AND I NEVER DID
THAT BEFORE.
IT'S KIND OF A SELF-ASSESSMENT
ALMOST.
BUT I THINK AN IMPORTANT PIECE
IS WHAT IS THE THREAT?
IS THERE A THREAT?
ARE YOU A PERSON THAT SHOULD
THINK ABOUT SOMEBODY
THREATENING YOU?
I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT
PIECE.
NOT EVERYBODY WHO GETS A PIECE
OF MAIL WITH NO RETURN ADDRESS
SHOULD CALL 911.
THE MAILROOM SCENARIO IS A
LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT BECAUSE
IT'S OBVIOUSLY MAIL FOR
EVERYBODY IN THE BUILDING, NOT
FOR THE PERSON HANDLING IT,
SO THERE WILL HAVE TO BE, I
THINK, SOME SYSTEM SET UP.
>> Gary Walker: WELL, I DON'T
KNOW OF ANY COMPANY THAT'S NOT
TALKING ABOUT THIS, AND
CERTAINLY OUR COMPANY, WXXI,
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT.
WE'RE TRYING TO DECIDE WHAT
SHOULD WE DO.
WE'RE A MEDIA OUTLET.
SO IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I'M BEING TOLD THAT WE'RE
SLAMMED WITH PHONE CALLS.
LET'S TRY TO GET TO THEM RIGHT
AWAY.
BARBARA FROM IRONDEQUOIT, GO
AHEAD.
>> Caller: YES, THANK YOU.
AT THE ONSET OF THE PROGRAM, A
STATEMENT WAS MADE THAT MONROE
COUNTY IS IN FACT READY TO
RESPOND TO AN EMERGENCY, IN
FACT MORE SO THAN MOST PLACES
WITHIN THE COUNTRY.
MY CONCERN IS THIS: WITH THE
CLOSING OF GENESEE HOSPITAL
WITHIN THE PAST YEAR, WITH THE
UNDERSTANDING THAT OUR
HOSPITALS THAT ARE LEFT ARE
OVERTAXED, THAT MORE TIMES
THAN NOT WHEN SOMEONE IS IN AN
AMBULANCE, A FAMILY MEMBER IS
TOLD THAT THE PLACE THEY WANT
TO GO IS ON CODE RED, SO
"WHERE ELSE CAN WE TAKE YOU?,"
ONLY TO ARRIVE AT A HOSPITAL
AND HAVE AN EXCEPTIONALLY LONG
WAITING TIME TO BE SEEN.
WHAT IN THE WORLD WOULD WE DO
IF THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY OF
SOMETHING OCCURRING TO AN
EXTENT THAT MEANT THAT WE
WOULD NEED A HOSPITAL FACILITY
TO RESPOND TO IT?
>> Gary Walker: BARBARA, I
THINK WE GET YOUR QUESTION.
ARE THERE ENOUGH BEDS?
AS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE
CLOSING OF GENESEE, A LOT OF
HEADS UP HERE WERE NODDING
BECAUSE I THINK EVERYBODY
REALIZES THE IMPACT OF THE
CLOSING OF THAT HOSPITAL.
Dr. BENITEZ, I GUESS I HAVE TO
TURN TO YOU AND SAY, SHOULD
SOMETHING HAPPEN, SHOULD WE
HAVE A MAJOR EVENT HERE, DO WE
HAVE ENOUGH BEDS?
>> WITH PART OF THAT ANSWER,
AGAIN, WITH THE LOCAL HOSPITAL
NOTIFICATION OF THAT TYPE OF
THING HAPPENING, WE HAVE A
LOCAL INSTITUTIONAL PROTOCOL
FOR HOW DO WE CLEAR BEDS
QUICKLY TO HANDLE AN
EMERGENCY?
AND EVERY HOSPITAL, EVEN PRIOR
TO THIS TERRORIST TYPE OF
THREAT, HAS HAD THAT TYPE OF
PLAN.
HOW CAN WE CLEAR BEDS IN NOT
ONLY THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT,
BUT IF WE ARE PERCEIVING THAT
WE ARE GOING TO BE NEEDING
CRITICAL CARE BEDS, WHETHER IT
BE INTENSIVE CARE, SURGERY, ET
CETERA, THAT THOSE SPACES GET
CLEARED OUT.
>> Gary Walker: DID THE
CLOSING OF GENESEE HOSPITAL
CHANGE YOUR PLAN?
>> IT MADE US FOCUS ON THAT
PLAN MORE, AMONGST THE OTHER
INSTITUTIONS IN THE COMMUNITY.
PART OF THAT PLAN IS ALSO
COMMUNICATING TO THE HEALTH
DEPARTMENT SO THEY ARE AWARE
OF WHAT THE BEDS ARE OR ARE
NOT AVAILABLE IN ANY GIVEN
HOSPITAL.
