Nearly $3 million from grant to be used for health lab projects

Friday, April 5, 2002 | 9:47 a.m.

SUN CAPITAL BUREAU

CARSON CITY -- About 30 percent of a $10.4 million federal grant to fight bioterrorism will be used to establish a state health laboratory in Las Vegas and to upgrade the one in Reno.

A plan prepared by the state Health Division calls for $2.3 million to be used in Las Vegas and $687,000 in Reno for diagnosis of chemical and biological agents, such as the anthrax scare that hit Northern Nevada in October.

The plan, reviewed by the Homeland Security Committee Thursday, will be forwarded to Gov. Kenny Guinn next week. If approved, it will be submitted to the federal government for final ratification.

The state has a public health lab in Reno but none in Las Vegas, where nearly 70 percent of the population lives. "Las Vegas is the only city in the nation of greater than 1 million population that is without a public health laboratory within approximately 100 miles," the draft report of the health division said.

It said the Las Vegas area is a "potential bull's eye for potential domestic and foreign terrorist activity," because of the vast number of visitors, the location of the hydroelectric power plant at Hoover Dam and Nellis Air Force Base.

Currently, tests must be sent to Reno or to out of state labs for analysis, which creates "unacceptable delays," the report said.

Randall Todd, chief of the state Bureau of Disease Control and Intervention, said the $2.3 million for Las Vegas would be enough to renovate an existing facility, purchase equipment and hire staff.

Todd told the security committee that he was informed by federal officials that another $10 million would probably be available next year.

There were requests for more than $25 million from the $10.4 million available. State Health Administrator Yvonne Sylva said that some of the grant money goes for existing programs.

The report will also recommend money be set aside for starting to upgrade an emergency communication network so that law enforcement, fire officials, health personnel and others can talk to each other on the same network.

There is a need "to improve the flow of information among hospital emergency departments, urgent care centers, state and local health officials and law enforcement officials by ensuring that the ability for a two-way exchange of information exists," the health division report said.

Plans must be developed for areas to take care of up to 500 casualties in case of a bioterrorism attack, it said. Hospitals must be connected so that information can be disseminated when one is full.

The governor, under the plan, would be able to hire a director of homeland security to ensure Nevada is ready to respond to terrorist threats or attacks. The director, to be paid $40 an hour, would work closely with the federal government "to protect Nevada from chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, explosive or other related materials that have the potential to be used in terrorist attacks."

Training of emergency health personnel and others would be a big component under the plan.

Guinn must approve the plan by April 15 and the federal government is expected to ratify it or reject it within 30 days.