U.S. Postal Service officials are considering a Snohomish Health District proposal that would help employees receive necessary medical treatment if exposed to anthrax.

The district's health board decided last month against participating in an emergency-response plan linked to anthrax-detection alarms at a postal facility in Everett. The Postal Service (USPS) is installing more than 280 biohazard-detection systems nationwide, with one in Everett expected to be operating some time this month.

Three systems already are operational at postal facilities in Seattle, Tacoma and Olympia, while two others will be installed in Spokane and Pasco by November.

The USPS expected the local health districts to screen employees for exposure and to prescribe antibiotics in the event of an alarm. But the Snohomish Health District — as well as other health agencies nationwide — balked at what it called an unfunded mandate laden with liability issues.

Of the greatest concern is who might be culpable if an employee is misdiagnosed and dies from exposure or has a reaction to prescribed medications.

Not wanting the liability, the health district says it would be willing to provide a letter that employees could take to their personal physicians explaining their potential for exposure to anthrax and the need for a prescription.

The prescriptions could then be held securely on file at the Everett postal facility and would be returned to employees to be filled at a pharmacy or by a doctor only if needed. More than 300 employees might be exposed if a letter with anthrax is processed in Everett.

So it could confirm to medical facilities the names of postal employees who might be exposed, the health district also would keep on file a list of the employees.

"These employees are better served if screened by their private physicians," said Dr. Ward Hinds, the health district's medical director. "A personal physician already knows a patient's medical history."

The plan also could relieve the health district of medical-liability issues, he said.

"We know the Snohomish Health District is trying to find a workable solution," said Pat Evans, a USPS emergency-preparedness manager for the Seattle district, which includes King, Thurston, Pierce and Snohomish counties. "We've never dealt with these issues before, so we're hoping they can come up with something soon."

State health officials also are searching for solutions.

"We've been in contact with a number of other states that have the same issues," said John Erickson, the state Department of Health's director of public health, emergency preparedness and response. "The [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] is working on some guidelines that states can use."

Erickson said state health officials also are seeking mutual-aid agreements between health districts and county agencies.

"This is something we need to do as part of our emergency planning in general," he said. "It makes sense to do it now."

Christopher Schwarzen: 425-783-0577 or cschwarzen@seattletimes.com