Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

America's New War: Ways to Defend Against Terrorist Attacks

Aired October 01, 2001 - 08:24   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The government is warning it could happen again, more terrorist attacks, especially after the U.S. begins to retaliate. That's left many Americans wondering where and how the terrorists might strike next. So Americans are taking some steps to protect themselves.

CNN's Elizabeth Cohen will take a look at gas masks and whether they'll protect you in a chemical or biological attack.

CNN's Bill Delaney is in New Hampshire tracking an increase there in gun sales.

We begin in New York with CNN's Jason Carroll, however, where the threat of bioterrorism has some people headed for the drug store.

And, Jason, a lot of people snapping up prescriptions, aren't they?

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Miles. As you said, in the wake of the terrorist attack, a lot of people, especially New Yorkers are concerned about biological warfare and that concern has translated into sales -- increased sales of antibiotics, specifically this one right here, Miles. It's called cipro and it's used in case you are exposed to the deadly disease anthrax.

And I'm right here at the Zimmerman (ph) Pharmacy on the Upper East Side where sales of Sipro and other antibiotics are brisk. Joining me right now is Phil Zam. He's the pharmacist here.

Tell me, what are customers asking for when they come in and what are you telling them?

PHIL ZAM, PHARMACIST: Well, at this point they're mostly looking for information as well as for the product. They want to know about availability, they want to know about dosage, they want to know if it's going to be used before exposure and just how effective this product is going to be.

CARROLL: And what do you say to them to alleviate some of their fears when they're coming in?

ZAM: Well, first thing we try to do is refer them to their physicians. These are prescription medications. The hope is when used properly, as soon as possible after any possible exposure, that it will give a degree of protection.

CARROLL: Very quickly why don't you show us some of the products here and tell us about the sales. The sales are brisk. How would you describe them?

ZAM: Well, brisk would really be less than they are. The sales are astronomical on these products right now. This particular product, Sipro, is becoming almost completely unavailable in the New York Metropolitan area. We still are able to get some, but it is becoming a dwindling supply.

CARROLL: And this one here, Doxycyclene (ph), what's this one used for?

ZAM: Doxycyclene can be used also against this particular type of infection. Originally it was one of the drugs of choice. Now it is used either separately or in combination with Sipro. Sipro being the primary drug used initially.

CARROLL: How would you describe how people are reacting when they come in and they're asking for this type of medication?

ZAM: Well, they are very apprehensive when they come in. They're not quite sure of why they're asking for the medication. They really want some type of a guarantee that this is going to protect them, their loved ones, their coworkers, other family members against any possibility of infection. Unfortunately, at this stage, it's almost impossible to give a guarantee that this will not be a problem for future.

CARROLL: OK, Phil Zam, here, the pharmacist at Zimmerman Pharmacy on the Upper East Side, thank you so very much.

I should also tell you, Miles, that even though we've seen astronomical sales here or according to Rite Aid, which is a chain that runs about 30 pharmacies here in Manhattan, they were saying that they're not noticing increased sales of Sipro, at least here in the city. But once again, at this particular pharmacy, astronomical sales -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right, Jason, when I told a friend of mine I was coming here, he said I can get you some Sipro if you need it. So I guess that gives you a sense of the mood here in the New York area.

Now in New Hampshire, let's move along now. On the license plates they say live free or die, a lot of people mean business when they say that there. CNN's Bill Delaney is at a gun shop in Manchester for more as we continue our discussion of protecting one's self in the wake of all these threats -- Bill.

BILL DELANEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well thank you, Miles. You know astronomical is not a bad word either for gun sales across the country, 73,000 licensed gun dealers across the country, and they're all seeing a great surge in sales of guns, particularly in the immediate wake of the hijackings, but it is continuing. We're here at a place called the Manchester Firing Line where Jim McCloud, the owner, was nice enough to get up early this morning and help us out.

Jim, tell me what these slips are and what they represent as far as your volume of sales of guns and people coming in for target practice here?

JIM MCCLOUD, OWNER, MANCHESTER FIRING LINE: Well, Bill, these slips right here are gun sales or firearm sales since the New York City disaster which is up 500 percent. The 52 firearms I've sold in that amount of time which normally I would have expected around 10 or 12.

DELANEY: Five hundred percent surge. What about these?

MCCLOUD: These are range tickets for the people that shoot on my indoor range, which there's thousands here for the past few weeks from the 14th, I was closed the day of the disaster, but up until yesterday, where I've had up to two-hour waits on the Saturdays since then.

DELANEY: Two-hour waits for target practice, extraordinary.

MCCLOUD: Target practice on the range.

DELANEY: Speaking of target practice, tell me about this?

MCCLOUD: Well, I downloaded this off the Internet and we sold them to our customers for $2 each for a donation to the Red Cross. The target sales of Osama bin Laden targets, there's been hundreds of them. Along with a raffle we did with subguns.com, many of my friends from the small Internet community, we raised over $11,800 for -- to the Red Cross.

DELANEY: That's terrific. What's bringing people in? Are they afraid? Are they angry?

MCCLOUD: Bill, it's all that. It's people are afraid, they're angry, they're frustrated, they don't know what to do. It's the first time our country's been attacked. You know when these people can get by our best law enforcement agencies, beating the FBI and the CIA, and crash these jets into buildings, they're afraid.

DELANEY: People really feeling it where they live. Thanks very much, Jim.

MCCLOUD: You're welcome.

DELANEY: Up here in Manchester, New Hampshire at the Manchester Firing Line where people are coming in to practice with guns and to buy guns, Miles, back to you.

O'BRIEN: All right, CNN's Bill Delaney, thank

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com