SO THEY CAN ALSO -- I GUESS
YOU CAN ADDRESS THAT MORE, BUT
AGAIN, THAT WAY THEY CAN GET A
BIG PICTURE OF WHAT'S
HAPPENING IN THE CITY, IN THE
COUNTY.
>> Gary Walker: SO YOU FEEL --
IS THERE A THRESHOLD FOR THIS?
I MEAN, IS IT A MODERATE -- DO
YOU HAVE LIKE A NUMBER IN
MIND?
IS THERE A THRESHOLD THAT
WOULD JUST OVERTAX US?
>> IT REALLY VARIES DAY TO
DAY, WEEK TO WEEK AND SO
FORTH, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON
OCCUPANCY.
WHAT ARE THE CURRENT TRENDS OF
ANY GIVEN HOSPITAL?
IT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT FROM
ANOTHER ONE.
IT COULD BE FLU SEASON WHERE
EVERY HOSPITAL IS ALREADY
TAXED, AND THEREFORE THEY HAVE
A PLAN AT THAT POINT WHERE ONE
MORE PATIENT IS GOING TO THROW
THEM OVER THE EDGE, AS OPPOSED
TO MAYBE 10 OR 100 OR WHATEVER
MORE PATIENTS.
>> Gary Walker: WHAT ABOUT
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES?
DOES THE PLAN INCLUDE A WAY TO
HANDLE A MAJOR EVENT AND
HANDLE INDIVIDUALS PERHAPS
THAT LIVE IN A HIGH-RISE,
PERHAPS THEY LIVE IN A SPECIAL
FACILITY?
PERHAPS THEY DON'T; PERHAPS
THEY JUST LIVE WHERE THEY CAN
HAVE SOME MOBILITY.
PERHAPS THEY NEED HOME HEALTH
CARE.
IS THERE A PLAN IN PLACE FOR
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES?
>> I CAN'T ADDRESS THAT
SPECIFICALLY FROM THE HOSPITAL
STANDPOINT.
THERE IS A PLAN, YOU KNOW, HOW
CAN WE ADDRESS AND GET PEOPLE
BACK INTO THAT SETTING?
HOW DO WE GET THEM INTO THE
HOSPITAL WHEN THEY'RE ONE OF
OUR PATIENTS, BUT THERE'S A
PLAN AGAIN MORE AT THE COUNTY
LEVEL OF HOW DO WE CONTINUE
THAT ACCESS IN THOSE TYPES OF
SETTINGS?
>> IF I MAY, THERE IS A PLAN
THAT IF WE WERE OVERTAXED BY A
NUMBER OF VICTIMS BECAUSE OF A
TERRORIST EVENT OR ANY TYPE OF
EVENT, THERE'S A PLAN TO HAVE
FORWARD MOVEMENT OF PATIENTS,
FROM DISLOCATION, POSSIBLY TO
BUFFALO OR POSSIBLY TO OTHER
COUNTY HOSPITALS IN THE AREA
AND TO MOVE PATIENTS AS FAR
AWAY AS ALBANY AND NEW YORK IF
WE HAVE TO TO CREATE SPACE IN
THIS AREA.
>> Gary Walker: OKAY.
>> WHY DON'T YOU TALK ABOUT
THE "HAN" GRANT THAT WE HAVE
RECEIVED THAT REALLY DOES THE
OVERALL COMPUTER COORDINATION
OF ALL THE EMERGENCY ROOMS IN
THE COMMUNITY?
>> YES, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO
TALK ABOUT THAT.
>> MUFFY MENTIONED THAT, BUT
SHE DIDN'T MENTION THE HAN
GRANT ITSELF.
>> YES.
WE CURRENTLY, SHOULD WE HAVE
AN EVENT LIKE THIS, ONE OF THE
FUNCTIONS OF THE HEALTH
DEPARTMENT, THROUGH THE
OPERATIONS THAT MUFFY IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR, IS THAT WE
COMMUNICATE WITH ALL THE
HOSPITALS AND WE SAY, "WHAT'S
YOUR BED SITUATION?
HOW MANY BEDS DO YOU HAVE IN
THE I.C.U.?
HOW MANY BEDS DO YOU HAVE ON
THE FLOOR?
DO YOU HAVE ACCESS TO NURSING
HOME BEDS SO YOU CAN MOVE
PEOPLE OUT?"
AND WE ACTUALLY ESSENTIALLY
DID THIS ON SEPTEMBER 11th.
WE DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS GOING
TO HAPPEN AND THERE WAS A
GREAT DEAL OF CONCERN THAT WE
MIGHT NEED TO ACCEPT PATIENTS
FROM DOWNSTATE, THAT THERE
MIGHT BE ESSENTIALLY THIS KIND
OF MOVING WAVE OF PATIENTS
THAT WOULD END UP WITH PEOPLE
IN ROCHESTER.
