DAN'S PAPERS, August 29, 2008 Page 111 www.danshamptons.com
Dan’s North Fork
The Importance Of Plum Island The Scene At The Greenport School Where The North Fork Gathered To Discuss Plum Island By Phyllis Lombardi I really wasn’t scared. Even though everyone was talking disease, evacuation, vaccines, pathogens. Isn’t pathogen an awful word? Perhaps if I knew what it meant, I’d feel better about it. All the talking was going on in Greenport School a few nights ago. The meeting started at 6 p.m. and went on till 10. That’s because there’s lots to say about Plum Island Animal Disease Center. Especially now that Homeland Security is involved. Indeed, I spend considerable time at Orient Beach State Park and I never even think about Plum Island which is just a mile or so east of Orient Point. Everything’s so peaceful out that way. But Homeland Security has a plan for Plum Island and many North Forkers have questions. Homeland Security guys are thinking about establishing a kind of new research lab on Plum – a Level 4 lab that will, among other things, investigate foreign animal diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans. Like from a zebra to you or a panda to me. There’s something I have to tell you. I’m only a little brave. The reason I wasn’t scared is because I was escorted to Greenport School by Homeland Security’s Brad Buswell. Brad is Deputy Under Secretary for Science and Technology and I figured if I walked into the meeting with Brad, I’d be safe. I’ve known Brad since the 1980s. He’s a friend and happens to be the father of my Virginia grandchildren. He’d be good to have around in case any zebras or pandas appeared. But all I saw in Greenport School were North Fork people. People who affirmed the importance of the work done on Plum but who voiced their fears in comments and questions. First, though, there was time to look over an information packet available to everyone and time to examine a display set up in the lobby. You could sign up for stuff, too. A helpful young woman said I’d receive additional material in the mail so I put down my name and address. Though it was dusky in the lobby and I think I may have signed up for some type of Plum Island experiment. I sat in the last row in the auditorium. That way I could evacuate fast if some angry words or pathogens got loose. My car was parked nearby so I could escape quickly except for one thing. My husband was with us and he doesn’t walk as fast as Brad and I do. Decency would require I wait for him. And mostly I’m decent. Happily, no pathogens escaped. Just information from Homeland folks and Plum people. I learned “NBAF would be owned by DHS with ARS and APHIS-VS as primary partners.” If I can get all that in one night then I could probably get a PhD in a week. NBAF is the proposed National Bio and AgroDefense Facility. DHS? That’s easy – Department of Homeland Security. I’m not going to tell you what the other letters mean because you might fall asleep and Dan’s Papers likes you awake. James Johnson from DHS welcomed us and spoke about the six sites currently being considered for a Biosafety Level 4 lab. James must be very important because Brad told me 208,000 people work for DHS. That includes all members of the U.S. Coast Guard, the Secret Service, and Customs and Immigration. Then lots of people asked questions or made com-
ments. Debbie O’Kane of Orient wanted to know if the North Fork pesky mosquitoes could spread Rift Valley Fever which would be studied at a Level 4 Plum. Former U.S. congresswoman Elizabeth Holtzman asked about the economic effects of diseases spread to humans (that’s us) and state assemblyman Mark Alessi said Level 4 would be a benefit to science. Greenport mayor David Nyce spoke for himself and Suffolk County legislator Ed Romaine. They’re not happy about a Level 4 on Plum. And nobody liked those viruses Nijah and
Hendra. Don’t worry. DHS won’t make a decision till later this year and the new facility won’t open till 2015. And it could be as far away as Kansas or Mississippi. You can get more information at Southold Free Library, designated by DHS as an “information repository.” On a lighter note, only one cell phone rang during the entire evening. Its owner quickly evacuated the premises and it appears there were no fatalities due to the dreaded CPV (cell phone virus).
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