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Enron Mail |
HOPE YOU FIND INFORMATIVE
--------- Inline attachment follows --------- From: <Bob.Carter@penreco.com< To: 'Bob M Carter' <bcarte9@attglobal.net< Date: Friday, October 19, 2001 2:26:19 GMT Subject: Here is some useful information on Anthrax that was sent to Conoco employees by Conoco's Corporate Security. Please post or forward as needed. < ANTHRAX INFORMATION FOR EMPLOYEES < < Corporate Security is aware of the media reports of Anthrax mailings and < everyone's heightened concern of a possible contamination at Conoco. We < have maintained contact with the FBI, Hazmat officials and other < government agencies regarding the investigations about, and the risk of < contracting Anthrax as a result of receiving a letter. With the < heightened concern we all need to become better educated about Anthrax and < deal with it on a rational level rather than an emotional one. We have < evaluated the available information and intelligence and believe the risk < of an Anthrax exposure at Conoco is low at the present time. < < Most reported instances of letters containing alleged Anthrax and powdery < substances have proven to be hoaxes. At this time all of the confirmed < cases, except one, have been directed at the news media and U. S. < Government officials. < < Procedures are being furnished Conoco mailrooms regarding screening of < mail and packages prior to distributions. However, so everyone is educated < regarding Anthrax and handling pieces of mail, we are furnishing the below < information: < < < FACTS ABOUT ANTHRAX < < Anthrax is a small invisible organism that cannot be seen by the naked < eye. To effectively target an individual in a letter, the Anthrax must be < mixed with a powdery medium and placed in the letter. It then becomes a < visible substance resembling a brownish or white powder and will < immediately settle to the ground. The Anthrax must be effectively < dispersed and the victim must be exposed to a relatively large amount of < Anthrax to become infected. Fortunately, Anthrax can be washed off with < soap and water after handling. Anthrax is not contagious; there is no < threat of person-to-person transmittal. If someone is exposed to Anthrax, < it is treatable with antibiotics. < < Over 95% of Anthrax cases occur when spores linger on the skin in cuts or < scratches. Anthrax cannot penetrate intact skin. Exposure causes lesions < that initially resemble an insect bite which progresses into a < fluid-filled blister within a day or two with swelling at the site of the < infection. The blister forms a black scab. Twenty percent of the time < individuals who develop skin lesions may progress onto developing wide < spread disease which requires immediate treatment. < < The second method of obtaining Anthrax poisoning is through ingestion. < Gastrointestinal Anthrax is extremely rare in humans and is usually < contracted when undercooked infected meat is eaten. The initial signs of < gastrointestinal Anthrax are nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting and fever. < This may be followed by abdominal pain, vomiting of blood and severe < diarrhea. < < The third method is inhalation of Anthrax spores. The onset of inhalation < of Anthrax is gradual after a short incubation period, which is usually < within seven days (in rare cases it is sometimes longer). The victim may < initially experience flu like symptoms that start to improve. This mild < illness can then progress rapidly to respiratory distress and shock in two < to four days followed by more severe symptoms that include breathing < difficulty and exhaustion. < If you have had a "Known" exposure you should seek medical care for < monitoring and potentially for treatment if indicated. If you have had a < "possible" exposure and are having symptoms, you should seek medical < evaluation and treatment through your personal physician. If you do not < have a personal physician IHS can help direct you to appropriate care. < It is difficult to contract inhalation Anthrax by the mere act of opening < an envelope or package containing a suspected agent or walking through < settled material. This would generally not provide the energy required to < aerosolize the agent. The FBI has advised that "hundreds" of letters have < been referred to them because they were suspected of containing Anthrax. < So far, of all the letters referred to the FBI, very few have contained < Anthrax. Most letters implying they contain Anthrax will also contain a < written or implied threat. As of this date, there is no evidence that any < such letters have ever been directed at anyone at Conoco. < < HOW TO HANDLE SUSPECTED ANTHRAX AND OTHER SUSPECTED BIOLOGICAL AGENT < THREATS < < Many facilities in communities around the country have received Anthrax < threat letters. Most were empty envelopes; some have contained powdery < substances most have proved negative for Anthrax. The purpose of these < guidelines is to recommend procedures for handling letters suspected of < containing Anthrax. < < DO NOT PANIC < < 1. To infect, the organism must be rubbed into abraded skin, swallowed, < or inhaled as a fine, aerosolized mist. Disease can be prevented after < exposure to the Anthrax