THE HOSPITALS WERE VERY ABLE
TO RESPOND TO THAT CALL; THEY
WERE VERY ABLE TO PUT THEIR
SYSTEMS IN PLACE TO CUT DOWN
ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE
HOSPITAL AND MAKE BEDS
AVAILABLE.
AND WE WERE ACTUALLY
PLEASANTLY SURPRISED AT THE
NUMBER OF BEDS THAT WE WERE
ABLE TO FREE UP.
THE HAN WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY
A GRANT FROM THE CENTERS FOR
DISEASE CONTROL, IS A
COMMUNICATION SYSTEM THAT WILL
LINK ALL OF THE HOSPITALS AND
MANY OF THE OTHER HEALTH CARE
FACILITIES TO THE EMERGENCY
RESPONDERS SO THAT WE WILL
ACTUALLY ALL BE ON ONE
COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND ABLE
TO COMMUNICATE, AND IN
ADDITION, THAT COMMUNICATION
SYSTEM IS A SECURE SYSTEM AND
IT'S A SYSTEM THAT REALLY WILL
HELP US ENORMOUSLY SHOULD ANY
OF THESE KINDS OF SITUATIONS
ARISE.
>> THERE'S ONLY THREE IN THE
UNITED STATES: DENVER,
ATLANTA AND ROCHESTER, NEW
YORK.
SO WE'RE ON THE CUTTING EDGE
OF THIS TECHNOLOGY ALSO.
>> Gary Walker: OKAY.
>> ANOTHER PART OF THAT,
ACTUALLY, TO FINISH IT OUT
THAT'S REALLY CRITICAL RIGHT
NOW, AND WE WISH THAT THE
HAN WERE FULLY OPERATIONAL
RIGHT NOW, IS THAT THAT SYSTEM
WILL ALSO ENABLE US TO DO
DISTANCE TEACHING AND
LEARNING, WHICH IS A
TREMENDOUS NEED RIGHT THIS
MINUTE.
AND ACTUALLY, THERE ARE
BEGINNING TO BE A SERIES OF
EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS THAT THE
C.D.C. IS DOING THROUGH
SATELLITE TELEVISION, BUT
SATELLITE TELEVISION IS
RELATIVELY CUMBERSOME COMPARED
TO HAVING THIS KIND OF
NETWORK.
>> Gary Walker: SURE.
OR FIBRE OPTIC NETWORK, I'M
SURE.
AGAIN, 454-6922.
LET'S GO RIGHT AGAIN TO THE
PHONE.
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S LOTS OF
CALLS.
LET'S GET TO THEM.
ERIC, YOU'RE ON THE LINE.
GO AHEAD.
>> Caller: THANK YOU.
IF ROCHESTER WERE EXPOSED TO
AN OUTSPOKEN -- A WIDESPREAD
HAZARD SUCH AS NUCLEAR
RADIATION OR DISPERSED
AEROSOLIZED BIOCHEMICALS, IS
THERE ANY PLAN FOR POPULATION
EVACUATION OR POPULATION
SHELTERING HERE WITHIN THE
CITY, OR OTHERWISE DO YOU HAVE
ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WHAT
PEOPLE MIGHT WANT TO DO OR
PLAN ON BEING ABLE TO DO AT
THEIR HOMES?
>> Gary Walker: MUFFY, I GUESS
I HAVE TO ASK YOU THAT.
THE SECOND PART OF THE
QUESTION, TOO, IS THERE
ANYTHING THEY CAN DO AT HOME?
BUT DO WE HAVE AN EVACUATION
PLAN IN PLACE?
>> WE HAVE A PLAN THAT DEALS
WITH RADIOLOGICAL EXPOSURE
BECAUSE OF THE PRESENCE OF THE
GINNA NUCLEAR POWER GENERATION
PLANT.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TELLS
US THAT WE MUST HAVE A PLAN
FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE WITHIN A
TEN-MILE RADIUS OF THAT
FACILITY, SO WHEN YOU DRAW THE
TEN-MILE ARC FOR GINNA, YOU
COME INTO A SUBSTANTIAL
PORTION OF THE TOWN OF WEBSTER
AND A CORNER PIECE OF THE TOWN
OF PENFIELD.
AND SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE
NEED FOR THE COMMUNITY PLAN,
WHICH GOES BACK INTO THE '80s,
WE HAVE EXERCISED ON AN ANNUAL
BASIS, AND IN FACT THAT'S ONE
OF OUR EMERGENCY PLANS THAT'S
SUBJECT TO FEDERAL REVIEW.
THE FEDERAL REVIEW IS NOT ONLY
TO LOOK AT THE COMMUNITY
READINESS, BUT IT ALSO THEN
GOES BACK TO RG&E AND THEIR
ABILITY TO KEEP THAT PLANT
LICENSED.
