Seattle is guinea pig in anthrax attack test

By Michelle Locke

Associated Press

LIVERMORE, Calif. — Scientists, using Seattle as an example, are developing a plan to help cities track nearly invisible enemies such as anthrax or other chemical and biological agents.

The program, demonstrated at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory on Wednesday, links cities to the National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center, which now provides emergency planning response help to the Energy and Defense departments.

In case of accident or attack, cities would send the center the coordinates where a toxic release is believed to have taken place. Using weather and previously gathered geographic information, The center would map out where the substance is likely to spread.

The information, available on the city’s computers within minutes, should help emergency response workers — who know the best routes in and out — decide where to evacuate and what areas represent safe haven.

"This will provide them generally with a situational analysis of what is going on," said Don Ermak, leader of the lab’s Atmospheric Release Assessment Program.

Scientists picked Seattle as the pilot city for the program, working with the nonprofit group Public Technology Inc., an affiliate of the National League of Cities and other municipal associations.

On Wednesday, lab scientists showed an image of a lemon yellow cloud superimposed over a map of Seattle in a simulation of what could happen if a release of sprayed anthrax occurred for about an hour downtown.

The plume, which extended for about 10 miles, showed a small red zone near the point of release where 85 percent of the people there might have received a lethal dose.

Also highlighted on the map were schools, hospitals and police stations to give officials an idea of where to start.

Ermak said officials are still working with Seattle to gather information for the model and hope to begin running testing and training exercises this summer.

The initial cost of linking a city to the National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center is high, $300,000 to $500,000. In Seattle’s case, the city is providing manpower and the lab is picking up the rest. However, Ermak said lab officials hope to expand their program to five or six cities and bring the cost down to between $25,000 and $50,000 per city.

Eventually, they hope to have 100 cities involved, with information available to city, state and federal officials.

"This project is extremely exciting for us because it brings a technology not only to the city of Seattle … but potentially to other cities and towns across the country," said Ronda Mosley-Rovi of Public Technology Inc., who spoke at the Wednesday demonstration by way of a video hookup.