Des Moines postal worker mistakenly thinks he has anthrax

A false alarm Friday tested the preparations of central Iowa emergency-response professionals, when a postal worker went to his doctor saying he thought he might be infected with anthrax. Des Moines police lieutenant Kelly Willis says though the case turned out not to be the disease used in apparent terrorist attacks in eastern states, some good did come from the brief scare. He says the good news is that it was a rehearsal for all entities involved and federal, state and local officials responded well. Communications among agencies went well, the outcome was good, the hospital put the man on preventive Cipro, but the report was not anthrax.