SO IT'S A VERY CONTROLLED
OPERATION AS A COMMUNITY
EMERGENCY PLAN AND THE ABILITY
TO CARRY FORTH THAT PLAN.
BECAUSE OF THE PRESENCE OF
THAT FACILITY AND WHAT WE NEED
TO DO WITH THE COMMUNITY FOR
PROTECTION AND PREPAREDNESS
WITH GINNA, WE HAVE ALL KINDS
OF EQUIPMENT HERE THAT YOU
WON'T FIND IN EVERY COMMUNITY
ACROSS THE STATE OR THE
NATION.
SO WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE
HIGHLY TRAINED IN WHAT TO DO
IN TERMS OF FIELD MONITORING
AND ASSESSMENT OF PLUMES OR
DISPERSION FOR ANY KIND OF A
RADIOLOGICAL EVENT.
WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE TRAINED
TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT
THIS IS ALL ABOUT THROUGH
PUBLIC INFORMATION POINTS, THE
EMERGENCY RESPONDERS IN THE
AREA...
I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET
AT IS THAT THIS IS ALREADY IN
PLACE AND IT'S A MODEL THAT
CAN BE EXTENDED TO THE GREATER
COMMUNITY.
>> Gary Walker: WHICH IS WHAT
I WAS GOING TO ASK.
WOULD THAT EXTEND, SAY IF
SOMETHING HAPPENED IN CHILI OR
THE CITY OR HENRIETTA?
>> YES.
THE ONLY THING THAT WE WOULD
HAVE IN PLACE WITH GINNA THAT
WE DO NOT CURRENTLY HAVE IN
PLANNED MODE IS THE EVACUATION
ROUTES FOR PEOPLE AND THE
SPECIFIC SHELTERS TO WHICH
THEY GO.
KEEP IN MIND, GINNA IS IN A
FIXED LOCATION.
WE KNOW WHERE IT IS; WE JUST
DON'T KNOW IF SOMETHING IS
GOING TO HAPPEN.
SO BASED ON ITS LOCATION,
PREDETERMINED EVACUATION
ROUTES ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE
PUBLIC AND PREDESIGNATED
RECEPTION CENTERS OR SHELTERS.
WHAT WE DO IN PLACES WHERE WE
DON'T KNOW IF SOMETHING IS
GOING TO HAPPEN, WE DETERMINE
EVACUATION ROUTES FROM THAT
SITE AND WE OPEN SHELTERS
BASED ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
AND A SAFE PLACE FOR THEM TO
GO.
SO WE QUICKLY PUT THAT IN
PLACE FOR ANY KIND OF
EMERGENCY.
>> Gary Walker: IN CASE OF AN
EMERGENCY EVACUATION, DO THE
STATE POLICE HAVE JURISDICTION
IN THE CITY OR THE TOWNS?
OR WOULD IT BE THE SHERIFF AND
THE CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT?
>> WELL, IN MONROE COUNTY, WE
SHARE JURISDICTION WITH THE
CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE
SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE
VARIOUS VILLAGE AND TOWN
POLICE DEPARTMENTS
AND WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO
SUPPLEMENT THEIR RESOURCES IN
THE CASE OF EVACUATION.
WE DO NOT ASSUME JURISDICTION
IN ANY SORT OF MASS CASUALTY
INCIDENT OR ANYTHING LIKE
THAT.
WE WOULD MERELY MAKE AVAILABLE
RESOURCES TO THEM TO HELP
THEM.
THEY WOULD CERTAINLY NEED TO
RESPOND TO THE EVENT AND FOCUS
THEIR EFFORTS ON THE ACTUAL
EVENT AND WE COULD HELP TO
LIMIT TRAFFIC.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN
NEW YORK CITY.
WE HAVE LIMITED ACCESS TO THE
SITE, PROVIDED ESCORTS FOR
DIGNITARIES, HAVE GUARDED
CERTAIN POSTS DOWN THERE, AND
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
SUPPLEMENT THE RESOURCES OF
THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE
DEPARTMENT EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE
BY FAR THE LARGEST POLICE
DEPARTMENT IN THE COUNTY.
SO THAT'S THE KIND OF ROLE
WE'D ASSUME HERE.
OUT IN THE OTHER COUNTIES,
OUTSIDE OF MONROE COUNTY, WE
MIGHT HAVE MORE OF A PRIMARY
ROLE AND WE MAY BE THE ACTUAL
INVESTIGATING POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
SO OUR ROLE MIGHT BE A LITTLE
DIFFERENT IN THOSE COUNTIES.
>> Gary Walker: THANK YOU.
ARNOLD, FROM HENRIETTA, YOU'RE
ON THE LINE.
GO RIGHT AHEAD.
