In conjunction with an interagency task force, Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today announced new
proposed guidance for protecting the health of emergency responders
during an anthrax attack on a major U.S. city.
"Protecting our
first responders during terrorist attacks is critical to our nation's
security," said Secretary Napolitano. "This guidance will better equip
the courageous men and women across the country who would be the first
to respond during a large-scale anthrax attack."
"It is essential
that all responders have the appropriate protections available to them
to be able to operate while minimizing exposure to these lethal
threats," said Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs and Chief Medical
Officer Dr. Alexander Garza. "This proposed guidance will help keep
responders healthy and safe while remaining consistent with operational
realities."
The proposed guidance recommends protective measures
such as personal protective equipment and decontamination and hygiene
procedures for first responders, public health and medical
professionals, skilled support personnel, essential workers in critical
infrastructure sectors, certain federal and private sector employees,
and volunteers.
The guidance - developed by a federal working
group consisting of experts from more than a dozen agencies relating to
biodefense, infectious diseases, and occupational health and safety -
reflects the most current understanding of the unique environment that
would exist after a wide-area anthrax attack. It comes in response to a
2008 Homeland Security Council tasking requiring the development of
appropriate measures for responders in the immediate post-attack
environment of an aerosolized anthrax attack.
The guidance is
also intended to support ongoing planning and preparation efforts for
protecting responders engaged in environmental sampling and
remediation, as well as others in responder roles.
DHS published the Notice of Availability of the guidance in the Federal Register today and the public will have 30 days from that date to comment.
