A Capitol Tour And A Gas Mask

Call it another sign of the times: 25,000 gas masks have been ordered to help protect the Capitol — tourists included — in the event of a chemical or biological attack.

Capitol Police officials were to announce they had ordered up the so-called quick masks on Wednesday, a congressional official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

They'll be stored around the building to help tourists, members of Congress and their staffs survive a chemical or biological attack, the official said.

"The reason we're doing it is because the Capitol was targeted for a bioterrorist attack, the anthrax attack," the official said.

Anthrax-laced mail sent to the Capitol last fall killed two postal workers.

Lawmakers in the past had some protection from bioterrorists, the official said, as gas masks have been a security feature on the House floor for years.

"They (the police) were basically just trying to include tourists," the official said. "They're not going to have only 535 masks."

Before the terrorist attacks, about 10,000 visitors walked the Capitol's halls on a busy day. Some took guided tours, but many roamed freely.

Then came Sept. 11 and anthrax, which frightened away many of the city's visitors.

Returning tourists are finding the Capitol a much more security-minded place.

No more self-guided tours of the building, for example. About 1,000 people take the public tour; others take private tours arranged by congressional offices or see only the House and Senate chambers.

Outside, cement barriers and metal posts now ring the sprawling Capitol grounds. Another 700 officers have been added to the Capitol Police force. Security is tight around a construction zone on the east side where a $368 million, three-story visitors center is being built underground.

And now, 25,000 quick masks.

Though the Fourth of July has filled some with foreboding of another attack — police will be on heightened alert for the holiday

The masks aren't a response to any specific threat, the official said.

"It's part of an ongoing process," the official said.

Quick masks aren't quite gas masks, but hoods that filter chemical gases and biological particles through a fitted mouthpiece. They're used by paramedics, firefighters and police officers who first respond to emergencies.

Quick masks sell for $150 each on a Web site hosted by Kennesaw, Georgia-based Brigade Quartermasters.

Telephone calls to the Capitol Police seeking comment were not returned Tuesday night.