Mackay Bioterror Scare

Powder scare sparks post office evacuation

ABC - September 23, 2008, 8:22 am

A building was evacuated in Mackay last night and eight people were treated for skin irritations after a powder was found in a mail package.

Police say the powder was found by staff at an Australia Post office on Bridge Road in west Mackay, in north Queensland, about 9:00pm AEST.

Senior Constable Gavin Burnett says scientific testing of the powder revealed it was not a dangerous substance.

"Arrangements were made for an investigative chemist to attend the scene. Some tests were conducted on the substance and it was found to have been an ammonia salt which I understand is a type of fertiliser," he said.

"As a result of that, that was taken down to the Mackay Base Hospital and disposed off."

Note from DELTRA Australia: Although for most businesses this type of incident is not common, certain businesses such as courier or transport companies and postal services deal with this type of emergency on a weekly basis. What would you do if you received a package like this?

Brisbane Transport Bomb Threat

Threats made against Brisbane buses

September 13, 2008, 5:42 pm

Brisbane's public transport network is on high alert this weekend after police received threats against Brisbane's buses.

Police received a phone call at 4.15pm (AEST) on Thursday from a man at a Brisbane location making threats against services.

Acting chief superintendent Peter Crawford said police did not believe the threats were "credible" but warned people to be vigilant and report any suspicious packages or luggage.

"Police do not believe this is a credible threat," Supt Crawford said.

"We do not want people to be alarmed and we would like people to go about their normal business over the weekend."

The threats come as Brisbane hosts several activities this weekend including the Bledisloe Cup game and Valley Fiesta.

"What this incident does is highlight to us the importance of being alert in public places and on public transport for suspicious activity and suspicious articles.

"If you see unattended packages or unattended luggage or suspicious activity ... report to police or public transport officials."

Police are working closely with the Brisbane City Council and Translink to ensure security is increased this weekend.

A "significant number" of police are already manning Brisbane streets due to the public activities, Supt Crawford said.

A major incident room has been set up and a team of detectives are working on the incident.

Supt Crawford said the crime was "very serious" and carried a penalty of 14 years of imprisonment.

"The offender involved will be prosecuted," he said.

Brisbane's public transport network was shut down after several bomb threats were made to bus and train services on the same day in late 2005.

Those threats were found to be a hoax.

Anyone with information should phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Source: Yahoo7 News

Personal Threats at Work

"Attention, Attention...We have a Code Black in progress at reception."

Would your staff know how to cope with a situation in which their life was being threatened? Do you have procedures in place? It is an obligation of employers to ensure the safety of their employees under both federal and state law (Qld). See the story below for an example of how common these threats really are...

Centrelink staff receiving death threats

September 15, 2008, 8:15 am

More than 80 per cent of Centrelink employees say they have been threatened by a customer at work, with some even receiving death threats.

One Centrelink staff member had a customer threaten to cut them up with a chainsaw, while another was given a cartoon which depicted them hanging from a noose, a national survey released on Monday reveals.

The Community and Public Services Sector Union (CPSU) says its report proves the government must act together with Centrelink management to tackle the causes of customer aggression, such as long queues and waiting periods.

"Staff tell us while local managers are doing their best to protect and support frontline workers and customers, senior management need to do more to make offices safe," CPSU deputy president Lisa Newman said in a statement.

"The federal government needs to bring together Centrelink management, ComCare, the union and welfare groups to review the issue."

Around one in three Australians are Centrelink customers and the agency has 27,000 staff, mostly women, employed at over 1,000 locations, the union says.

Its survey of 330 staff members found 81 per cent reported being threatened by a customer, 32 per cent had received a death threat and 29 per cent had been physically assaulted at work.

The types of assault included customers jumping over desks to attack staff, tipping objects off desks and throwing office chairs, computers, garbage bins, food, telephones, pens, paper and magazines at employees.

Knives were brandished at staff who were sometimes slapped, hit and punched by customers.

The CPSU says on average one Centrelink employee is subject to serious workplace violence each week.

But Centrelink general manager Hank Jongen disputes the union's findings.

"Our figures indicate nowhere near that level of abuse, either verbal or physical, across our network," Mr Jongen told ABC Radio.

"On average we are required to call the police to our offices on about three occasions per year. That's about three call-outs per year, per office."

Intimidation of staff wasn't accepted, and Centrelink took any such incidents "very seriously".

"There's a whole process where we provide affected staff with free support.

"There's assistance and safety and security advisers. On top of that we've been working with the federal police."

Source: Yahoo7 News

Explosion danger at Vic housing estate

Methane gas leaking from a closed landfill into neighbouring houses is a problem almost without precedent on a world scale, fire authorities have told a public meeting.

Residents of a the Brookland Greens housing estate at Cranbourne, south-east of Melbourne , have been urged to leave their homes because of the leak, which is creeping through the ground to the surface in an area beside the old tip, which has been capped.

Dangerous concentrations of methane have been detected in confined areas including the wall cavity of a house, under the kitchen sink of another and in stormwater pits around the estate.

At a public meeting before a rowdy crowd of more than 500, Country Fire Authority assistant chief fire officer Stephen Warrington said there had been very few similar incidents.

"Unfortunately for us, this is quite unique for Australia and most of the world. We don't know the ramifications of it," he told the meeting.

An earlier incident in England had revealed a 250-metre cordon should be drawn around an affected house to ensure the safety of all nearby.

Following that rule, much of the northern section of the estate was in the highest risk zone, he said.

