Anthrax Information

Over the last several weeks the Kenosha Police Department has received numerous calls from the community regarding suspicious items sent to their homes.  The Kenosha Police Department is dedicated and committed to the protection of our community and will investigate every reported incident.

The Kenosha Police Department is continuously receiving training and updates regarding potential bio-chemical threats.  We have been in direct contact with experts from the Federal Bureau of Investigations (F.B.I.), the State Hygiene Lab, Wisconsin Division of Public Health and the United States Postal Inspection Service to remain updated with any new information regarding any chemical threats and the proper handling of them.

The responding officer will evaluate each incident based on the training received from our department as well as the above listed agencies.  The officer will then make a determination regarding the potential threat of the item and respond accordingly. 

People are urged to contact their physician or local hospital with any medical concerns they may have as a result of a possible exposure to anthrax.

This notification is intended to explain our procedure for handling suspicious items and to insure your personal safety.

No guidelines can cover every situation.  In general, local law enforcement and the local health department (LHD) should be notified and assess the credibility of the threat on a case-by-case basis.  The Division of Public Health (DPH) and the State Laboratory of Hygiene (SLH) can provide consultation and assistance.

Once you call the Police Dept. to report a suspicious item, the dispatcher will ask you a series of questions to help evaluate the threat.  Your call will then be placed on a police call list for an officer’s response. 

Don’t be alarmed, if when the officers arrive at your door, they are wearing protective air mask and plastic gloves.  To adequately investigate the item, these protective measures may occur. 

An officer will be dispatched to determine the threat level of the item, if there is a threat present.  The officer will then make a determination based on, but not limited to, the following criteria:

•   Unusual weight/noises

•   Protruding wires, odors or stains

•   Any other abnormalities

With all the information and training that the officer has received, he/she may deem your package or item is suspicious or the officer may have other concerns.

If the item has been deemed suspicious, the officer will take the appropriate steps to insure your safety.  The officer may also contact other agencies, which may assist with the item.

The suspicious item will eventually be packaged, sealed and taken to a nearby testing facility to determine the exact contents of the item.

After a complete investigation of the incident, the officer may determine that the item in question is actually safe.  The officer is basing his/her decision on the department training and the information that we have been receiving from State and Federal agencies.

The officer is looking for several different warning signs regarding your reported suspicious item.  Your item did not exhibit any of those warning signs and based on the officer’s thorough investigation is deemed safe. 

The Kenosha Police Department has received numerous reports of possible anthrax cases.  However, in each of these cases the substance has been tested with a negative result for anthrax. 

In the United States, the annual incidence of human anthrax has steadily declined from about 127 cases (primarily coetaneous) in the early years of the 20^th Century, to less than one case per year.

Anthrax can appear in three different forms:  by contact, inhaled or ingested.  Infection occurs most commonly by contact and very rarely occurs through inhalation or ingestion.  Symptoms of anthrax are similar to that of the flu; which include fever, malaise, fatigue, cough and mild chest discomfort. 

To decontaminate items exposed to anthrax, soak the item in bleach for several hours.  For skin contact, wash with soap and water thoroughly and seek medical assistance immediately.

•   Items unexpected or from someone unfamiliar to you

•   Items of unusual weight, lopsided, or oddly shaped

•   Items marked with restrictive endorsements such as, “Personal” or    “Confidential”

•   Items with protruding wires, strange odors or stains

•   Items with excessive postage

•   Items with pressure or resistance when removing contents

•   Items that have a sloshing sound, buzzing or ticking

•   Don’t open it and stay calm!

•    Call 911

•   Evacuate the area

•   Wash your hands with soap and water, as should anyone else in the area.

•   Contact the on scene police officer to relay vital information

  You can obtain additional information about anthrax by contacting any of the following agencies or visiting the web:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(770) 488-7100 , or on the web at
www.cdc.gov

American Red Cross
(888) GET HELP
(866) GET INFO
or on the web at
www.redcross.org

To report a suspicious item call
the Kenosha Police Dept. at:
911         (emergency)
656-1234 (non emergency)