HOUSTON ASIS CHAPTER MINUTES

June 26, 2002

The Chapter held a luncheon meeting at the Doctor’s Club on June 26, 2002. Chairman Mike Mason CPP presided. Fifty-eight members and guests attended.

Opening and Pledge of Allegiance: Mike Mason

Business Activities:

Meeting location: The Doctor’s Club is closing its doors. Starting with the July 31^st meeting, we will be located at the Renaissance Houston Hotel at 6 Greenway Plaza East. Our Vice-Chairman, Mike Crocker CPP, was recognized for his efforts to find a new location and negotiate a contract. The cost of the luncheon will remain at $20 inclusive. Crescent Real Estate has generously underwritten the cost of parking for the monthly luncheon events. Directions will be posted on the web page.

Treasurer’s Report: Bob Cascino presented his report. The final proceeds for the annual golf tournament are pending some outstanding expenses.

CPP review: Karim Vellani CPP announced one participant of the last class took the exam and passed. Karim will be starting an accelerated review class for those planning to take the exam at the National Conference. Details can be found on the web page.

Houston ASSIST: (Associated Security Services and Investigators of the State of Texas) Ann Ball announced their annual convention will be held October 3^rd, 4^th and 5th at the Holiday Inn NASA. ASIS members may attend for the same rate as their members. October 3^rd is a golf tournament at the Southshore Harbour Golf Course. The Convention starts on October 4^th and following the presentations of the day there will be a supper cruise on the Island Princess. Presentations continue on October 5^th. More detailed information can be found on our web page or http://assisttexas.org/

ASIS/HPD/UofHD Annual Seminar: Matt Silcox CPP announced the seminar will be held August 13 and 14 at the Holiday Inn Select, 2712 Southwest Freeway. The seminar begins with an Ethics Course. Some of the topics include Hiring International Employees after 9/11; Cyber Crime and Cyber Terrorism; the USA Patriot Act, Occupational Fraud and Emergency Management: Weather Conditions. There are educational credits available for TCLEOSE, CFE, CPP and TCPS. Brochures will be mailed and faxed. More details and registration forms are available on the web page.

Legislative Committee: Bob Cascino and Mike Crocker attended the TCPS Board meeting in Austin. ASSIST has a paid lobbyist and has generously invited Bob and Mike to join efforts with ASSIST members Ann Ball and Don McGray to work on mutual upcoming legislative issues.

Law Enforcement Recognition:

We recognized two officers from the Houston Community College Police Department. Both were presented plaques in appreciation for their extraordinary service to the community.

John Boxie was working on the Central campus when he was dispatched to a medical emergency. He provided CPR and saved the life of an ailing faculty member.

Bill Richardson was flagged down by a female student who had just been sexually assaulted in the parking garage. He placed her in his vehicle and called for back up, sealing off the exits of the garage. Because he suspected that the assailant was still in the garage and acted quickly, the assailant was apprehended.

Speaker: Chief Danny Snell, Houston Fire Department HAZMAT Response Team

Chief Snell has been with HFD for 18 years and has been with the HAZMAT Team since 1980.

Response to Bio-terrorism: Houston Style. Suspicious Substance Response and Hoax Detection

The Anthrax attack had a major impact on emergency services throughout the country. Anthrax can stay in its spore-state for over 100 years. It is a large, gram-positive rod that can be easily detected in a lab, but we have not had good field testing capability. It is usually contracted by inhalation and incubates in 1-6 days, but it is extremely difficult to weaponize.

There are three phases to the symptoms: first are flu-like; then there is severe shortness of breath; the terminal stage lasts under 24 hours and ironically, the patient actually starts feeling better before dying. Skin exposures can be decontaminated, but it is impossible to decontaminate the lungs. Therefore, it is crucial to obtain an accurate lab analysis and immediately administer antibiotic treatment. The mortality rate drops to 2% when promptly treated.

Houston learned from the initial response mistakes made in Los Angeles and Phoenix. They overreacted by not verifying the threat and responded in Level A suits. They immediately set up mass-decontamination areas without regard to modesty. Potential victims were stripped and scrubbed without regard to public view. Their personal belongings were impounded, including clothing, their medical insurance cards and the keys to their homes and vehicles. This resulted in a huge cost to the City budgets ($600,000 for just 1 response in L.A.), enormous public outcry and civil actions against the fire department.

HFD met with key players from the Texas Department of Health, Center for Disease Control, the FBI, pharmaceutical companies and testing laboratories to design a protocol. They developed a coordination plan with 7 area hospitals and have the ability to decontaminate 1000 victims in 1.5 hours. Training on detection of mail threats was essential for not only HFD, but targets as well. A plan was developed for COH lab capabilities and a coordinated response plan between HFD and the FBI. They communicated four key responses to the public:

Isolate the threat, turn off the AC and call 911

Request HFD and HAZMAT to the 911 dispatcher

HFD will only use cellular communication and not transmit the dispatch using radio communications. This minimizes unnecessary media exposure to something that may only be a hoax.

Only be concerned with those in the immediate area to the threat, but compose a list of everyone in the room.

Potential victims who may have been obviously exposed are treated. Remaining potential victims are given a letter that details how to report subsequent symptoms. If more than three people on the list develop symptoms, then everyone on the list gets a call for follow up treatment. Meanwhile, HFD will collect samples, send them for lab analysis and produce investigative reports.

To demonstrate how necessary it was to develop this protocol, Chief Snell outlined the 911 calls to HAZMAT before and after the Anthrax press releases.

October 1-9 40 responses

October 10 10 responses

October 11 14 responses

After the press release: 353 responses, with 670 responses in the last quarter. No anthrax has ever been found.

Impact and improved response issues:

There was a major budget impact as overtime and vehicle maintenance increased.

Because they used six-month’s worth in only three months, supplies had to be purchased. Decontamination and sampling supplies were depleted. 900 Level-B suits were used in one quarter versus the normal 1100 in one year.

HFD rigged a Suburban with two staff for quicker response to potential biological exposures.

They developed a direct avenue to lab analysis.

Field evaluation protocols were evaluated and expanded.

2 Biological Ticket Devices were purchased. These help read the sample’s density, giving an 80% accuracy rate for four biological substances.

Two SIR devices were purchased; a $50,000 instrument that uses infrared technology. Safe products (such as baby powder, sugar, flour, etc) can be tested and entered into the instrument’s database for quick field identification and elimination.

A simple decision matrix was designed for crime response and exposure response.

Chief Snell was awarded a plaque in appreciation for his time and presentation.

The next ASIS meeting is July 31 at the Renaissance Houston Hotel. Further information may be found at www.asishouston.org.