>> Caller: OKAY.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
IS THERE ANYPLACE IN THE CITY
WHERE YOU CAN BUY A GAS MASK
AND ALSO WOULD A SURGICAL MASK
PROTECT AGAINST INHALING
ANTHRAX?
>> Gary Walker: DOCTOR?
OR DOCTORS?
>> YOU GO AHEAD.
>> THERE PROBABLY ARE PLACES
WHERE YOU CAN BUY GAS MASKS.
I DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY
WHAT STORES.
YOU HEAR IN THE NEWS THAT
PEOPLE ARE BUYING, SELLING
THEM AND SO FORTH.
THE BIG QUESTION IS WHAT ARE
THOSE GAS MASKS REALLY
DESIGNED FOR?
ARE THEY GOING TO REALLY
PROTECT YOU OR ARE THEY JUST
GIVING YOU A FALSE SENSE OF
SECURITY?
>> Gary Walker: IS IT A FALSE
SENSE OF SECURITY?
>> BASICALLY, YES.
THE BIG ISSUE IS IT DEPENDS
REALLY ON THE NATURE OF WHAT
THE THREAT IS.
IS IT A GAS?
IS IT AN INFECTIOUS AGENT?
WHAT TYPE OF INFECTIOUS AGENT?
AGAIN, THE SAME THING WITH A
CHEMICAL.
WHAT KIND OF CHEMICAL?
IS IT SOMETHING THAT'S ONLY
INHALED AND THAT'S THE ONLY
WAY IT'S GOING TO GET INTO
YOUR BODY?
IT MIGHT PROTECT YOU.
BUT EVEN THEN, IT DEPENDS ON
THE FILTER CAPACITY OF THE GAS
MASK.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF VARIABLES
THAT COME INTO PLAY THERE.
MAYBE YOU NEED TOTAL BODY
PROTECTION FOR SOMETHING.
SO IT'S, AGAIN, A FALSE SENSE
OF SECURITY THAT A GAS MASK BY
ITSELF IS GOING TO PROTECT
ANYONE.
>> YOU SHOULD GET AN
ASSESSMENT BEFORE YOU GET ALL
EXCITED ABOUT PUTTING A GAS
MASK ON.
>> EXACTLY.
WE NEED TO KNOW, AGAIN FROM
THE COMMUNITY RESOURCES, WHAT
IS THE THREAT?
WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF
PROTECTION THAT WE NEED?
AND THEN THAT'S WHAT WE NEED
TO INSTITUTE.
>> Gary Walker: WHAT ABOUT A
SURGICAL MASK NOW?
IS THAT GOING TO STOP YOU FROM
INHALATION OF ANTHRAX?
>> NO, PROBABLY NOT IN AND OF
ITSELF.
YOU PROBABLY NEED A HEPA
FILTER-TYPE MASK.
>> THERE'S DIFFERENT SIZED
MASKS RATED FOR DIFFERENT
THINGS, EVEN FOR PARTICULATES,
WHICH I GUESS ANTHRAX IS A
PARTICLE OF SORTS, SO IT
REALLY DEPENDS.
>> ALSO, AS YOU HAVE
UNDOUBTEDLY GATHERED IN THE
MEDIA, ANTHRAX SPORES CAN BE
MILLED TO BE DIFFERENT SIZES
AND SO OBVIOUSLY THE KIND OF
MASK YOU WOULD NEED WOULD
DEPEND ON THE KIND OF SIZE OF
THE PARTICLE YOU WERE DEALING
WITH.
>> Gary Walker: OKAY.
YOU'RE BEING PATIENT.
454-6922.
WE'RE GOING TO GO TO MARTHA IN
A MINUTE.
BUT WHO WAS TRYING TO GET MY
ATTENTION?
Mr. RILEY, GO AHEAD.
>> I HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT
ABOUT THE GAS MASK QUESTION
BECAUSE IT'S COME UP IN A
COUPLE OF DIFFERENT AREAS OVER
THE COURSE OF THE LAST FEW
WEEKS.
IT'S REALLY A QUESTION I THINK
WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES IN
THIS COUNTRY.
UNFORTUNATELY, ONE OF THE
THINGS WITH TERRORIST ATTACKS
AND WHAT WE HAVE STUDIED AND
LEARNED NOW THROUGH THEM
REALLY HAPPENING IS THAT
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR MASS
FATALITIES, UNFORTUNATELY.
THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF IT.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE
QUITE READY TO GIVE UP OUR
FREEDOM WHERE WE WOULD HAVE TO
CARRY OUR GAS MASK TO THE
MALL, OUR GAS MASK TO THE
BASEBALL GAME WITH OUR KIDS...