spores by early treatment with the appropriate < antibiotics. Anthrax is not spread from one person to another person. < 2. For Anthrax to be effective as a covert agent, it must be < aerosolized into very small particles. This is difficult to do, and < requires a great deal of technical skill and special equipment. If these < small particles are inhaled, life-threatening lung infection can occur, < but prompt recognition and treatment are effective. < < SUSPICIOUS UNOPENED LETTER OR PACKAGE MARKED WITH THREATENING < MESSAGE SUCH AS "ANTHRAX": < < 1. Do not shake or empty the contents of any suspicious envelope or < package. < 2. PLACE the envelope or package in a plastic bag or some other type of < container to prevent leakage of contents. < 3. If you do not have any container, then COVER the envelope or package < with anything (e.g., clothing, paper, trash can, etc.) and do not remove < this cover. < 4. Then LEAVE the room and CLOSE the door, or section off the area to < prevent others from entering (i.e., keep others away). < 5. WASH your hands with soap and water to prevent spreading any powder < to your face. < 6. What to do next... < *If you are at HOME, then report the incident to local police. < *If you are at WORK, then report the incident to security or an available < supervisor. < 7. LIST all people who were in the room or area when this suspicious < letter or package was recognized. Give a copy of this list to security, < the local public health authorities and law enforcement officials for < follow-up investigations and advice. < < ENVELOPE WITH POWDER AND POWDER SPILLS OUT ONTO SURFACE: < < 1. DO NOT try to CLEAN UP the powder. COVER the spilled contents < immediately with anything (e.g., clothing, paper, trash can, etc.) and do < not remove this cover! < 2. Then LEAVE the room and CLOSE the door, or section off the area to < prevent others from entering (i.e., keep others away). < 3. WASH your hands with soap and water to prevent spreading any powder < to your face. < 4. What to do next... < *If you are at HOME, then report the incident to local police. < *If you are at WORK, then report the incident to security or an available < supervisor. < 5. REMOVE heavily contaminated clothing as soon as possible and place < in a plastic bag, or some other container that can be sealed. This < clothing bag should be given to the emergency responders for proper < handling. < 6. SHOWER with soap and water as soon as possible. Do Not Use Bleach Or < Other Disinfectant On Your Skin. < 7. If possible, list all people who were in the room or area, < especially those who had actual contact with the powder. Give a copy of < this list to security, the local public health authorities so that proper < instructions can be given for medical follow-up, and to law enforcement < officials for further investigation. < 8. If prescribed medication by medical personnel, take it until < otherwise instructed or it runs out. < < HOW TO IDENTIFY SUSPICIOUS PACKAGES AND LETTERS < < The U. S. Postal Inspection Service has provided information about letters < and packages that ought to trigger suspicion. This include parcels that: < < * Are unexpected or from someone unfamiliar to you. < * Excessive postage (Using postage stamps not meter strips) < * Sloppy or unprofessional preparation. < * Incorrect titles < * Titles but no names < * Sloshing sounds, possibly liquid contents < * Excessive wrapping materials, such as masking tape, strapping tape < or string. < * Are addressed to someone no longer with your organization or are < otherwise outdated. < * Have no return address, or have one that can't be verified as < legitimate. < * Are of unusual weight, given their size, or are lopsided or oddly < shaped. < * Are marked with restrictive endorsements, such as "Personal" or < "Confidential." < * Show a city or state in the postmark that doesn't match the return < address. < * Have protruding wires, strange odors or stains. < * Handwritten or poorly typed addresses < * Misspellings of common words < * Oily stains, discolorations or odor < < None of these indicators, standing alone, can identify a suspect package < that contains Anthrax. All known relevant facts must be taken into < consideration to properly evaluate the situation. < < We have been advised that the FBI has made the following response < recommendations to Local Law Enforcement: < < Unopened letters/packages with no suspicious markings or indicators: < No law enforcement/emergency response action is recommended. Recipients < of the letter/package may be advised that if they are concerned about < opening a piece of mail, they should not do so. < < Opened letters/packages with material that has spilled out: < Law enforcement should follow local response protocols for potential < hazardous materials. The local FBI office should be notified and can < coordinate a threat assessment and technical assistance/advice as needed. < < < Unopened (sealed) letters/packages with suspicious markings or indicators: < < Law enforcement should follow local protocols for responding to the < location and collecting the suspect mail. < < As additional information comes available, it will be communicated. < < < < < < <
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