Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Anthrax Scare: What Can We Do to Protect Ourselves?

Aired October 16, 2001 - 10:42   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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: One person has died of anthrax. At least three other anthrax cases have now been confirmed. Nine people have tested positive for exposure. So should we be afraid? What can we do to protect ourselves?

John Koskinen is emergency preparedness administrator in Washington D.C. He joins us now to talk about all that.

Thanks for joining us this morning.

JOHN KOSKINEN, D.C. CITY ADMINISTRATOR: Happy to be here.

CALLAWAY: Now with the recent events, especially the anthrax scare that's going on in Washington D.C. now on Capitol Hill, what are you advising people in the District of Columbia to do?

KOSKINEN: Well, we're basically taking the position -- I'm the city administer of Washington, by the way -- that they ought to, as a general matter, take the same emergency preparedness steps they would normally. We used to say when I was in charge of Y2K, they ought to be prepared for a large winter storm. They ought to have two or three days supplies of food and water. They ought to have battery-powered radios. They ought to have flashlights with batteries. So if anything goes on in this time and event, they'll feel comfortable that they're ready for it.

With regard to risk of anthrax, the doctor you just talked has very good advice. The FBI has information, the Postal Service, good information. All of it says basically if you come upon a suspicious letter, a suspicious package, leave it where it is, don't open it, don't handle it. If you run across any powder or suspicious looking substances in any mail you receive, leave it right where it is. Don't move it. Don't try to package it. Call your local police department, you're 911 number and have someone come and investigate.

CALLAWAY: In light of the September 11th incidents and those have followed, have you done anything differently done in your city as city administer? Have you made any changes?

KOSKINEN: Well, we're clearly all on a higher state of alert. In Washington, and particularly, we're taking a look at all truck traffic as it comes into the city. We've established new lines of communication throughout the region with all of our police, fire, hospital and health care institutions. We're developing working partnerships with various federal agencies, so that if there are further events, we will be prepared throughout the region to respond.

CALLAWAY: I know you were involved in some of the Y2K preparations, but this is a lot different; isn't it ,because you have unknown timeframe in preparing for a homeland security for terrorism here at home?

KOSKINEN: That's right. While Y2K was a global threat, and we had to worry about 170 countries around the world, here we're doing with a much more unknowable problem, and in Y2K, we knew on December 31, 1999, one way or another we would know the answer. This is problem that has no timeline. There is no end to the need for our preparedness here, all within the next several months, next several years. We need to live in a state of time where we are getting about lives normally, but we're paying attention and we're on a state of alert.

CALLAWAY: All right, so let's give the ABCs of what people can do to make themselves a feel a little bit safer at home. I know you mentioned having a battery-operated radio there, keeping batteries, keeping food and water for two or three-day supply. Anything else that people should have on hand?

KOSKINEN: Well, what you should do, and every family should have the emergency numbers you may need for police, fire, hospitals, others, taped by your phone, so you don't have to hunt through the phonebook for them. You should discuss with your family what your evacuations plans are, if necessary, even for fire in your own home, that has nothing to do with terrorism, or another event. You should always have with your family two places you are likely to get together, either in your home, or if something happen and you want to meet somewhere else so that you can actually know where everyone is. And then ultimately, what you need to do is pay attention to information being provided by the media as shown on this program and others. As events unfold, accurate information will be provided through the various media outlets.

CALLAWAY: Were you prepared for what happened yesterday with the announcement coming from Capitol Hill?

KOSKINEN: Well, we've all been on the alert, as I say, increasingly since September 11th for threats after the events in Florida. I think there's been a heightened set of alerts and awareness throughout all of the federal government and the District government in Washington. Certainly when the events yesterday transpired, we've all taken a close look at how we handle mail, how our employees handle mail, and what cautions we need to take.

CALLAWAY: All right, John Koskinen, the District of Columbia, city administrator, thank you very much for joining us this morning.

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