Publications: REJI - December 2001

How Would You Respond to a Terrorist?

For the third time in three months Director of Homeland Security Tom Ridge has issued a security alert to the nation. The threat of terrorist attack remains so very real, dominating newspaper headlines and leading off most of the local and national news broadcasts. Since September 11, the issue of emergency preparedness has come to the front burner. The challenges are significant because there is not a cookie cutter approach to emergency preparedness, security or tenant concerns. There are different scenarios for specific buildings that are influenced by location, tenant mix and lease language among other factors. Recently, a manager explained that one of his tenants had requested armed guards in the lobby. Upon hearing the request, a second tenant stated that if armed personnel are stationed in the building, they would sue. What is the appropriate response? What are minimums that owners and managers need to address? How do you appease often conflicting and contradictory tenant expectations? There are no right or wrong answers. However, today's manager needs to understand potential liabilities and develop action plans that address the interest of the property, the owner and tenants.

One of the most visible threats today is Anthrax. Incidents of Anthrax tainted mail is hitting far too close to home. The tainted packages sent to Capitol Hill and the contamination of postal workers have many companies looking for guidance to help protect employees and maintain a sense of calm at the properties. Realistically, the prospect of a contaminated package being sent to your mailroom is remote. Last year, more than 207 billion pieces of mail were delivered in the United States. However, since September 11, we live in a different world. In many cases property managers are responsible for providing strategic guidance and helping to develop policies that protect the health and safety tenants and their own employees, especially those who are responsible for receiving, opening and handling incoming mail. The other end of this equation is to appease tenant concerns about the safe handling of incoming mail.. There have been numerous reports coming from different offices that employees traditionally responsible for mail opening have refused to do so or are afraid.

An initial step in developing a policy and to allay fears is to establish and communicate procedures that your building will follow for the handing and processing incoming mail. Uncle Sam can help because The US Postal Service, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the FBI have offered guidance that in effect establishes a standard of care. They recommend that mail handlers wear protective gloves and that all packages be screened. If a letter or parcel is identified as ńsuspicious,î the item should be isolated pending further review and if necessary, testing by local authorities. Full containment protocols would be followed until the issue is resolved. Make sure that your mail handlers and other staff understand that taking these actions are purely precautionary measures to ensure their safety. If you do receive a suspicious package or letter, the Center for Disease Control issued the following guidance in a Health Advisory dated October 12, 2001. CDC explained that the wrong course of action is to panic. Instead provide employees with CDC explanations of the threat that anthrax poses and actions that can be taken if there is an exposure.

Uncle Sam also has issued advisories on how to deal with suspicious packages or letters, as follows:

Do not shake or empty the contents of any suspicious envelope or package.

Place the envelope or package in a plastic bag or some other type of container to prevent leakage of contents.

If you do not have any containers, then cover the envelope or package with anything (e.g., clothing, paper, trash can, etc.) and do not remove this cover.

Then leave the room and close the door, or section off the area to prevent others from entering (i.e., keep others away).

Wash your hands with soap and water to prevent spreading any powder to your face.

Site personnel should contact the local police, or if located in contractor space, notify the appropriate authorities. If you are at home, then report the incident to local police.

List all people who were in the room or area when this suspicious letter or package was recognized. Give this list to both the local public health authorities and law enforcement officials for follow-up investigations and advice.

If the powder spills, 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!

Leave the room and close the door, or section off the area to prevent others from entering (i.e., keep others away).

Wash your hands with soap and water to prevent spreading any powder to your face.

Contact the local police or other authorities.

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.

Shower with soap and water as soon as possible. Do not use bleach or other disinfectant on your skin.

List all people who were in the room or area, especially those who had actual contact with the powder. Give this list to both the local public health authorities for further investigation.

The education process should also include how to identify suspicious packages. According to the government, common characteristics include, excessive postage, handwritten or poorly typed addresses, incorrect titles, titles but not names, misspelling of common words, no return address, excessive weight, lopsided or uneven envelopes, protruding wires, visual distractions and excessive packaging materials such as masking tape, string, etc. Additionally, mail staff should watch for packages and letters marked personal, confidential or with a postmark from a city or state that does not match the return address.

Like so many other facets of our industry, developing an effective emergency preparedness plan involves effective communication so that expectations that owners, tenants and others affected by your properties are clearly understood and reasonable.