The Federal Emergency Management Agency dropped its opposition to protective hoods, commonly known as gas masks, on Tuesday and said it would provide $7 million to the county to purchase them.
Undersecretary of Defense Edward “Pete” Aldridge promised the masks last fall. When the funds came to FEMA, however, officials there decided to nix the them, citing safety concerns.
Their refusal to pass along the money set off a lawsuit by Gov. Don Siegelman and more excuses from the county officials for the lack of an emergency plan. Upon hearing of Tuesday’s announcement, a governor’s spokesman said the governor would drop the suit to stop the incineration of the chemical weapons stockpile.
Now there can be no excuses from the Calhoun County Commission and EMA for the lack of an emergency preparedness plan in the event of a chemical weapons accident at the Anniston Army Depot. They have said their plan is dependent upon receiving the hoods. So let’s see it. This community has lived far too long in the shadow of a chemical weapons stockpile. As we are all well aware, the stockpile poses a hazard right now, whether from terrorist attack or a natural disaster. No longer can the county make excuses as to why they don’t have any emergency plan in case of a disaster.
Mike Burney, director of the Calhoun County EMA, said that his agency has been preparing all along for distributing the masks and educating the 35,000 residents on its use. Let’s go. Let’s do it. Let’s not waste another minute.
Anniston will become one of three places in the world where civilians have gas masks, including Israelis and family members of American service men and women in South Korea.
The disposal of the weapons now can go forward as planned. Ridding them from the earth is indeed the ultimate protection for this community. Once they are gone, we can stop wringing our hands and throw away the gas masks.
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