The ML Editor

After Former Lt. Gov. of Texas Ben Barnes retired from politics, he still remained active by involving himself in philanthropic activities in Texas. He served in the Texas Civil Rights Project as the Council Advisor. Moreover, he is also an active volunteer for various organizations such as the American Heart Association, Democratic Majority Trust, and the American Cancer Society.

Former Lt. Gov. of Texas Ben Barnes is currently a Chairman of Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Club, which is located in the capital area of Austin, Texas. He is a regular contributor to the Huntington Art Gallery, the Austin-based People’s Community Clinic, the Longhorn Foundation, and the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and School of Public Affairs.

In honor of Former Lt. Gov. of Texas Ben Barnes service to Texas and its community, a scholarship was named after him. The Ben Barnes Fellowship in Public Leadership at the University of Texas is a scholarship grant bestowed on eligible students who seek a profession in public leadership.

Ben Barnes was born on April 17, 1938 in Gorman, Texas. He graduated his high school years from DeLeon High School and entered the University of Texas in Austin where he began his law degree.

Intelligence experts believe that it is only a matter of time before there is another terrorist attack in the U.S. With the recent scares in New York and Baltimore and the deadly terrorist bombings in Bali, Egypt, London and Madrid, these attacks are aimed at striking terror among millions of people. Of rising concerns is the fear that terrorists will use biological chemicals against us. What if this suspicious package contained a deadly chemical, such as smallpox or anthrax, are we ready? It appears not.

A study listed in Archives of Internal Medicine showed 631 doctors, mostly medical residents, were given a test prior to completing an online training course. On the pretest, half the doctors misdiagnosed botulism, 84 percent misdiagnosed plague and a case of routine chickenpox was misdiagnosed as smallpox by 42 percent of the doctors. “We’ve got a dangerous gap here and we need a much clearer strategic game plan,” said Shelley Hearne, executive director of Trust for America’s Health, which tracks how well states are prepared for bioterrorism or pandemic.

In addition to the lack of bioterror knowledge in health care professionals, high-ranking officials in the US Health and Human Services Department have stated major concerns about the government’s ability to deliver medicines in the event of a bioterror attack. In response to these concerns, steps are being taken to address these issues. To improve the delivery of medicines in the event of a national emergency some suggested steps include the delivery of medicines from local fire stations, police stations, and even via the US Postal Service.

In the book Sledgehammer, Dr. Paulo J. Reyes describes a Smallpox outbreak, and how rapidly the disease can spread, the potentially devastating effects of air-borne contaminants, and the potential for extremely large numbers of fatalities. The point in writing the book, according to Reyes, is to bring to light the high potential for bioterrorist attacks in the United States and to demonstrate how critical it is to develop emergency response strategies to handle the delivery of medicines and the medical treatment.

The combined efforts of the United States government and the medical community are crucial in preventing millions of deaths in the event of such a disaster. Despite global efforts to eradicate terrorism, the threat of a bioterror attack remains high. The United States must prepare emergency response strategies and develop effective means of delivering medicines to all parts of the country. Let’s prepare now so our nation can respond rapidly and effectively resulting in minimal damage and loss of life.

For information on Reyes book, Sledgehammer or current news on smallpox and current events stop by www.pauloreyes.com or contact Paulo Reyes, M.D. or publicist Diana Ennen at diana@pauloreyes.com (954) 971-4025