At Piedmont Hospital, our utmost concern is the health and safety of you and your family. Before the 1996 Olympics, Piedmont Hospital worked with local, state and even national government and law enforcement agencies to protect the citizens of Atlanta from any type of chemical or biological attack. We have also continued efforts to be prepared to care for our community should such an attack occur. We've redoubled our efforts in the past several months and, in particular, since the national disaster on September 11.

Along with other agencies, Piedmont Hospital has developed an emergency management plan to respond to man-made or natural disasters. We test this plan every year with at least two mandatory drills, evaluating our response to such internal disasters as a power failure or an external disaster, including a plane or car accident, fire, or weather-related catastrophe.

The physicians and other employees on staff at Piedmont Hospital attend educational seminars about threats to our community, including the West Nile virus and chemical or biological terrorism.

Unfortunately, terrorists have used chemical or biological agents to cause injury, illness and death among some populations. People who inhale or absorb chemical agents (such as Sarin) through the skin can experience symptoms immediately. Biological agents (such as anthrax and smallpox) may be inhaled or ingested (via contaminated food or water) and typically do not cause symptoms for several days.

The signs of a chemical agent release might include a vapor cloud, different people experiencing symptoms of the substance, and even, possibly, birds and small animals reacting to the release. Unfortunately, for most biological agents, there are no immediately visible signs of a release. They are odorless and invisible.

Protect Yourself and Your Family

The best way to protect yourself from a possible attack is to be alert for the signs of a release. If there is a release, get away from it. If you are outdoors, go inside or even into a car; close doors and windows, turn off the air conditioner and notify 911. If indoors, go outdoors. Take off your clothes if you believe they might have the substance on them.

If you believe your skin may have been exposed, quickly and thoroughly rinse any affected area with clean water. Using a mask, which would require a specific filter, and collecting antibiotics like Cipro are usually not effective preparations for an attack. You should always follow your doctor's prescription when taking antibiotics. Overusing them or misusing them is harmful because it could reduce the effectiveness of the drug during a serious health emergency.

Take time to make plans with your family, your neighbors and your coworkers. A few minutes of preparation can make a significant difference in an emergency.