Editor's note: Patricia A. "Pat" Gleason is president of the Safety Equipment Institute, a private, nonprofit organization created in 1981 to administer non-governmental, third-party certification programs to test and certify safety equipment. SEI's certification programs are accredited by the American National Standards Institute. The institute (call 703-442-5732 or visit www.SEInet.org) has its headquarters in McLean, Va.
FIRST responders have the perilous task of stepping straight into hell--whether it's a burning building, toxic chemical spill, radiological disaster, or other hazardous materials situation. In these environments, first responders can take steps to protect themselves against known compounds, but the most dangerous threat is always the unknown.
WHEN terrorists attack, the President of the United States is sent to an "undisclosed location" for protection. The Vice President of the United States is sent to a different "undisclosed location." In England, the Queen has ordered a high-tech "panic room" to be built inside Buckingham Palace.
Editor's note: Jolanda Janczewski is President and CEO of Consolidated Safety Services Inc., a Fairfax, Va.-based safety and occupational health consulting firm with about 45 employees. CSS was honored in September 2002 as the U.S. Department of State's Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year for on-site testing and decontamination services provided during the October 2001 anthrax episode in the nation's capital. In the following excerpts from a Sept. 19, 2002, conversation with the editors of First Responder, Janczewski discusses the experience and how the safety and emergency response community can prepare for the next crisis.