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Workers learning to guard nation's capital from bio-chemical attack
Copyright ) 1998 Nando.net
Copyright ) 1998 The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (January 6, 1998 10:30 a.m. EST http://www.nando.net) --
Local health and safety workers are taking a course this week on how to
deal with a chemical or biological attack on the U.S. capital.
The Washington Post reports in Tuesday's editions that the course is an
attempt to teach local authorities how to deal with such threats in ways
that go beyond the usual anti-terrorist instruction provided in
connection with presidential inaugurations and similar events unique to
the capital.
Over the next few days, several hundred members of the Washington area's
emergency response units will learn how to identify poisonous agents,
approach the scene of an attack and handle paraphernalia such as
detection devices and decontamination gear.
Washington is the eighth city to receive the training, which is part of
a program initiated by Congress for 120 American cities at a cost of
more than $100 million.
The program includes representatives of local governments and such
federal agencies as the Defense and Energy departments, the FBI, the
U.S. Public Health Service, the Environmental Protection Agency and the
Federal Emergency Management Agency. It is managed by the Army's
Chemical and Biological Defense Command.
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