He warned the crowd of the "very real risk" of explosion but said there were ways to reduce the danger if residents decided to stay.

"The only 100 per cent sure way to eliminate this risk from residents is for them to relocate from their homes," Mr Warrington said.

"Should you choose not to relocate, and I suspect that would be a large majority of people in this room... then there is a range of actions you can take on your property to increase your safety.

"We are not saying panic and run for the hills, but we cannot give you a gilt-edged guarantee. We can give you enough information to mitigate the risk."

Tips included adequately ventilating all confined spaces to allow a build-up of methane to escape, reporting gas build-up quickly and avoiding the use of ignition sources in confined spaces, Mr Warrington said.

Checks revealed no houses had dangerous levels of methane but the situation could change any time, Mr Warrington said.

More than 70 monitors have been installed in houses, with a further 300 ordered for the neighbourhood.

The Victorian government had allocated $3 million to buy new monitors and assist with building vents and other engineering solutions.

The local council, the City of Casey, originally rejected parts of the residential proposal by developer Peet Ltd, but the decision was overturned by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal in September 2004.

The president of the Cranbourne and District Residents Association, David Banner, told The Age: "Developers are getting their own way ... but once they've built it, once they've sold it and once they've moved on they've got the profit and the community and local council has to clean up the mess."

But in a statement, Peet Ltd said it had been advocating on behalf of residents for about two years, urging the council to improve management of the site to eliminate the risk of gas leaking.

Residents already angry that the meeting was hastily relocated because of a larger-than-expected turnout, were not satisfied.

Home owner Peter Turner said: "The Premier should have been here for a start. Peet should have been there. It was a waste of time."

Teresa La Paglia said: "Where is the machine to take home to make sure we are safe? Do we have to sleep with all the doors and the windows open?"

Police and Emergency Services Minister Bob Cameron said emergency grants of up to $1,067 each would be given to affected families.

Temporary accommodation and other support would also be provided as needed, he told parliament.

Source: Yahoo7 News

Fierce fire forces Channel tunnel evacuation, 14 injured September 12, 2008, 8:09 am

CALAIS, France (AFP) - Rescuers evacuated dozens of truck drivers from the Channel Tunnel on Thursday after an explosion and fire on a freight shuttle injured 14 people and forced the closure of the undersea link, officials said.

Six people suffered smoke inhalation and eight were slightly injured after the blaze took hold on a truck being carried from Britain to France, officials said.

It took about three hours to bring 32 people -- mostly truckers who moved from the burning train into a parallel service tunnel -- to safety at the Calais entrance on a special train. The fire was still burning more than five hours later though emergency services said it was under control.

The tunnel suffered serious damage in 1,000 degree Celsius (1,830 Fahrenheit) heat, a French government minister said.

Thousands of people were stranded in London, Paris and Brussels and huge traffic tailbacks built up on either side of the Channel after the tunnel was closed.

A statement on Eurostar's website said the company "does not expect to operate a service" on Friday, with a question mark placed over Saturday and Sunday schedules too.

It is the third major fire in the tunnel since it was opened in May 1994.

The train was about five kilometres (three miles) from the Calais exit on the French side of the 50.5-kilometre (31.4-mile) long tunnel when it caught fire, according to Francois Malhanche, director of the regional prefect's office.

"The fire appears to be accidental. It started in a truck brake system that overheated and spread to a tyre and then to two other trucks," Malhanche said.

One of the other trucks on the shuttle was transporting phenol acid, but this did not catch fire, officials said.

"There are six persons suffering from slight smoke inhalation and eight others who have minor injuries such as from shattered glass."

Helicopters and ambulances were waiting at the entrance to the tunnel on the French side to take the injured to hospitals in the region.

French Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie went immediately to the site in northern France.

"Two of the drivers said they heard an explosion and this was followed by flames," Alliot-Marie told reporters. "They tried to get out and could do so because of the structure of the tunnel which allows a rapid evacuation.

"It is probable that the damage is major as the firemen told me that the heat from the fire probably reached 1,000 degrees Celsius," the minister added.

The multi-billion dollar tunnel carries Eurostar express trains between London, Paris and Brussels, as well as freight and passenger shuttles between Folkestone and Calais.

There are two tunnels for passenger trains and shuttles and a service tunnel for maintenance and safety operations.

In the first serious incident on November 18, 1996, a fire broke out on a late-night shuttle train carrying trucks. Eight people were injured and the service was disrupted for several months.

On August 21, 2006, the tunnel was closed for several hours after a truck engine caught fire, sending smoke through the tunnel. Passengers, mainly drivers, were evacuated through the service tunnel which runs parallel to the main train route.

Long traffic tailbacks rapidly formed on the British end after the tunnel was closed.

Kent Fire and Rescue service, on the British side of the tunnel, said it sent seven fire engines to help French counterparts at the scene. A spokeswoman called it a "serious incident."

Kent police implemented "Operation Stack," which allows trucks to park along the main M20 motorway running down to the tunnel terminal from London.

The SNCF French state rail firm said four high-speed express trains had to return to Paris or London because of the tunnel closure.

Thousands of passengers were left stranded at the Gare du Nord rail station in Paris and the new St Pancras station in London.

Passengers waiting for the 5:13pm (1513 GMT) train from Paris to London were told by loudspeaker announcements that there would be no more trains for the rest of the day.

There was a rush for any remaining plane seats between London and Paris and for available hotel rooms.

Source: Yahoo7 News