To slow a growing number of anthrax false alarms, Hamilton County Prosecutor Mike Allen has vowed to pursue criminal charges against people who perpetrate hoaxes.

        Charges could include inducing panic, aggravated menacing, menacing, disorderly conduct, telecommunications harassment, and depending on the wording of a threat, ethnic intimidation.

Mike Allen

        “We take these types of incidents very seriously, whether it's a dangerous or harmless substance. They will be prosecuted vigorously,” Mr. Allen said.

        While some anthrax attacks have occurred in other cities, there have been none here. Yet, many Tristate residents are overreacting to the threat, said Tim Ingram, Hamilton County health commissioner, and those fears are starting to strain county resources.

        Since Oct. 8, the Greater Cincinnati Hazmat Team and other emergency and public health agencies have responded to 28 possible anthrax incidents. All of them have been false alarms, Mr. Ingram said.

        “We know citizens are scared, but people have to get a grip on themselves,” Mr. Ingram said. “Citizens should understand that time spent chasing false reports is not only time that could be spent doing routine activities necessary to keep the county running, but is also expensive.”

        Bioterrorism fears have gripped the United States and several other countries for a reason. A Florida man has died after inhaling anthrax, and at least 13 other people have become ill or tested positive for exposure to anthrax in several apparent attacks. Anthrax traces have been confirmed at NBC studios in New York, at Congressional offices in Washington, D.C., and at a Microsoft office in Nevada.

        Fears have swelled so much that office workers nationwide are starting to wear gloves to open mail, and every encounter with an unexplained white, powdery substance prompts a call to authorities.

        On Tuesday, authorities responded to anthrax scares at a Clermont County abortion clinic, Mercy Hospital Clermont and Southern Ohio College. Preliminary tests indicated no signs of anthrax, but some samples have been sent to the Ohio Department of Health for further analysis.

        In recent days, some of the emergency runs have reflected potentially credible threats, but most have reflected unreasonable levels of fear, Mr. Ingram said.

        For example, a woman sought and received testing at a hospital emergency department in the past week because she feared she had been exposed to anthrax by touching coins.

        Meanwhile, fire and police units rushed to an area high school after someone reported sugar on the cafeteria floor as an unknown white powder.

        So far, only one false alarm has risen to the point of filing criminal charges. Jack Silz of Pierce Township faces felony charges of inducing panic after placing an envelope containing white powder on his boss' desk as a prank.

        County officials say it is too early to put a dollar figure on the costs of responding to and investigating false bioterrorism alarms. But each false alarm probably triggers at least a few thousand dollars in costs to public agencies.

        Much of the gear that hazmat teams use to gather suspicious materials gets thrown away after use, even in cases that turn out to be false alarms, Mr. Ingram said. Other costs would include lab supplies, fuel costs and wear and tear on emergency vehicles, as well as wasted staff time. In addition, responding to false alarms can leave emergency teams out of position should a serious call come in.

        In Columbus, lab personnel at the Ohio State Health Department are getting swamped with samples to analyze from anthrax scares.

        Since Oct. 8, the ODH has received more than 150 samples to test, with 80 coming in Monday alone. In all of 2000, the department tested exactly three samples for signs of anthrax or other biological dangers, said spokesman Jay Carey.

        “All this is taking people away from other work they are supposed to be doing,” Mr. Ingram said.

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