Students, experts doubt protection during attack
By Ryan Hagen
Washington Square News (New York U.)
03/31/2003

(U-WIRE) NEW YORK — Students have yet to claim the duct tape and plastic drop cloths that New York University stockpiled last month to protect students living in residence halls from terrorist attacks. Experts and students have questioned the effectiveness these materials could have against chemical and biological attacks.

The university bought "thousands" of rolls of duct tape and packages of plastic sheeting in February after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security raised the nation's terror alert status from "elevated" to "high," Vice President for Student Affairs and Services Beth Morningstar told WSN. Government officials suggested that Americans buy the supplies in order to seal off their homes in the event of a terrorist attack involving harmful chemicals.

Bioterrorism experts denounced the Bush administration's suggestion by arguing that duct tape and plastic sheeting would not sufficiently protect the residents of a building from biological and chemical weapons.

"The strategy is useless against biological attacks, as well as bombs and plunging jetliners," Randy Larsen, director of the ANSER Institute for Homeland Security, told the Seattle Times in February.

Morningstar said the university's purchase was motivated by a flood of calls from concerned parents, not the administration or student population.

"We received no single call from students requesting [the supplies]," she said. "The fact that we have them has been very comforting to parents."

However, the supplies may be providing false comfort. According to a government report on the performance of duct tape and plastic during exposure to certain chemical weapons, these materials may only protect rooms for a short time.

According to an August 2001 study by scientists at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a room properly sealed with duct tape and sheet-plastic 2.5 mil (0.0025 inches) thick would block certain nerve gasses for between 25 minutes and three hours. The plastic purchased by NYU is 3 mil thick.

The supplies, which were distributed to the Broome Street, Palladium, Hayden, Water Street and 26th Street residence halls, are available for pickup by anyone with an NYU ID, Morningstar said. So far the response has been minimal. While no exact records are kept of supply pickups, Morningstar said she "hasn't noticed any interest among students."

Students said they had not been informed that the university is distributing the materials, and those who are aware remain reluctant to pick up the supplies.

"There'd be a greater possibility of my picking it up if it were available the way toilet paper is [in residence halls], but I might pick it up for other reasons," said Nick Marian, General Studies Program freshman. "I might just need duct tape."

Other students have questioned the practicality of NYU's decision.

"I don't know what good it would do," said Ilana Holmes, College of Arts and Science sophomore. "It seems more like a safety formality than actually useful."

Bioterrorism expert and NYU Medical Center Dr. Phillip Tierno said that while sealing off one's room might be useful under certain circumstances, his best advice in case of a terrorist attack is to "get the hell out of [the] building" and "go upstate somewhere."

Morningstar acknowledged that the duct tape and plastic drop cloths might not be completely effective and that there are currently no plans to further distribute the university's stockpiles, which will remain indefinitely at their current locations for "anyone who is interested."

Other NYU officials would not comment on the specifics of the purchase, including the cost to the university.

"We are not prepared to talk in details about the purchases we made as part of our emergency planning and preparation, partly because it is a matter of security and partly because it is an internal business matter," said university spokesman John Beckman.

Copyright ©2003Washington Square News via UWire

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