Mower County Board chair Len Miller announced the county will receive $38,603 to fight bioterrorism.

Miller, 4th District county commissioner, told the county board at its meeting Tuesday, "this shows that the September 11, 2001 events have significantly impacted on the entire United States."

According to Miller, the money can be used to upgrade Mower County's public health preparedness to the possibility of bioterrorism, other outbreaks of infectious diseases and other public health threats and emergencies

Miller said not only did the Sept. 11, 2001, events cause the concerns, but also the October 2001 releases of anthrax in Florida, Washington, D.C. and New York.

The money will come from a grant from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The state is receiving the money and a portion is going to community health agencies for local preparedness activities.

The money must be used

before Aug. 31, 2003.

The CDC grant funds can help local public health agencies and government units assess their preparedness planning and readiness, make sure their surveillance and epidemiology capacity is

solid and ensure

laboratory capacity and biologic agents can be identified.

In addition, the CDC grant funds will

finance the health

Alert Network with communications and information technology enhancements, and disseminate health risks and information tot the public and also provide

education and training

to respond to bioterrorism, other public health threats and emergencies.