A reminder to an imminent threat – poison in envelopes
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Photo Credit – IDF Spokesman
Only a few days after I-HLS discussed here the readiness of Israel to a new wave of poisonous “white powder ” scare, an envelope with poison was discovered in the U.S.
Israeli experts said today that this might signal a new wave of this terror tool and not only in the U.S.
Federal officials in the U.S discovered Tuesday a poison-laced letter sent to Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), uncovering the material at an off-site location where congressional mail has been screened since anthrax-laced letters were sent to Capitol Hill in 2001.
In 2004, three Senate office buildings were closed after preliminary tests found ricin delivered through the mail system in the Senate majority leader’s office.
Several letters with white powder were delivered to Capitol Hill during the anthrax scare, and lawmakers, Obama and Cabinet secretaries remain a target of copycat attacks. This , according to the Washington Post.
Last week I-HLS brought up the question of the Israeli readiness to deal with poison filled envelopes sent by mail.
In that story we said that according to experts the Israeli ministry of the environment will have to improve its ability to fast identification of suspicious materials that can scare people in dense areas. Experts say that this problem is international and the equipment should be available.
Hazardous materials (hazmat) teams across the United States respond to hundreds of white powder calls each year in large cities where quick decision-making is critical. DHS makes it easier to buy the right technology for bio-threat incidents.
First responders know that white powder scenarios — or suspected biological threats — require quick and decisive action. Having the right field-deployable equipment available to determine what the suspicious substance is can be complicated, challenging and expensive.
Recently, DHS’s Science and Technology Directorate issued a report that summarizes an extensive list of commercially available, hand-portable bio-detection technologies. The report — Biodetection Technologies for First Responders — helps end-users such as firefighters, police officers, and HazMat workers make informed decisions about procuring the right technology for their particular need and circumstance.
Israeli experts say that since the Anthrax scare in the U.S a few years ago the number of calls about “White Powders” to emergency service has been on the rise..
The post A reminder to an imminent threat – poison in envelopes appeared on i-HLS.
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2013-04-17 01:02:01
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