Responding to the receipt of suspicious envelopes or packages

October 23, 2001

S T A T E N E W S B R I E F

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Published by the Kentucky Department of Public Health

Responding to the receipt of suspicious envelopes or packages

FRANKFORT — Many facilities and residences in communities around Kentucky have received suspicious envelopes, packages, and in some cases material of various colors have been deposited on floors and in other areas of buildings. Most envelopes have been empty; some have had talcum powder in them. NONE HAVE HAD ANTHRAX. If a letter was present it may have read something like "You have been exposed to anthrax…." The purpose of this document is to recommend procedures for handling such incidents.

DO NOT PANIC

1. Anthrax organisms can cause skin infection, gastrointestinal infection or pulmonary infection. To do so the organism must be rubbed into broken skin, swallowed, or inhaled as a fine, aerosolized mist. It does not leap into one's body. All forms of the disease are generally treatable with antibiotics.
2. For anthrax to be effective as a covert agent it must be aerosolized into particles fractions of an inch in size that are smaller than a red blood cell. This is difficult to do, and requires a great deal of technical skill and special equipment. If these small particles are inhaled, life-threatening lung infection can occur, but prompt recognition and treatment are effective.
3. Anthrax cannot be aerosolized out of an envelope or package containing powder. The same facts and conditions are generally true for other bacteria likely to be considered as biological weapons.

UNOPENED LETTER OR LETTER THAT APPEARS EMPTY:

1. Place envelope in a plastic bag or clear envelope.
2. Wash hands with SOAP and WATER.
3. Dispose of by burning or;
4. NOTIFY your Local law enforcement and follow their guidance.

AN OPENED ENVELOPE CONTAINING A POWDER OR IF THERE ARE POWDER SPILLS ON A SURFACE:

NOTIFY your local law enforcement agency. Follow their instructions.

If you choose to clean up the spill:

1. Put on rubber gloves, a mask (if available), a long sleeve garment and goggles.
2. If requested by Law enforcement, collect a sample. Double bag and seal.
3. Spray or wipe down any potentially exposed areas with a CHLORINE bleach and water solution. Use a mixture of one cup of chlorine bleach (only chlorine bleach will be effective) to a gallon of water. Keep others away.
4. After the cleanup is complete, WASH hands with soap and water.

IF CLOTHING is heavily contaminated:
1. Don't brush vigorously. REMOVE it when possible and place in a plastic bag.
2. SHOWER with SOAP and WATER as soon as possible. DO NOT use bleach or other disinfectant.
3. PUT on fresh clothing.

Make a list of all people who had actual contact with the powder and give to your public health authorities. Instruct contacts to watch for fever or other symptoms over the next several days.

PACKAGE MARKED WITH THREATENING MESSAGE SUCH AS "ANTHRAX":

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

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

1. LEAVE room immediately.
2. SECURE entry.
3. SHUT down air handling system.
4. NOTIFY your supervisor, local law enforcement or State police.
5. REMAIN on premises until responders arrive.
6. MAKE a list of all people who were in the building at the time and give to your public health authorities. They may instruct them to watch for fever or other symptoms over the next several days.

FOR ALL SUSPICIOUS UNLABELED MAIL, PACKAGES OR OTHER UNIDENTIFIABLE CONTAINERS NOTIFY LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. DO NOT OPEN.

Contact numbers:
Local law enforcement agencies 911 Statewide
Kentucky State Police (800) 222-5555.

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