Towns eye bioterror possibility

There have been several phone calls to police in the past weeks about suspicious pieces of mail in Hightstown and East Windsor.

By: T.J. Furman and Scott Morgan
   Following a rash of news items in the past week concerning anthrax-laced letters sent by mail, local police this week reported several incidents of residents concerned about their mail.
   None of the incidents proved to be serious, said East Windsor Mayor Janice Mironov and Hightstown Emergency Management Coordinator Dean Raymond.
   The incidents, however, show the general concern in the weeks following Sept. 11 is now focusing on the wider aspects of public safety.
   Mr. Raymond said all of the borough’s emergency crews are on heightened alert and are ready to respond to emergencies.
   "The Hightstown Police Department, Fire Department, First Aid Squad and the Department of Public Works have been on a high alert status since Sept. 11," he said. "All these departments have been contributing daily to keep the borough safe and secure and have been protecting the resources and equipment we have."
   He said the Police Department has checked out reports of suspicious mail, but found them to be insignificant. Officials at the Hightstown Post Office said they could not comment on the situation.
   Mr. Raymond said the Emergency Management Office’s main responsibility is to coordinate emergency services and hazardous materials teams in times of crisis. The focus recently, he said, is toward better organization of existing capabilities, rather than expansion.
   "We don’t need more money or anything," he said. He said that in the event of emergency response in the borough, assistance can be obtained financially through the Federal Emergency Management Agency or physically through Hamilton Township’s Hazmat team, which works in conjunction with the Hightstown EMO.
   To residents, Mr. Raymond suggested keeping an eye out for anything suspicious, using a little common sense and calling authorities in the event of an emergency.
   "We’re in place and we can respond quickly if people need us," he said.
   Mayor Mironov said the township will implement its regularly reviewed emergency response plan in the event it is needed. The mayor said she meets with Police Chief William Spain on a weekly basis.
   "We feel comfortable and confident to respond to any concerns people have in the community," Mayor Mironov said.
   The mayor said no official measures have been put in place for township employees regarding the handling of mail, but she did say that all employees are "being more vigilant and using more common sense in reviewing and opening mail."