| The 15th of October 2001 proved to be a day to | | | | flew in heavy equipment from Texas to assist in |
| be remembered throughout American history. It | | | | the remediation process. Several specialized |
| was the day of the first major bio-terrorism | | | | military units were activated to assist. All of these |
| attack within the United States. Although | | | | resources were under the command of the IC. |
| bio-warfare had been used within the US before, | | | | Press and community relations became extremely |
| smallpox blankets for the Indians, etc., it had | | | | important. Command served several communities |
| never been of the magnitude experienced on that | | | | that included both houses of Congress, the city in |
| day. Food poisoning had been used on a small | | | | general and the immediate neighborhood. All had |
| scale in the West. These did not equate to the | | | | to be kept current with accurate information. |
| potential bio-terrorism threat observed as a result | | | | Frequent briefings were held for all entities. |
| of the October 15th Anthrax attack. Many played | | | | Throughout all of this, SSA continued to serve as |
| vital roles in the identification, containment, | | | | the IC and manage not only the resources |
| mitigation and remediation of the problem. SSA | | | | provided by government and private agencies, |
| served as a major leadership function within the | | | | but also the technical, scientific and medical |
| overall response to Anthrax On The Hill. | | | | aspects of the project. Time was of the essence! |
| During the period of October 15th to the 19th, | | | | Operations that prevented or even slowed |
| several hundred personnel had either responded | | | | Congress from acting or carrying out their |
| to participate in resolving the problem, had been | | | | business had to be accomplished with urgency. |
| asked to respond, or offered to respond. The | | | | Security and safety issues were paramount and |
| Capitol Police Board (CPB) assumed management | | | | were a significant consideration in management of |
| responsibility for resolution of the incident. Existing | | | | the project. |
| control and management mechanisms did not | | | | Once the contaminated areas had been |
| function well or, in many cases, not at all. Chaos | | | | characterized and the extent of remediation |
| literally reigned. The Federal Emergency | | | | required was known, the IC changed the mode of |
| Management Agency (FEMA) recommended the | | | | management to a project oriented program, |
| establishment of an Incident Command System | | | | thereby allowing for a more closely managed |
| (ICS). FEMA further recommended that SSA, | | | | effort. Each contaminated area was assigned a |
| specifically Douglas R. Stutz, Ph.D. be placed in | | | | manager who reported to the IC. His/her area |
| charge of all operations. Dr. Stutz was the only | | | | received the necessary support from logistics, |
| individual among the hundreds there with the | | | | planning, and etc. to accomplish independent |
| scientific, emergency response and management | | | | remediation goals. |
| background to accomplish the job as efficiently as | | | | Since the entire project was of a nature that had |
| possible. As a result, on the 20th of October, the | | | | never been accomplished before, it required |
| Congressional Leadership chose Dr. Stutz was | | | | scientists, engineers and technicians who were |
| appointed to serve as the Incident Commander | | | | insightful and innovative. Virtually every effort, |
| (IC) through both the Crisis Management phase | | | | regardless of its size, was an actual experiment |
| and subsequently the Consequent Management | | | | that had to be conceived of, designed, tested and |
| phase of the Capitol Anthrax Incident. | | | | verified. All of this had to be done in real time and |
| At first, the magnitude of the job and its inherent | | | | as quickly as possible. Every day the Congress did |
| responsibilities were difficult to determine. All | | | | not have full use of its facilities created more |
| Advisors to the IC, of which there were many, | | | | problems. |
| were of the opinion the cleanup could be | | | | Several methods of disinfection or remediation |
| accomplished within a short span of time, a few | | | | were used. Fumigation with ClO2 was used for |
| weeks. Of course, no one really understood the | | | | the release suite and the heating, air condition and |
| extent of the contamination. A letter containing | | | | ventilation (HVAC) system serving the suite. Liquid |
| Anthrax spores had been opened in the office | | | | ClO2 was used in the release suite as a |
| suite of the Senator Daschle, Democratic Leader | | | | pre-treatment and as the final treatment in other |
| of the Senate. The product appeared to have | | | | areas of that building as well as other buildings. |
| aerosolized and spread throughout one floor of | | | | Ethylene Oxide (ETO) was used to sterilize small |
| the suite. Several workers within contact range | | | | items such as paper, office equipment, etc. |
| were thought to have become contaminated. | | | | Although there is data available on the use of |
| Emergency response personnel moved all | | | | these products for other purposes, little exists for |
| affected persons to another floor to take nasal | | | | the use required in this project. Everything had to |
| swabs and determine the extent of exposure. No | | | | be developed from nothing or ground zero. All |
| one expected the contamination to be beyond | | | | three firms were integral in this development. |
| the immediate area of release. The newly | | | | Their leadership allowed the remediation to be |
| appointed IC warned however, that all too little | | | | successful in a relatively short period of time. |
| was known about the product and all necessary | | | | Normally, a project of this size and nature would |
| precautions must be followed. As a result, the | | | | require months, possibly years to plan and carry |
| Hart building was closed in its entirety. | | | | out. This project was successfully carried out in |
| The IC instituted a sample identification process | | | | weeks, a feat never accomplished before. |
| designed to determine the actual extent of the | | | | As the project drew to a close, many individuals |
| contamination. Since it was a letter that was | | | | and organizations joined forces with SSA to |
| involved, a "follow the mail trail" policy was | | | | consolidate the lessons learned into one entity. |
| adopted. It soon became evident that not only did | | | | Coming together in this fashion provides |
| the contamination extend beyond the suite where | | | | corporate and government worlds a resource not |
| Anthrax was released; it also extended to other | | | | available anywhere else. Our Team has |
| buildings on Capitol Hill. The magnitude of the | | | | demonstrated its ability to function in crisis |
| event increased from one suite to ultimately | | | | situations in an innovative and creative mode. |
| surveying more than 30 buildings. This was done in | | | | Knowledge gained from this event and the many |
| less than two weeks. Five additional buildings were | | | | others each member has participated in rests with |
| found to be contaminated, all presumably from | | | | our experienced Team and nowhere else. The |
| the same letter even though a second letter was | | | | talent and knowledge found only in this Team is |
| found later. | | | | now available to others. Nowhere else, regardless |
| The job had now increased in magnitude by more | | | | of the organization or who the individuals might |
| than ten. Additional resources were quickly | | | | be, will you find people who have actually done |
| brought in to characterize the contaminated | | | | the job rather than theorize about it. The Capitol |
| buildings in preparation for remediation. All activities | | | | Hill Anthrax event is unique. There is a concern |
| were on a 24-hour, seven day a week basis. | | | | that those who did not actually participate in the |
| Operations, planning, logistics and command | | | | project are promulgating incorrect procedures and |
| operated around the clock. A tent city was | | | | information. Those who participated are the ones |
| constructed to support the effort to include | | | | who can provide the information, the skills and the |
| feeding the workers, supply and equipment | | | | experience necessary for informed corporate and |
| storage and laboratory facilities. The US Air Force | | | | government agencies. |