Guttenberg Councilman Javier Inclan also serves on the board of the Hudson Regional Health Commission. As the only elected official who is also on the HRHC, Inclan keeps the town up to date with any new programs the Secaucus-based organization may offer.
When Inclan heard of the new informational seminar series entitled “Taking the Terror out of Bio-Terrorism,” he thought it would be perfect for his residents.
“It’s a good way to get Guttenberg on the map, but it’s also a good way to give our residents a chance to learn more about a critical issue like this,” he said last week. “Although television is doing a fine job, people need to hear more from the experts. Having questions and answers, having a dialogue in how to deal with the possibilities of a bio-terrorist attack, always helps.”
Gary Garetano, the assistant director of the HRHC, said, “The thought of terrorism creates fear and panic. Certain other issues only add to the fear. Some of the planning that has gone on statewide and nationwide has been providing some knowledge to take some of the fear away and make it a little easier to understand.”
The seminar will be held on March 11 at the Guttenberg Community Center, beginning at 7 p.m. All are invited to attend.
The program has been developed by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services to inform the general public about the proper precautions and the major misconceptions about what to do in case of a bio-terrorist attack.
Garetano said that the program was in place before the federal government raised the terror attack alert level to “high” or “orange.”
“The timing is just coincidental,” said Garetano, who will coordinate the seminars along with the HRHC’s health educator, Monique Davis. “But the timing is appropriate. Had the alert status not been raised, we still would have conducted the series.”
Garetano said that the program was introduced to all of the commissioners on the HRHC, but Inclan and Guttenberg were the first to show interest.
“I have a sense that once it’s out there and other people know about it, there will be more interest,” Garetano said.
Guttenberg Mayor David Delle Donna is pleased that the seminar will be coming to the town. “Along with inviting all the residents of the town to this seminar, we are going to request that all municipal employees who are not on duty also attend,” Delle Donna said. “It makes sense to have as many possible acquire some knowledge about terrorist attacks and it logically follows that in the event of an attack, the first place people are going to look for help is from the local government. We have no historical experience regarding germ warfare, so everyone should avail themselves of any educational opportunity to prepare themselves.”
Garetano said that some simple “do’s and don’ts” will be addressed.
‘Don’t buy gas masks’
“Perhaps the biggest don’t is don’t buy gas masks,” Garetano said. “People think that they should be buying gas masks and duct taping their windows with plastic. That’s just part of the fear. You should also not stockpile antibiotics.”
There are other easier plans that will be addressed.
“We’ll work alerting you to your surroundings, reporting suspicious activity,” Garetano said. “You should obey instructions from law enforcement and public health officials. You should also have a personal safety plan, like what happens if Dad is at work, who we can call and how.”
Garetano said that the seminars have a positive effect on participants.
“If you don’t know something, chances are that you might act irrationally,” Garetano said. “Talking about it won’t make people more hysterical, especially if you know facts. If we lived 100 miles from Iraq, maybe we would need to know what would happen if a missile with chemical agents gets fired. But we can’t say something serious won’t happen. Having a false sense of security is worse than knowing the risks. It’s intended to take the terror out.”
Delle Donna said that the town plans to distribute printed information to all employees and residents concerning possible bio-terrorist attacks.
“We hope that all residents will take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about the possible threats,” Delle Donna said.
“It’s more informational than anything,” Inclan said. “Everyone will be less panicked if they know more.”