Anthrax remediation and response

• US 20040211923A1
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Baca, Dennis, Bridges, John H. III
• Application Number:
  US10/684,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20040211923A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/492.3
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/087 Particle radiation, e.g. electron-beam, alpha or beta radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/18 Liquid substances or solutions comprising solids or dissolved gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/183 Ozone dissolved in a liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/186 Peroxide solutions
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/22 Phase substances, e.g. smokes, aerosols or sprayed or atomised substances
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/23 Containers, e.g. vials, bottles, syringes, mail

Abstract

Remediation methods in response to a biological attack address treatment of goods (e.g., mail items), vehicle interiors, facilities, and personal protective equipment. The treatment of mail involves segregation of mail items by size and the organization and packaging of the segregated mail items for exposure to accelerated electron beam irradiation. Vehicle interiors are cleaned in a suitable decontamination area with a bleach solution. Facilities are separated into an exclusion zone, adjacent contamination reduction zone, and adjacent support zone. Persons enter the exclusion zone wearing personal protective equipment, exit the exclusion zone and enter the contamination reduction zone, and de-contaminate their personal protective equipment in the contamination reduction zone utilizing a bleach solution. Preferably, the potential for adverse weather conditions (including destructive winds) reaching a remediation site is monitored and activities curtailed in response to an increasing likelihood that such conditions may occur at the remediation site.

Claims

1. A method for remediating the affects of a biological attack comprising the step of:

exposing mail items suspected of contamination from exposure to a biological agent to sufficient electron beam radiation to substantially decontaminate said mail items.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said mail items are exposed to said electron beam radiation for a period of time is between about 30 and about 60 minutes.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said biological agent is the bacterium Bacillus anthracis.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

segregating mail items by size and selecting mail items having a substantially letter size;

positioning said substantially letter size mail items in a tray; and

sealing said tray with said letter size mail items therein.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

sealing said tray with said letter size mail items therein into a letter tray sleeve;

closing said letter tray sleeve;

inserting said closed letter tray sleeve into a first polyvinyl bag having a thickness of between about 3 and about 6 millimeters;

goosenecking an opening of said first polyvinyl bag and sealing said goosenecked opening with tape;

inserting said goosenecked and sealed first polyvinyl bag into a second polyvinyl bag having a thickness of between about 3 and about 6 millimeters;

goosenecking an opening of said second polyvinyl bag and sealing said goosenecked opening with tape;

inserting said goosenecked and sealed second polyvinyl bag into a box; and

sealing said box.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of transporting said mail items in a vehicle from a first location to a second location, wherein said exposing step occurs at said second location.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of decontaminating said vehicle after said transporting step.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said decontamination step comprises the steps of:

creating a vehicle decontamination area;

positioning said vehicle in said vehicle decontamination area; and

spraying an interior of said vehicle with a bleach solution.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said vehicle decontamination area includes an underlying, impermeable layer that is strong enough to withstand the traction of tires and a barrier to prevent run-off of liquids utilized in the decontamination process and to allow their collection at the end of the process.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

wiping said vehicle interior;

allowing said vehicle to stand for at least approximately one hour so as to permit sufficient contact time for residual detergent to act;

rinsing said vehicle interior with water; and

allowing said vehicle interior to air dry.

11. A remediation method in response to a biological attack on a facility comprising the steps of:

establishing an exclusion zone with restricted access thereto;

wherein said exclusion zone includes a suspected source of said biological attack;

establishing a contamination reduction zone adjacent to said exclusion zone;

wherein a person entering said exclusion zone or exiting from said exclusion zone does so through so contamination reduction zone;

wherein said contamination reduction zone has located therein means for decontaminating personal protective equipment worn by said person exiting said exclusion zone;

establishing a support zone adjacent to said contamination reduction zone;

wherein said support zone is a clean zone and wherein said support zone includes dressing facilities and equipment.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said decontaminating means comprises an enclosed tent system defining a plurality of decontamination areas.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said support zone is mobile.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said support zone further has located therein a command post.

15. A remediation method in response to a biological attack on a facility comprising the steps of:

a person entering an exclusion zone of a facility where a biological attack is at least suspected to have occurred;

a person, prior to said step of entering said exclusion zone, donning personal protective equipment;

wherein said personal protective equipment includes an outer personal protective garment, an underlying clothing layer, a first inner pair of gloves, a second inner pair of gloves, an outer pair of gloves, and a foot covering;

a person exiting said exclusion zone;

a person decontaminating said personal protective equipment;

wherein said decontamination step comprises the following steps;

rinsing said outer personal protective garment with a soap solution;

rinsing said outer personal protective garment with water;

removing said outer personal protective garment;

removing said outer pair of gloves and said first pair of inner gloves;

spraying said outer personal protective garment with a bleach solution;

removing said underlying clothing layer without pulling said underlying clothing layer over said person'"'"'s head;

removing said foot covering;

spraying said underlying clothing layer with a bleach solution;

spraying said foot covering with a bleach solution;

removing said second pair of inner gloves; and

spraying said second pair of inner gloves with a bleach solution.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said underlying clothing layer comprises scrubs.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said personal protective equipment further comprises a respirator.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of leaving said bleach solution on said outer personal protective garment for approximately one hour.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of leaving said bleach solution on said underlying clothing layer for approximately one hour.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of leaving said bleach solution on said second pair of inner gloves for approximately one hour.

21. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of leaving said bleach solution on said foot covering for at least approximately sixty minutes.

22. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of said person showering with soap and water.

23. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

placing said respirator into said bleach solution for at least approximately sixty minutes;

wiping down parts of said respirator with said bleach solution;

leaving said bleach solution thereon for at least approximately sixty minutes; and

rinsing said respirator with water.

24. The method of claim 15 wherein said decontamination steps are performed in a contamination reduction zone adjacent to said exclusion zone, and wherein said contamination reduction zone is separated into a plurality of areas and wherein different decontamination steps are performed in different said areas.

25. A remediation method in response to a biological attack on a facility comprising the steps of:

conducting remediation activities at a site where a biological attack may have occurred;

monitoring weather conditions at said site;

establishing a plurality of conditions of readiness based on an increasing likelihood that adverse weather conditions may impair said remediation activities at said site;

wherein said step of establishing said plurality of conditions of readiness further comprises the step of establishing restrictions on said remediation activities relating to particular said conditions of readiness.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said weather conditions include destructive winds.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said step of establishing a plurality of conditions of readiness further comprising the steps of:

establishing a fifth condition of readiness based on a likelihood that said destructive winds may impair said remediation activities within 96 hours;

establishing a fourth condition of readiness based on a likelihood that said destructive winds may impair said remediation activities within 72 hours;

establishing a third condition of readiness based on a likelihood that said destructive winds may impair said remediation activities within 48 hours;

establishing a second condition of readiness based on a likelihood that said destructive winds may impair said remediation activities within 24 hours;

establishing a first condition of readiness based on a likelihood that said destructive winds may impair said remediation activities within 12 hours.

28. A remediation method in response to a biological attack on a facility comprising the steps of:

conducting remediation activities at a site where a biological attack may have occurred;

monitoring weather conditions at said site;

wherein said weather conditions include lightning;

establishing at least one condition of readiness based on a likelihood that said lightning may impair said remediation activities at said site;

wherein said step of establishing said condition of readiness further comprises the step of establishing restrictions on said remediation activities relating to said condition of readiness.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said step of establishing at least one condition of readiness based on a likelihood that said lightning may impair said remediation activities at said site further comprising the step of defining said condition of readiness as beginning when said lightning is about 4 miles from said remediation site.