Why would any sane person put a Level 4 biodefense lab in Galveston?

[DogPoundPup]

Category: Bioterrorism • Priorities
Posted on: September 13, 2008 7:16 AM, by revere
http://scienceblogs.com/effectmeasure/2008/09/why_would_any_sane_person_put.php

It's not like no one thought Galveston could ever be hit by a monster storm. The city was almost destroyed in The Great Storm of 1900 which struck on September 8 of that year and killed 6000 people. The Thomas Edison Company has historic film footage of the destruction. So it seems a bit odd (I understate) that the geniuses at the Department of Homeland Security and NIH decided that Galveston was a good place for one of the first two high containment biodefense laboratories to be built after 9/11 (the other is situated in a densely populated neighborhood in Boston, another sterling choice). But put in Galveston they did and now it's almost built. And another monster storm (track it in real time here) is bearing down on Galveston so the lab is being evacuated before it goes under water. Some of the locals are wryly amused:

Here at the Biodefense Barbeque, we tip our hats to the visionaries in Washington and at the University of Texas System that decided to put a huge lab handling the most dangerous and exotic diseases in the world on a barrier island known for periodically being cataclysmically obliterated by hurricanes. Maybe they were taking George Bush's rhetoric denying global warming a little more seriously than prudent planners would. (Texas Biodefense Barbeque)

Whether you are amused or not depends on whether you think it's funny to scare people so you can rack up pork barrel projects with no particular value but significant downsides (and here, passim). The site selection certainly speaks to a colossal incompetence, a monumental stupidity and a cynicism almost unparalleled in the annals of American politics.

Picture these guys digging around for the infected rhesus monkeys, ferrets, mice and rats:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuYFNnrv-6w

Probably a baseless worry. I'm sure it's perfectly safe. They told us so.

[hedgehog]

1. I can understand someone shipping the pork to Texas,

but why Galveston?

[TZ]

4. Because people don't want them in large population centers

They actually wanted that lab in Bethesda, MD where there are almost never hurricanes. But people objected.
Galveston actually has not gotten hit by a hurricane for awhile.

[beam me up scottie]

6. And the politicians decided that Galveston was their only other option?

E-freakin-Gad.

We absolutely must get control back from these idiots in November.

[TZ]

11. They are trying to expand and modernize the facilities

in Fort Detrick as well. Most of these decisions actually are not made by the politicians per se.
There is probably something about that location that makes it attractive as a biodefense base. Believe me, when it comes to placement/safety of these facilites they don't play around these days.
I'm speaking as someone who has done her share of work on biodefense programs both private and public.

[hedgehog]

7. I heard someone refer to the Houston -Galveston corrider

as the 4th largest metro area in the country.

[TZ]

13. Not larger than the Baltimore Washington corridor

And we have Detrick, NIH etc....I'm thinking it has something to do with the ease/facility of disposal and or containment procedures.
Despite how it seems these sites are not randomly chosen.

[muntrv]

2. The same reason Rudy put Central Command under the WTC after the 1993 bombing.

[Olney Blue]

3. Any news on the state of the lab right now?

[TZ]

5. Wasn't finished yet.

Probably won't be from what I was reading. If the folks in this area had let NIH use their lab, this wouldn't have been an issue. More level 4 labs are needed but its the ultimate NIMBY project...

[Chan790]

8. While I see both POVs...

wouldn't someplace reachable, containable and uninhabitable (another Plum Island type facility) make more sense?

[TZ]

14. One of the considerations may be where they are getting the work from

These materials are supposed to be moved minimal distances. I suspect there is a nearby facility that houses some of the necessary materials (a level three lab probably)

[ConcernedCanuk]

9. Your question suggests you expect sane decisions from your government . .

.
.
.

you should know better after the last 8 years . .

just look at the USA's economy,

and deteriorating respect around the world.

It ain't gonna get better in the near future

Much of the World is anxiously awaiting the fall of the USA -

They've been the "bully on the block" for too long,

And the World is awaiting someone to kick their ass.

We know we can't do it with bombs and bullets,

But we can do it economically.

I think it was in the original "Die Hard" movie that the Japanese exec said something to the effect that "We knew we couldn't beat you with bombs - so we did it with transistors"

And indeed, the Asians have swamped our North American markets with their goods, tumbling our manufacturing sector.

And North American stubbornness and stupidity let them . . .

(sigh)

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

10. Not to defend the decision but it is an island.

If you did have an outbreak or an escape an island would be the easiest place to isolate.

David

[ColbertWatcher]

12. Well, no wonder they don't want any one to see! Thank you for posting! k+r, n/t

[ColbertWatcher]

15. Kick for more attention. n/t