sample white power plan

     A number of local businesses have received hoax letters, letters containing white powder. The purpose seems to be to scare people and disrupt the business. The mailing of a hoax letter is a terrorist threat, and carries a sentence of 5 years in prison. Even so, this mindless activity is likely to continue. We cannot afford to assume an unknown substance is harmless, so if one is discovered we will follow this procedure.

     The procedure is in three parts.  What the building security people should do, what the people on the floor affected should do, and what the people on other floors of the building should do.  These are all common sense, designed to safeguard those who might be exposed, and to prevent spread of any material to those who are not initially exposed.  If the authorities determine that the substance is dangerous, medical treatment will be immediate, and is totally effective when started promptly.

BUILDING SECURITY

     Immediately upon being notified that a suspect substance has been discovered on a floor an announcement will be made over the PA system and by e-mail to all building occupants that we are entering into an "Emergency Mode" which means the air conditioning will be shut down, stopping the circulation of air and the elevators will be signaled to return to the first floor, open, and shut down, eliminating that source of circulation of air. 

ON THE AFFECTED FLOOR

     The person discovering the substance should immediately put it down and move away, saying loudly to those in the vicinity “EMERGENCY PROCEDURE, THERE IS A POWDER HERE”.  All who may have touched the item should proceed directly to the rest room on that floor to wash hands with soap and water.  Make sure the manager and the other persons know the emergency procedure is under way.  Someone else, the manager if possible, but anyone if the manager is not immediately available, must call extension 000 to advise building security, using the words “emergency procedure, there is a powder on floor X”.  Then that person must call 911 and say a powder has been discovered in the SAMPLE building, ATADDRESS, on floor X.  All personnel on the affected floor ONLY must then exit to the stairwell, closing the stairwell doors when everyone is through.  Exit the building and wait in the (designated area). Do not leave this area, because if the officials cannot determine immediately that the substance is harmless, it may be necessary for some or all of the people from the floor to proceed to the hospital to obtain nose swabs to see if anyone has been exposed.  It is likely that treatment with antibiotics will begin immediately until the results of the swabs is known.

ON THE OTHER FLOORS

     When the announcement is made that we are in an "Emergency Mode" all persons NOT on the affected floor should remain at their desks until instructed to do otherwise by health officials or police.  Since your area has been isolated from the contamination, your desk will be the safest place to wait while the nature of the substance is determined.  If we are instructed by officials to evacuate the building, the elevators will be activated.  Use the elevators, not the stairwell.  The stairwell may have been contaminated by the exit of the people from the affected floor.  Do not enter the stairwell column.

Please keep in mind…even if the substance is determined to be anthrax, no one is going to get sick if treatment begins promptly after such determination.  The local health officials have an ample supply of antibiotics that are effective against anthrax.