Heavy security measures at hospitals since Sept. 2001 have become second-nature to area hospital patients, local officials said this week.
The calm attitude remained despite an FBI and Homeland Security bulletin Aug. 27 stating Veterans Affairs hospitals could be possible targets for a future terror attack.
The document didn't list concrete concerns, but cited possible threats this year at two military medical facilities.
"There is absolutely no specific evidence that any VA center is at risk," Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony Principi said to a group of veterans in Nebraska last week. He said the bulletin was released as a caution.
The Lansing area does not have any VA hospitals, but local hospitals and the closest VA health system in Ann Arbor say they're not concerned.
Roberta Wheeler, administrative assistant to the chief of staff for the VA Ann Arbor Health Care System, said the hospital is sticking to security procedures that have been in place for three years.
"We have surveillance cameras, the area's secured at night and people need a pass," she said.
Wheeler said the measures have become standard operating procedure, and no one expressed concern about the VA warning.
At Lansing's Sparrow Health System the situation was similar, said Ira Ginsburg, senior vice president of administrative services.
"I don't think hospitals were any more a target than the Pentagon or anywhere else," Ginsburg said. "The general public is more relaxed as 9-11 gets further away."
Sparrow Heath System has a security continuum for each of the five colored terror levels, Ginsburg said.
The hospitals have other mass casualty preparations, such as a portable decontamination tent that can be set up within 10 minutes.
Ginsburg said he couldn't elaborate further on the preparations.
Additionally, local anthrax vaccine agency BioPort may supply hospitals with its product in the future, said BioPort Spokeswoman Kim Brennen Root.
BioPort produces the nation's only federally licensed anthrax vaccine, and currently has vaccines stored in military strategic stockpiles. Employees are working toward being able to supply health centers.
"We've had several inquiries from hospitals," Root said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
