As East Lansing fire chief, I have been reluctant to comment on the 2001 Linton Hall anthrax scare and the subsequent lawsuit due to an acute awareness that any response I give could easily be interpreted as insensitivity to the individuals who underwent the decontamination.
In response to "E.L. to appeal 6-year Linton Hall case" (SN 5/15), I want to begin by saying I absolutely feel compassion for the individuals involved in this. I understand it was traumatic for all involved.
Sadly, in our line of work, virtually every response can be categorized as a traumatic experience - regardless of the nature of the incident. We rarely respond to anything that results in a positive outcome, and in every case, we feel a tremendous amount of empathy for those involved.
With that said, there are times emergency responders must take actions to protect the lives of those we are called to assist. It is the nature of our job, and I therefore feel compelled to respond to the misrepresentation of facts made in the most recent article published on Linton Hall.
The comment most troubling was that of the plaintiff's attorney. He stated that the East Lansing Fire Department "was conducting a training exercise and using the public as their trainees unwillingly."
This comment was irresponsible. There was absolutely no testimony or evidence offered at trial to support this claim. Our actions were dictated solely by our concern for public safety, and in no scenario would we subject anyone to unnecessary procedures.
ELFD responded to a credible hazardous material threat and a request by MSU police to decontaminate the occupants. This threat, which came only a few short weeks after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and similar threats across the country, was deemed credible for the following reasons: Two people complained of having a physical reaction after opening a suspicious letter; the letter was from an animal rights group, and those groups have carried out past threats at MSU including the arson/bombing of Agriculture Hall on Dec. 31, 1999; and the author of the letter was believed to have the capability to carry out such an attack.
Many agencies were on the scene that day and agreed with the decontamination decision, including the MSU Department of Police and Public Safety, the FBI, MSU Office of Radiation, Chemical and Biological Safety and Lansing Metro HazMat Response Team. The hospital also insisted that decontamination be performed prior to transporting patients and upon arrival at the emergency rooms.
Individuals who underwent the decontamination were shielded from the public and media. In that respect, ELFD adhered to its own policies concerning privacy. The hazardous material technicians at the scene that day were paramedics and EMTs who often must disrobe victims to perform their jobs - including the occasional delivery of babies.
As tragic as these circumstances were, ELFD was faced with a serious crisis and safety became our top priority. We addressed that priority while doing our utmost to respect the privacy and dignity of those we were called to serve.
Randall Talifarro
East Lansing Fire Chief