I MEAN THINK ABOUT THAT.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S WHAT
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, MASS
GATHERINGS OF PEOPLE, AND IT
JUST DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S A
PRACTICAL THING FOR PEOPLE TO
DO, RUN OUT AND BUY A GAS MASK
FOR THEIR FAMILY, YOU KNOW.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A
THOUGHT PROCESS IN OUR COUNTRY
THAT WE'RE NOT SIMPLY THERE, I
DON'T THINK.
>> Gary Walker: MARTHA, YOU
HAVE BEEN PATIENT.
GO AHEAD.
>> Caller: OKAY.
THIS IS FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS
TO RESPOND.
I WAS A MONROE COUNTY HEALTH
DEPARTMENT NURSE, AND SEVERAL
YEARS AGO, BEFORE THE HEALTH
DEPARTMENT NURSES WERE
PRIVATIZED, WE WERE THE
DISASTER NURSES.
WE HAD TRAINING IN THIS SORT
OF PROBLEM.
WE HAD A WEEKLONG TRAINING AND
THEN WE WERE UPDATED.
AND THEN THIS WAS LOST TO THE
COMMUNITY, AND IT'S REALLY TOO
BAD.
>> Gary Walker: SO YOU'RE
ASKING IF THE PRESENT HEALTH
DEPARTMENT NURSES HAVE THE
CORRECT -- THE PROPER LEVEL OF
TRAINING FOR DISASTER?
>> Caller: THERE'S NO HEALTH
DEPARTMENT NURSES EXCEPT
SCHOOLS AND CLINICS.
ARE THEY GOING TO RELY ON
THESE PEOPLE OR DO THEY WANT
THE NURSES TO COME BACK AND
VOLUNTEER AND DO THESE THINGS
THAT NEED TO BE DONE NOW?
>> Gary Walker: I THINK WE GET
YOUR QUESTION.
Dr. BENNETT, YOU'RE BUSY
TONIGHT.
>> I AM.
YOU MUST BE SICK OF ME BY NOW.
>> Gary Walker: NOT AT ALL.
>> I THINK THAT'S A VERY GOOD
QUESTION, AND IT IS ONE OF THE
CONCERNS THAT WE HAD AT THE
TIME THAT OUR NURSING AGENCY
WAS PRIVATIZED.
AND WE WORK -- WE STILL
CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR
NURSING AGENCY ACTUALLY
THROUGH -- THERE'S SORT OF A
MUTUAL AID AGREEMENT, I GUESS
YOU MIGHT CALL IT.
SO WE ARE NOT COMPLETELY
DIVORCED FROM THE NURSING
AGENCY.
IN ADDITION, WE WORK VERY
CLOSELY WITH THE RED CROSS IN
ANY KIND OF SITUATION WHERE WE
NEED TO RESPOND IN A LARGE
WAY, AND WE DO STILL HAVE
NURSES ON STAFF WHO WORK IN
THE TWO AREAS THAT WERE
MENTIONED.
I THINK THAT ACTUALLY THE
NURSING ISSUE IS A MUCH BIGGER
ISSUE FOR THE COMMUNITY THAN
WHETHER OR NOT THE HEALTH
DEPARTMENT HAS ENOUGH NURSES.
THE BIGGEST ISSUE I THINK IS
WHETHER OR NOT WE WOULD HAVE
ENOUGH NURSES ACROSS THE
COMMUNITY TO RESPOND TO AN
EVENT LIKE THIS.
IT'S A TERRIBLE PROBLEM ACROSS
THE COUNTRY.
THERE'S A BIG NURSING
SHORTAGE, AND OUR COMMUNITY IS
SUFFERING FROM THAT IN THE
SAME WAY THAT MANY COMMUNITIES
ARE.
>> Gary Walker: I UNDERSTAND
IT'S A CASE WHERE WE'RE
ACTUALLY PREPARING SOME
STORIES ABOUT THAT.
THERE IS A NURSING SHORTAGE
AND IT'S NOT GOING TO GET ANY
BETTER IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO
EITHER.
WE HAD AN OFF-AIR CALLER,
COUNTY EXECUTIVE, WHO WANTS TO
KNOW WHAT'S UP WITH THE
AIRPORT?
WHAT'S NEW AT THE AIRPORT?
ARE WE GOING TO SEE ANY
ENHANCED SECURITY AT THE
AIRPORT, MORE THAN WE HAVE
RIGHT NOW, OR ARE WE SATISFIED
THAT THE AIRPORT IS AS SECURE
AS IT'S GOING TO BE IN
ROCHESTER, NEW YORK?
>> WELL, I HAD A MEETING WITH
THE FEDERAL SECRETARY OF
TRANSPORTATION JUST LAST
FRIDAY, SECRETARY MINETTA, AND
FRANKLY THINGS ARE NOT TOTALLY
CLEAR AT THIS TIME, EVEN FROM
HIS PERSPECTIVE.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE GOING TO
SEE ARE THE TRAINING OF LOCAL
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND NOT
FEDERALIZING THE SECURITY AT
THE AIRPORT.
