Is this the last phase before we go to Code Red?
Posted on 02/20/2003 12:30:03 PM PST by NYer
WASHINGTON (AP) _ The Defense Department plans to begin handing out gas masks Monday to more than 23,000 Pentagon workers, the latest in continually increasing security started after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist aptqaks.
At a town hall meeting Thursday, officials demonstrated use of the devices _ actually called ``emergency escape hoods'' because they protect victims for only up to the hour or so it might take to evacuate an area after a chemical or biological attack. ``In no way does it reflect some specific piece of intelligence that the Pentagon is going to be the target of a chemical event,'' said John N. Jester, the Pentagon police chief.
Masks are to be issued to the Pentagon's 20,000 civilian and uniformed employees, as well as a few thousand others who work there everyday such as contractors, journalists and the staffs of shops, restaurants and other facilities in the building. Other masks would be stored around the Pentagon for visitors.
Thousands of such masks also were delivered to Capitol Hill last summer for use by lawmakers, employees and tourists. Several hundred defense employees attended Thursday's Pentagon meeting, where officials talked about security changes still planned or already instituted since terrorists crashed a plane into the five-story, five-sided building and killed 184 people. Employees wanted to know if there is enough stockpiled food and water in the building to last out a terrorist attack (they're looking into that); how well their new gas masks are expected to work (they're the best on the market, he said); and what about protection for the children who employees leave at the onsite day care center every day (they've added guards and barriers and are doing ``some things'' he didn't want to mention for security reasons.i
Much already has been done at the 208-acre suburban Washington Pentagon property, which sits at a busy subway stop, is at the crossroads of several major thoroughfares and includes shopping, banking, cafeterias, barbers, dry cleaning and other conveniences in a building with 17 miles of hallways. ``It's an office building ... it's a small town ... it's the national military command center,'' said Raymond F. DuBois, manager of military installations worldwide. He said Thursday's meeting was aimed at informing employees on how to respond ``to an event that we hope will never take place again.''
The meeting came about two weeks after President Bush decided to raise the nation's terrorist alert status from yellow to orange, the second-highest level, because intelligence officials said they had information pointing to the possibility of an imminent attack. ``This installation was severely wounded on Sept. 11,'' DuBois said. ``With everything that's going on in the world, it's reasonable and certainly sensible to assume that we may be targeted again.''
The $180 masks will be handed out at a rate of 500 a day at the Pentagon and the 46 other properties it leases in the Washington area, Jester said. The device includes a hood that fits over the head with a plastic face covering, a nosepiece clamp and a fitted mouthpiece with a filter to breathe through.
Since Sept. 11, officials have created a new 100-person office to oversee defenses against chemical, biological and radiological attacks; have stationed Humvees and military police at checkpoints outside the building and increased patrols inside and out. There are chemical, biological and radiological sensors inside and outside the building, with samples taken and tested daily, officials said.
Entrances to the subway and bus stops have been moved farther from the building and testing and screening of packages coming into the building has been increased. There are new hallway speakers for the public address system and a computer program for announcing emergency instructions to employees if there is an attack.
AP-ES-02-20-03 1459EST
Is this the last phase before we go to Code Red?
Most likely the pentagon issued M17 gas masks used by our military except the Air Force, which uses MCU-2 gas masks.
Do you suppose they will issue gas masks to the members of Congress ... I would give anything to see Hillary wearing one.
Not only that, it would muffle and muzzle the witch's whining. LOL!
CONGRESS STOCKPILES 20,000 GAS MASKS New York Post; New York; Jun 27, 2002; Vincent Morris; WASHINGTON - More than 20,000 gas masks are headed to the Capitol, after police yesterday said fear of a biological attack by terrorists against Congress warrants the extra protection. The masks will be set aside to protect not just lawmakers but all staff, along with any tourists in the Capitol and all support workers - like pages, cooks, janitors and elevator operators.
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