Document text
Medford hit with reports of suspected 'biohazards' Police chased down reported biohazards in town Thursday but were warning residents there is no evidence that dangerous mail is showing up in Medford. A woman living at the 3000 block of Pippin Circle called police when a package she was expecting in the mail showed up battered and stained Thursday. Medford police officer Bernab� Maya said the stains look like the were caused by rain. Police responded Thursday to two other circumstances of suspicious mail, one a credit card offer that appeared to have been opened. In the midst of the nationwide anthrax scare, there are no means for officers to test mail at the scene to determine if it is dangerous. Police may seize suspicious items but haven't sent any mail away for testing, said Medford police Lt. Mike Moran While Medford police are responding to potentially hazardous materials reported by residents who are becoming more and more wary of their mail, callers should be prepared to answer some questions. "We have limited resources, so we can't send the Hazmat truck out on every strange piece of mail," said Moran. "But we're trying not to minimize people's concern." Complainants should report if they have been exposed to any suspicious substance though the mail, Moran said. Those who think they may have been exposed to a biohazard should wash their skin with soap and water. If any type of powder spills, surfaces can be sterilized with a solution of 1 part bleach and 9 parts water, he said. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.