THAT'S THE FIRST THING.
SO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT
HAS PRIMARY JURISDICTION AT
THE AIRPORT, AND WHAT WE'RE
GOING TO BE LOOKING AT ALSO IS
A PROCESS OF CONSISTENT
TRAINING FOR THOSE WHO DO THE
SCREENING.
THEY WILL NOT BE LAW
ENFORCEMENT, BUT LAW
ENFORCEMENT WILL BE NEARBY,
AND THE POLICE OFFICERS KNOW
HERE -- CERTAINLY CAPTAIN
WHITE KNOWS -- THE PRESENCE OF
AN ARMED POLICE OFFICER WHO
HAS THE SKILL AND THE ABILITY
AND FRANKLY THE SIXTH SENSE TO
DETECT FURTIVE MOVEMENTS AND
PECULIAR HUMAN BEHAVIOR IS A
VERY STRONG DETERRENT.
WE'VE ALSO PURCHASED -- WE'RE
IN THE PROCESS OF PURCHASING
AN ADDITIONAL DOG FROM CANADA.
THE STATE OF FLORIDA WAS GOING
TO BUY ALL OF THESE DOGS, ALL
NINE DOGS, AND BECAUSE WE HAVE
A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP
WITH THIS OPERATOR IN CANADA,
HE'S RESERVED ONE FOR US.
SO WE HAVE BOMB-SNIFFING DOGS
AT THE AIRPORT ALSO.
BUT IT'S LESS THAN CLEAR RIGHT
NOW TO THE EXTENT OF THE
AIRPORT SECURITY.
I THINK IT'S STILL BEING
WORKED OUT, BUT OUR AIRPORT AT
THE PRESENT TIME IS SECURE.
WE HAVE ARMED SHERIFF DEPUTIES
THERE; WE HAVE THE NATIONAL
GUARD PRESENT,
AND WE WILL IMPLEMENT ANY
OTHER ORDERS THAT WE GET FROM
THE F.A.A. BECAUSE WE ARE A
FEDERALLY LICENSED AIRPORT BY
THE FEDERAL AVIATION
ADMINISTRATION.
>> Gary Walker: ONE OF THE
THINGS, IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT
POST-SEPTEMBER 11th, WE ARE
GOING TO HAVE MORE OF A POLICE
PRESENCE AT OUR AIRPORT AND
THAT'S GOING TO BE THE WAY IT
IS?
>> ABSOLUTELY, INCLUDING BOMB
DOGS AND DRUG-SNIFFING DOGS,
BUT BOMB DOGS PARTICULARLY.
THE SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES ARE
GOING TO BE WORKING OUT OF THE
AIRPORT.
IF THEY NEED THE DOG IN SOME
OTHER LOCATION, THE DOG WILL
GO OUT, BUT WE'LL BE COVERED
AT THE AIRPORT WITH THE DOGS.
>> Gary Walker: THE SECOND
QUESTION IS ONE I'LL INDULGE
MYSELF IN BECAUSE IF I LOOK AT
FEDERAL REGULATIONS, THEY
DON'T WANT CARS 300 YARDS FROM
THE AIRPORT BECAUSE OF --
>> 300 FEET.
>> Gary Walker: -- 300 FEET
FOR FEAR OF CAR BOMBS.
THAT KIND OF CUTS AWAY ALMOST
ALL OF THE NICE, NEW PARKING
GARAGE WE HAVE OUT THERE.
>> NO, NOT REALLY.
>> Gary Walker: IF WE CAN'T
PARK THERE AND COLLECT PARKING
FEES, IS THAT GOING TO HURT US --
>> ACTUALLY, THERE'S A BIGGER
ISSUE THERE, BUT REALLY THE
TRUTH IS THAT THE PARKING
GARAGE AND THE PARKING
FACILITY ARE FULLY AVAILABLE
EXCEPT FOR ABOUT 40 SPACES.
THE CAR RENTAL AGENCIES HAVE
HAD TO MOVE BACK A LITTLE BIT,
BUT THAT'S ALL BEEN TAKEN CARE
OF.
THE BIGGER ISSUE IS THAT THE
AIRPORT SECURITY IS PAID FOR
BY THE AIRLINES.
IF PEOPLE ARE NOT FLYING ON
THE AIRLINES AND THE AIRLINES
DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY OR THE
WHEREWITHAL TO PAY FOR THESE
COSTS, WE HAVE TO BE SURE THAT
THESE COSTS ARE NOT PLACED ON
THE BACKS OF THE LOCAL
TAXPAYERS.
THAT'S SOMETHING VERY
IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS
EXPENSIVE TO PROVIDE SECURITY.
THE SECURITY AT THE AIRPORT IS
ABOUT $1,200,000, AND WE ARE
FULLY REIMBURSED BY THE
AIRLINES FOR THAT COST.
