Department of Homeland Security investigating Idaho duck deaths?

[Target_For_Exterm]

OK, I'm a little bit freaked out by the Idaho duck deaths. Not scared or anything. Just a little weirded out.

"BOISE, Idaho - More than 1,000 mallard ducks have died along a single creek in southern Idaho, and officials on Wednesday tested tissue samples to find out why.

The symptoms — lesions in the lungs and hemorrhaging in the heart wall — likely point to a bacterial infection, not avian flu, said Dave Parrish, regional supervisor for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

State wildlife biologists and U.S. Department of Homeland Security investigators were not ruling out any cause of death."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16190544/

And they are testing for bird flu in Utah, where I live:

"Fecal samples from Utah birds being tested for bird flu
The Associated Press
Article Last Updated:12/12/2006 07:53:33 AM MST

Posted: 7:51 AM- BRIGHAM CITY - State biologists may soon know if bird flu has reached Utah. This after sending fecal samples from hundreds of birds to a lab to determine if they have the disease.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources says it has samples from 1,180 birds and hopes to have 120 more when the duck-hunting season ends January 20th.
A state biologist says it's a long shot for one of our birds to actually come in contact with the birds from Asia, but he says you never know.
At least 154 people have been killed from the H-5-N-1 virus since it turned up in Asia in 2003. The disease has also spread to Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Most human cases have been traced to people who work on large poultry farms."

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_4825017

One of the things I really enjoy about Utah is all the wildlife. I have deer and elk wandering through my yard all the time - and I have the tracks in the snow to prove it! And they wander through my yard in broad daylight while I'm watching them. It's pretty common to go outside and see various wild birds all over the place. I saw birds flying south for the winter that were pure white with black tipped wings that I thought for a moment might be seagulls from Salt Lake. Nah.

So this testing for bird flu is a bit freaky. Not only would bird flu affect people, but it would kill off a lot of wildlife that's plentiful around here.

But what's even more freaky - what the heck is DHS involved for? The Department of Homeland Security investigates animal deaths now? And I thought responsibility for bird flu was transferred to Health and Human Services.

Anyone know why DHS might be involved in this investigation, other than :tinfoilhat:?

[Botany]

1. I bet the ducks ate something that caused this.

Grain w/ a fungus or that had been treated
w/ some chemical.

[dipsydoodle]

2. Any factories

upstream ? x(

[shance]

3. That's what's suspicious. Why is Homeland Security involved?

Should be the health department.

[IDemo]

6. DHS was notified because of the possibility of bird flu:

One disease they fear is the avian flu, so the Department of Homeland Security is involved. But after a preliminary look at these mallards a state veterinarian says that doesn't look to be the case.

[shance]

7. Again, why Homeland Security?

Why not the Health Department?

[IDemo]

11. Not sure

Maybe the boys at DHS don't have a lot to do now that the state has basically booted out all of the skinheads.

[Target_For_Exterm]

8. Whoa - 3400 ducks dead in 2 days. That's massive!

I didn't know bacterial infections could kill that fast. And kill only ducks, but nothing else? That seems so strange.

BTW, I thought responsibility for bird flu management had recently been passed to Health and Human Services because of DHS ineptitude.

"`(a) In General- The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall lead all Federal public health and medical response to public health emergencies and incidents covered by the National Response Plan developed pursuant to section 502(6) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, or any successor plan."

http://www.theorator.com/bills109/s3678.html

Edit to add:

"Jul 19, 2006 (CIDRAP News) – A US Senate committee today approved a bill packed with a wide variety of provisions designed to improve the nation's ability to handle public health emergencies, including pandemic influenza.

The bipartisan "Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act" was unanimously approved by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, according to Laura Caudell, a spokeswoman for Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., the bill's author.

"We passed it unanimously this morning out of committee, and now it'll be put on the legislative calendar in the Senate," Caudell told CIDRAP News.

Among other things, the bill names the secretary of health and human services as the government's leader for health emergencies, requires states to meet preparedness standards and to share some of the cost of preparedness, seeks to coordinate and strengthen the nation's system of medical volunteers, and calls for tracking of influenza vaccine supplies so that doses reach high-risk groups.

The measure reauthorizes the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002, which was passed following the terrorist attacks of 2001. That law is set to expire at the end of September, according to a Jul 18 news release from Burr's office.

Burr, chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Bioterrorism and Public Health Preparedness, said discussions with New Orleans health officials last week about Hurricane Katrina underscored for him the need for the legislation."

--snip--

"The legislation also calls for some changes in lines of responsibility for emergency response. In particular, it transfers the National Disaster Medical System from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) back to HHS, where it was before the DHS was established in 2002."

http://id_center.apic.org/apic/influenza/panflu/news/jul1906bill.html

[Mojorabbit]

10. This is still up on their website

dated may 2006
The Role of DHS

As we coordinate, we recognize that each Department has responsibilities that are unique as well as some responsibilities that overlap. The DHS responsibilities are clear, pursuant to the Homeland Security Act of 2002 and Homeland Security Presidential Directive-5 (HSPD-5). As the domestic incident manager, the Secretary of DHS will coordinate the overall Federal response to a pandemic in order to ensure the continuity of our government, maintain civil order, preserve the functioning of society and mitigate the consequences of a pandemic. The Secretary of DHS serves as the principal Federal official for overall domestic incident management. In this role, during a pandemic outbreak, the Secretary of Homeland Security is responsible for the coordination of Federal operations and/or resources, establishment of reporting requirements, and conduct of ongoing communications with Federal, State, local, tribal, private sector, and nongovernmental organizations.

Our Federal partners are also quite capable of fulfilling their respective roles in managing outbreaks of avian influenza, from well confined outbreaks in birds to a full-scale pandemic, and we are fully coordinated with them. The USDA, working with its state agriculture counterparts, has ample experience in managing an outbreak in the bird population. HHS has the responsibility and expertise to plan public health and medical preparedness. We all recognize that there is still significant work to be done to ensure the Nation is adequately prepared to respond to an outbreak in humans. As the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza says, “Preparing for a pandemic requires the leveraging of all instruments of national power, and coordinated action by all segments of government and society.” This need for coordination of our National instruments is part of the reason that DHS exists. A pandemic could threaten the ability of the health and medical sector to manage all the consequences, which could likewise threaten the functioning of society and the Nation’s economy. It is the responsibility of DHS to coordinate the Federal response to manage those risks

snip
The Secretary will consider the following four criteria set forth in HSPD-5 when making the determination to declare an Incident of National Significance; however, he will not be limited to these thresholds and may base his decision on other applicable factors:

* A Federal department or agency acting under its own authority has requested the assistance of the Secretary of Homeland Security
* The resources of State and local authorities are overwhelmed and Federal assistance has been requested by the appropriate State and local authorities
* More than one Federal department or agency has become substantially involved in responding to an incident, and
* The Secretary of Homeland Security has been directed to assume responsibility for managing a domestic incident by the President.
http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/testimony/testimony_0041.shtm

Does the later article you posted change this? I sure hope so.

[kestrel91316]

9. Nope. Should be Fish & Game, or state veterinarian.

Because of avian flu (H5N1) concerns, DHS might legitimately be involved.

[Mojorabbit]

4. If you want to be more freaked

Do some research on how they are pushing public health out of the picture if we do get a pandemic.

[Target_For_Exterm]

5. Personally, I've been wondering if Bush has been thinking

that a pandemic might be a good time to stage a coup.

He doesn't seem too concerned about our country or the Constitution. A Pandemic would be the ideal time to declare himself King/Fuerher and stay in power. That's why DHS power grabs make me a little :scared:.