Bryan L. Williams ^1* Melina S. Magsumbol ¹

¹ University of Tennessee Health Science Center

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: bwilli36{at}utmem.edu.

	Abstract

We examined trust in the army and perceptions of emergency preparedness among residents living near the Anniston, Ala, and Richmond, Ky, US Army chemical weapons stockpile sites shortly after September 11, 2001.

Residents (n=655) living near the 2 sites who participated in a cross-sectional population were relatively unprepared in the event of a chemical emergency. The events of September 11 gave rise to concerns concerning the security of stored chemical weapons and the sites’ vulnerability to terrorist attacks. Although residents expressed trust in the army to manage chemical weapons safely, only a few expressed a desire to actively participate in site decisions.

Compliance with procedures during emergencies could be seriously limited, putting residents in these sites at higher levels of risk than nonresidents.

Key Words: Community Health, Environment, Health Policy, Health Professionals, Health Promotion, Surveys