>> Gary Walker: OKAY.
WE HAVE ONLY A COUPLE OF
MINUTES LEFT.
WE HAVE TIME FOR ONE MORE
CALL.
ANGIE, YOU HAVE BEEN PATIENT.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> Caller: MY QUESTION IS
CONCERNING ANY NUCLEAR
DISASTER AND ANY KIND OF
PLUMES.
SINCE THE OUTLET BRIDGE IS
CLOSED AND ONLY OPEN FROM
NOVEMBER UNTIL SPRING, THAT
LEAVES US LIMITED ACCESS FOR
EVACUATION ROUTES, ESPECIALLY
SINCE ROCHESTER GENERAL IN THE
PAST WAS DESIGNATED THE
RADIATION TRIAGE HOSPITAL.
>> Gary Walker: WE UNDERSTAND
THE QUESTION.
I WANT TO GET TO THE ANSWER
BECAUSE WE'RE ALMOST OUT OF
TIME.
SINCE MY 15 YEARS HERE, WHAT
LIFE FORM WOULD BE COMPLETE
WITHOUT A BAY BRIDGE QUESTION?
WE ARE GOING TO GO TO --
>> THAT'S A VERY SIMPLE
ANSWER.
THE BAY BRIDGE CAN BE PLACED
IN SERVICE IN ABOUT TWO HOURS.
IT TAKES A SMALL MOTOR TO DO
IT, AND IT REQUIRES SOME
UNCOUPLING OF SOME RIGGING AND
THE BRIDGE WOULD BE IN PLACE.
AND IF IT WAS A TOTAL
EMERGENCY, THAT WOULD BE DONE
ON THE MOST EXPEDITED BASIS
THAT YOU WOULD EVER WANT TO
SEE.
>> Gary Walker: BUT IS IT
STILL PART OF THE PLAN FOR
EVACUATION FROM GINNA, THOUGH,
AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW?
>> NO, IT'S NOT.
THE SWING BRIDGE IS NOT PART
OF THE EVACUATION ROUTE.
>> Gary Walker: OKAY.
I GUESS IF WE HAD JUST A WAY
TO WRAP IT ALL UP, IT'S TO SAY
ARE THE PLANS WE HAVE IN PLACE
RIGHT NOW BEING JUST
FAMILIARIZED OR ARE WE
CHANGING THEM, AS WE SAID?
>> AS FAR AS MY AREA GOES,
FROM THE HAZMAT TEAM'S
PERSPECTIVE, THE DAY AFTER
SEPTEMBER 11th, I REVIEWED
WITH MY TWO DEPUTIES JUST AS A
MATTER OF BUSINESS AND WE
FOUND IT TO BE RIGHT IN SYNCH,
RIGHT IN SYNCH WITH NOT
PREPARING FOR WHAT HAPPENED ON
SEPTEMBER 11th IN NEW YORK
CITY, BUT JUST IN A SECOND
LOOK AT IT, HOW WOULD IT BE
FROM A HAZMAT PERSPECTIVE?
WOULD WE BE IN DECENT SHAPE?
>> IF I COULD JUST ADD
QUICKLY.
THIS IS GOING ON -- THIS
DIALOGUE IS GOING ON OUTSIDE
MONROE COUNTY AS WELL.
TROOP "E" COVERS THE
TEN-COUNTY FINGER LAKES AREA,
AND WE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN
DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER
COUNTIES JUST THE SAME AS WE
HAVE BEEN HERE, HOW TO RESPOND
TO THESE INCIDENTS THROUGHOUT
ALL THESE COUNTIES.
>> Gary Walker: SO I GUESS THE
SHORT STORY IS THAT THESE
PLANS HAVE BEEN IN PLACE;
THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE IN
PLACE; CONVERSATIONS ARE GOING
ON, JUST BECAUSE FOLKS DON'T
NECESSARILY KNOW ABOUT IT, BUT
YOU'RE WORKING ON ALL SORTS OF
CONDITIONS AND PLANS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ALL OF US.
SO, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S ALL
THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS
DISCUSSION.
I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR
PANELISTS FOR GIVING UP THEIR
EVENING AND JOINING US AND
THOSE AT HOME WHO
PARTICIPATED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
FOR CONTINUING COVERAGE OF
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MIDDLE
EAST AND AMERICA'S FIGHT
AGAINST BIOTERRORISM, TUNE IN
TO AM 1370 OR LOG ON TO
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NEXT WEEK, "NEED TO KNOW"
BRINGS YOU A "VOICE OF THE
VOTER" COLLABORATIVE: A
DEBATE BETWEEN MAYORAL
CANDIDATES WILLIAM JOHNSON AND
LUIS PEREZ.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
JOINING US.
GOOD EVENING.