Heat Participates in Missouri Bioterrorism Drill
June 28--ST. PETERS: Officials conducting a drill Thursday to dispense drugs in response to an anthrax attack had to deal with a different health concern -- the heat.
The drill, hosted by the St. Charles County Health Department was supposed to run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the parking lot of Mid Rivers Mall in St. Peters. But by noon, with the temperature hovering near 100, officials simplified the process to get people through the line more quickly.
At least one person waiting to get a fake pill bottle -- that in a real attack would have held medicine -- was treated by paramedics for heat-related symptoms. Several workers also felt ill.
About a dozen health departments from across the St. Louis metropolitan participated in the exercise, the region's first attempt to dispense drugs from a drive-through station.
To attract as big of a crowd as possible, officials handed out free chicken sandwiches from Chick-Fil-A to the first 500 people to come through the line.
Kathy Wilkinson, 55, of St. Peters, said it took her about 45 minutes to get to the end. She read about the drill in the newspaper, and since she doesn't work, decided to volunteer.
"It's a shame this happened on such a hot day, but you never know when terrorism is going to strike," she said.
Copyright 2012 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch
