In October of 2001, agents of the Environmental Protection Agency's Counter Terrorism Response Team swarmed over the United States Capitol complex. Anthrax contamination was suspected in several of the House and Senate mailrooms. It was one of 22 cases of bioterrorist-related anthrax investigated by the Agency between 9/11 and early November 2001. While the Counter Terrorism Response team was deployed, the EPA was looking for a quick way to alert the public.

The EPA needed a way to respond to the anthrax attacks that had put the U.S. Capitol complex under a lock down. Millions were interested in the status of the attack, but there was no mechanism in place to distribute information to the public. The EPA needed to make a statement and set up an efficient method to keep the media and the public informed.

Because of previous web solutions PPC has provided, the head of the Biological Threats department turned to us when they needed a solution, and needed it fast. PPC responded to the situation with speed and precision. Information Technology, emergency response, and communication experts quickly created a new website on which EPA could post all the latest news on the anthrax attacks and update information on new technology in anthrax detection, containment, and elimination procedures.

PPC created the Technologies for Biological Threats website that houses a wealth of information including fact-sheets on decontamination with various chemicals, technical literature on biological defenses, and links to other EPA related websites. In a state of emergency, this information on biological threats was brought together and has become a resource to trust and rely upon. Technologies for Biological Threats can be found at http://www.epatechbit.org.

The EPA now has another tool to help keep our country safe from bio-terrorist attacks. The Technologies for Biological Threats website demonstrates again that information technology combined with environmental and emergency response expertise is a critical asset in the fight to keep us safe in an age of uncertainty and forced caution.