HFD praises Hawaii An envelope with no return address and blocked lettering was sent to a 53-year-old Hawaii Kai resident Wednesday. His wife, alarmed, placed it in a plastic bag and called 911.
Kai woman for
handling of
suspicious letter
False alarms relating to anthrax
reach 329, some of them pranksBy Rosemarie Bernardo
rbernardo@starbulletin.comShe was told a police officer would arrive shortly at the couple's Mariners Ridge home. Soon thereafter, not only did police officers arrive, but so did a hazardous materials assessment team, fire officials and more police officers.
Embarrassed by a whole team responding to her call, she apologized to fire and police officials. But the Hawaii Kai resident was told she did the right thing.
"She did good," said Honolulu Fire spokesman Capt. Kenison Tejada. "We tell them it's better to be safe than sorry." The woman did not want to giver her name.
As of yesterday evening, the Honolulu Fire Department had received 329 calls relating to suspicious white powdery substances, envelopes or packages since Oct. 11, said Tejada.
The Hawaii Kai couple are just like many other isle residents who have been taking precautionary measures after receiving anything in the mail that seems suspicious. So far, there have been 16 confirmed cases of anthrax exposure on the East Coast. Four of those people have died. Tejada said there has been no confirmation of anthrax in Hawaii.
Since the anthrax scare erupted on Oct. 11, Capt. Carter Davis of Hazardous Materials Unit 1 said he often feels like a social worker or a psychiatrist.
"It's important to calm their fears," Davis said. Though calls of suspicious white powdery substance and letters continue to be phoned in, Davis said he noticed a change in the community's attitude toward bioterrorism.
"They're beginning to accept that they're not a target," Davis said. He also alerted residents of pranksters. Yesterday, fire officials responded to resident's home in Salt Lake after a white powdery substance was scattered all over their mailbox. It appeared to be powdered sugar, he said.
People who get caught for that could potentially be prosecuted, Davis added.
The Hawaii Kai resident said she did not believe the letter contained anthrax, but was suspicious because of the blocked lettering and no return address. She believed the letter was a chain letter that included a prayer that read, "This prayer has been around the world three times ..."
She said she followed the instructions of the U.S. Postal Service after an announcement was sent to homes to look out for warning signs on letters and packages.
The Hawaii Kai resident advised those who mail letters to include the return address, adding that in this time of increased anxiety, "People feel more vulnerable than they (normally) do."