NCJ Number
217817
Journal
Homeland Defense Journal Volume: 5 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2007 Pages: 42-43
Editor(s)
Don Philpott
Date Published
February 2007
Length
2 pages
Annotation
In this article, research is undertaken as to how law enforcement can better understand what the threat of "white powder" is and how to best respond to this threat following developed CDC guidelines.
Abstract
With law enforcement and other personnel responding to “white powder” letters that may contain biological agents, the response community needs to understand what the threat is and the appropriate response to the threat. Several scenarios were devised to examine the effects of personnel movement on the dissemination of spores, and to determine the effects of some potential mitigation techniques and the effectiveness of the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC’s) response guidelines for anthrax letters, published in 2001. This article, the first of a two part series, examines the actual CDC guidelines, as well as assesses the CDC response guidelines. Based on initial results, researchers at the CDC have requested additional testing to further assess the risk from anthrax letters. Part II of this article will examine the results of the research.