Anthrax letters unlikely, but here are handling tips

The Deseret News ^ | 10/10/2001

[FITZ]

[nunya bidness]

No big deal. BIDS is the system tested at Dugway to detect various bio/chem agents. My point is they are still testing as we speak (type).

This is the same system many local municipalities are scrambling to get. Meanwhile Cephied is pumping out "sniffers" as soon as the grant money clears.

Terror is big bucks.

Have you noticed the panic when a homeless guy sprayed cleaning solution in DC?

[Utah Girl]

Oh, I don't think I read far enough. That info I found said that Dugway is developing aerosolized biological agents...

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

You should have posted a barf or "shocking photo" notice first :-).

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Now I know what that big "off limits" section is on the Utah map.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Now I know what that big "off limits" section is on the Utah map.

[nunya bidness]

Keep reading. It's gets interesting around 1972. And then in the 90's when the Desert News gets involved.

[FITZ]

Just imagine how he's handling all this scare over white powders.

[Utah Girl]

Yup. I've been to Dugway many times to visit my aunt and uncle. Well, I haven't been there for 10 years, but we visited often enough when I was growing up.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Sounds cool to me! I'm bookmarking this sucka!

[Utah Girl]

BTTT for the information for people.

[Petronski]

Apparently Stevens is very farsighted and has difficulty reading items close up. He held the page very close to his face and, well you get the picture...

[been_lurking]

or if I don't know the person who sent it to me

And no, I don't know anyone named Internal Revenue Service!

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. :)

Good info. Thanks.

[Utah Girl]

That is a good one! I did receive a first class package today, without a return address on it. Into the garbage it went.

[Aliska]

At the risk of sounding like an idiot, I propose, for one thing, the old fashioned way my grandmother opened letters. Cut the end off the envelope with a pair of scissors. Then you can peek inside to see if there is any suspicious enclosure. In mailrooms they could keep some water in a sprayer to reduce the possible effects of airborne stuff. Those precautions wouldn't mess up chemical tests I wouldn't think UNLESS it was something else that could be activated by water. Anyway, opening things more carefully would stop a lot of the panic. On TV they showed the worst possible way to open an envelope; the demonstrator just dug under the flap with her fingers and ripped away, more easily allowing something inside to go airborne.

There must be some other simple things people could do to protect themsleves. All this hoopla of expecting the government to protect us is silly. We need to be informed and use some common sense.

The postal authorities could make it illegal to put certain stuff in the mail. Last I knew powder is legal. Also they are not emphasizing that using the US mail system for criminal purposes is not just a hoax; it is criminal and there should be stiff penalties. That would get the message out to hoaxers and kooks for the most part.

Would those masks people wear for dust help in mailrooms? We need some simple measures to calm people down rather than shutting down whole buildings and keeping the authorities jumping around so much.

[Aliska]

Another silly idea might be to encourage people to use post cards rather than envelopes for routine, non-private stuff.