Product category:
Personal protective equipment (PPE), devices
News Release from: Scott Health and Safety | Subject: Prime Alert
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 27 June 2007
Real biological threats can be detected
Prime Alert from Scott Health and Safety - New biological threat incident screening.
Scott Health and Safety is announcing the launch of the Prime Alert, a portable test kit that allows for rapid authentication of potential terrorist "white powder" attacks Following 9/11, when suspicious powders were found at several U.S
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 31 Mar 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
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post offices, 492 postal facilities were closed with a loss of postal services and incurred expenses running into hundreds of millions of dollars - all due to hoaxes.
Since 9/11 many incidents have occurred involving suspicious powders found in buildings, in the streets and in the mail.
Unfortunately several of these incidents have proven to be real terrorist attacks involving anthrax and resulted in five deaths.
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Most have been hoaxes or copycat attacks that have created panic responses in the community, costing millions in commercial losses, threatening the safety of the public and the lives of first responders at the scene.
To alleviate the substantial costs and time involved sending full-fledged HAZ-MAT response to false alarms, Scott Health and Safety introduces the Prime Alert Biodetection System - the premiere broad-screening biodetection test that quickly detects suspicious levels of bacteria, bacterial spores and many viruses with one test kit, on-site.
Hoax agents such as starch, flour, coffee whitener or washing powder are rapidly screened out.
When first response teams react to a call about a suspicious powder, normal operating procedure requires the deployment of an entire HAZ-MAT Response Team.
This requires employing the resources of numerous firefighters and other first responders, closing off streets and buildings, costing thousands, sometimes millions in commerce and resources.
With the use of the Prime Alert system, first responders can quickly, in under 10 minutes, classify the alarm by determining the biological risk factors of the unknown substance - on-site - before deploying the full HAZ-MAT response.
While other biodetection systems can detect specific biohazards, only Prime Alert can detect all 13 high-priority, bacterial agents identified by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as easily deployed biological weapons, with one test.
Others test kits can only detect up to seven agents, using multiple test samples, often taking hours or days to verify if the mysterious substance is a hoax or a true threat.
This easy-to-use kit enables First Responders to obtain the information needed to identify credible bioterrorist threats, or de-escalate and clear a scene quickly and with confidence.
For example, a negative test for Anthrax does not confirm that a threat is a hoax; it simply means that the substance in question is not Anthrax.
It doesn't eliminate the possibility that other biowarfare agents may be present.
The advantage of Prime Alert Biodetection System's Microbe Screen is that multiple types of biological terrorist threats can be detected with one, 5-minute test.
The Prime Alert Biodetection System employs a unique, patented, fluorescent detection technology that quickly determines whether a suspicious powder sample contains suspicious levels of microbes, including bacteria and bacterial spores.
The system works by adding dye to a sample of an unknown powder.
If the sample contains DNA, a component found in all microbes, the dye will bind to it and become fluorescent.
The microbes can then be detected using the system's hand-held reader.
The Prime Alert is contained in a portable carry case weighing just 5.2 Kg and can be deployed in any situation making it equally suited to fire departments, national or local emergency management agencies, or other hazmat response teams.
The Prime Alert System contains everything required for up to 5 full tests.
Calibration is easy and requires no additional parts or products.
The reader module is powered by 4 standard AAA 1.5 volt batteries.
Replacement test packs are available separately.
Independently assessed, accuracy levels in excess of 98% are achieved using a combination of patented DNA flourescence detection and anti-body based lateral flow technology.
The Scott Prime Alert Bio-detection System is simple to use and is supported with Train the Trainer Packages and users guides in leaflet, video and CD formats.
The Prime Alert is already in use in the USA with customers that include U.S.
Postal Service, Fire Department Hazmat teams in Atlanta, Beverley Hills, Chicago, Seattle, Washington DC Special Operations and the U.S.
Coast Guard, and also military centres in USA, Ireland and Singapore and several industrial corporate security departments.
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