WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 (UPI) -- Military specialists in biological and chemical warfare said Tuesday they are helping law enforcement and federal agencies conduct the ongoing tests for anthrax within Capitol Hill office buildings.
At a news conference in front of the Capitol, members of the U.S. Marine Corps' Chemical/Biological Incident Response Force demonstrated some of the tasks they have been performing inside potentially contaminated offices. Dressed in civilian-style chemical protective gear, they used moist swabs to simulate collecting samples for the U.S. Capitol Police, FBI and Environmental Protection Agency. In practice, the unit has gathered samples from desks, mailrooms and other locations inside congressional offices.
The Marines created CBIRF in the wake of the 1995 nerve gas attack inside Tokyo's subway system, said the unit's executive officer, Lt. Col. Graham, who provided only his last name as a security measure. The Capitol Hill work represents the unit's first operational deployment, he said.
The unit originally was based at Camp Lejeune, N.C., but Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James L. Jones moved CBIRF into the Washington area last summer, Graham said. The unit consists of top-notch chemical/biological defense specialists drawn from throughout the Marines.
Graham would not detail where on Capitol Hill the team has been working, but he said CBIRF's mission includes detecting and identifying more than 100,000 infectious, chemical or radiological agents. The unit also performs search and rescue in contaminated areas, and can decontaminate first responders and provide emergency medical care.
U.S. Air Force and Navy personnel have assisted CBIRF during the current situation, he said.
Working with the EPA on Capitol Hill, the unit developed a three-hour time limit for sampling suspect offices, Graham said. The three-man teams are using EPA sampling techniques as opposed to military standards, he said, but the unit does have its normal equipment ready if it is needed.
One of the enlisted Marines involved in the demonstration, who asked to remain anonymous, said the workload is comparable to the unit's regular training.
Unit members have used military-issue gas masks at some points while investigating offices, but are primarily using commercially available protective equipment as they work, Graham said. The enlisted Marine said the civilian gear, with its forced-air ventilation system, is slightly more comfortable than the military's chemical suits. Graham said the civilian suits offer as much protection as the military's, but are less durable.
Graham said the unit's capabilities exceed that of a typical fire department's hazardous materials unit, since CBIRF deals with much more than industrial chemicals. The unit trains federal and civilian groups on how to deal with situations involving chemical or biological warfare agents.
CBIRF members had been in New York City earlier this year, training with the city's urban search and rescue team, and lost friends in the Sept. 11 attacks, Graham said.
