Public seeks tips for safety against terror

BOSTON -- From tips on fleeing a chemical attack to "Terrorism Awareness" pamphlets handed out at a state fair, officials around the country are offering advice on how to prepare for terrorist attacks.

Emergency managers have been compiling the safety tips in response to a barrage of calls from worried residents.

"Most major disasters and emergencies with which we have dealt in the past, like blizzards, hurricanes and floods, give us some warning," said Stephen J. McGrail, director of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. "Unfortunately, terrorism does not afford us such a luxury."

Massachusetts issued a list of suggestions Wednesday for dealing with a chemical attack.

The list reads like preparations for bad weather: buy extra food and water, designate an emergency contact, stock up on pet supplies. It also encourages people to familiarize themselves with evacuation routes and a procedure known as "shelter-in-place," which involves shutting doors and windows and turning off sources of outside air, such as air conditioning.

"These are not extraordinary things we're asking people to do," said agency spokesman Peter Judge, who added that the agency had been inundated with calls from worried residents.

In Mississippi, officials are printing 10,000 copies of a "Terrorism Awareness" pamphlet with information on chemical and biological warfare and other facts related to terrorism. They will be available at the Mississippi State Fair by Friday.

Louisiana's Office of Emergency Preparedness posted a "Terrorism Fact Sheet" on its Web site. It includes information on everything from how terrorists operate to what chemical and biological agents may be used in an attack. It even includes tips on how to prepare for a building explosion. In Michigan, the Web site for the State Police's emergency management division will be updated to answer questions on terrorism, said spokesman Mark Wesley.

"Our best practice is to make sure we have a solid response network in place," he said. "That includes making sure people have a basic level of preparedness."

Emergency officials in Texas said they had started training officials on how to handle incidents involving weapons of terrorism or mass destruction before the Sept. 11 attacks. Doctors in emergency rooms across the state have been trained to recognize symptoms of the biggest biological terrorism threats, including anthrax and smallpox.

In other states, officials have referred people to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Web site, where a fact sheet offers advice.

While many states focused on disseminating information on preparing for terrorism, Connecticut officials have taken a more cautious approach, opting not to issue a general advisory to residents.

"In this environment we could end up with a run on batteries and flashlights," said John Wiltse, director of the state Office of Emergency Management.