September 24, 2018
Galveston, Texas
The next morning, Ernie slid into his seat in the dining room across the table from Bert. Facing the window, his eyes widened as he took note that the Gulf water actually looked blue. Pelicans were hovering above the water, appearing almost motionless in flight. They were looking for breakfast, too.
Bert opened the conversation. “You noticed? The water looks inviting today. Our waitress said this happens now and then after a storm at sea sweeps out the silt. People hear about it and the hotel fills up for a while.”
Bert looked rested and ready for their day at the lab. Ernie wished he felt the same. He had slept poorly. He gave a weak smile of appreciation for the nature fact. What he really needed was a strong cup of coffee.
“So, are you still good with the game plan?” Bert was referring to the division of labor they had worked out the night before. Neither had been to a Biosafety Level 4 for over a year and knew it would be a long day.
“You bet. I think it makes sense for me to review the Human Resource credential checks and records since I’m going to review the research project they’re using as an example,” Ernie said.
Bert agreed. “I like doing the site inspection and learning what’s new in the field. I’ll allow an hour to observe a mock donning and doffing of the “space suit” the researchers wear in level 4. I’m also curious as to how the air filtration hooks up to the Insectary Division. It seems from the floor plans that the filtration equipment takes up an entire floor. Mr. Williams, Chief of the Insectary Division, said he would pick us up at 8:30.”
Ernie had been glad to turn over the chairman duties of the survey to Bert. For the little extra pay, the role was not worth the extra work of pre-survey arrangements, such as contacting their hosts and working out logistics. Then, there were the post survey tasks, including compiling both surveyors’ notes and checklists into one report and signing off on the final version. Bert had told Ernie that he wanted the credit for his next performance review at O.U.
It was already warm as the men waited outside for their ride. Ernie saw Roy Williams pull up in his Honda Civic. The man got out to shake hands with the surveyors who would be snooping around his department for the next day and a half. Williams had an elegant demeanor, set off by his fine facial features, steel gray eyes and a nicely tanned bald head. Some guys could pull off the bald look.
Williams didn’t show his impatience with the prospect of a survey. “How was your trip? Where do you gentlemen come from?”
It was clear he’d been through this kind of inspection before and knew it was best to create a bond and favorable first impression with his inquisitors.
“It was a pretty easy hop to Houston from Oklahoma City,” Bert said.
“I flew down from Minneapolis,” replied Ernie.
During the short drive to the University of Texas Medical Branch campus, home to Gulf National Laboratory, Williams launched into his prepared thumbnail history of U.T.M.B. Ernie felt like a captive audience. The medical school was founded in 1891 as the first medical school west of the Mississippi. Galveston was chosen as the most suitable location because it was a busy port city with a high number and variety of illnesses. The recurring epidemics of yellow fever continued to decimate the Island’s population into the 20th century, killing up to twenty-five percent of those infected. The high mortality rate persisted until the medical community finally learned that the disease was caused by mosquitos. The death rate plunged when mosquito control measures were instituted.
“Wouldn’t The Island’s medical forefathers have found it ironic that we’re breeding the little bastards right here? Having levels 2, 3 and 4BSL in one place facilitates work that requires samples and experiments conducted at all three levels of security—as long as researchers are not overly protective of their data,” Williams explained.
“What is one of your success stories?” Ernie asked.
“Currently, two of our researchers have been instrumental in developing an effective vaccine for Ebola.”
As they entered the lab, Ernie noticed that it looked like an old security checkpoint at an airport. Fewer bells and whistles than the body scanners now used. Still, it was staffed by state police who took the surveyors’ driver’s licenses and made them security badges. Bert and Ernie had sent in their credentials for verification previously. After going through the metal detector, Williams approached and stared at a black rectangle on the wall to scan his retinas.
“They say this doesn’t work on dead eyes—in case you’re wondering.”
Ernie realized he had never even considered the possibility before but wondered if he should.
Williams whisked them through two more doors that required his employee badge to operate. The surveyors were cleared for entry as long as they were accompanied by a designated host.
Ernie knew that this BSL 4 lab was built like a fortress. Even though the façade of the lab had windows, the inner building was a sealed prism.
“The lab is built to withstand a class 5 storm,” Williams said. “We were one month from opening in 2008 when Hurricane Ike hit. It turned out that flooding and a storm surge, not high winds, caused the most damage. The Island was wiped out, but the new lab was undisturbed. Hurricane Harvey in 2017 packed a punch that was a lot worse for Houston than it was down here. The lab stayed dry and solid.”
“These windows must be better sealed than those at the Third Coast Hotel,” Bert joked.
They took an elevator to the third floor, home of the Insectary Division. Ernie would’ve never known he was in one of the world’s safest inner sanctums just by looking at it. Offices and conference rooms lined the hallway, many with magnificent views of the Gulf of Mexico. He saw a sign indicating that the labs and insectariums were further down the hall.
Williams ushered them into Conference Room C and promptly excused himself to attend a conference call. This would be their home for the next two days. Here they would meet the senior staff for their introduction to the department. The room was furnished with an oblong table that had seen better days. All but four of the black leather chairs had been pulled back to the wall, allowing for laptop chargers to snake onto the table. Piles of documents were neatly arranged at the far end. Ernie’s heart sank as he saw the mountains of paperwork.
A stocky middle-aged woman dressed in a pantsuit stood when the surveyors entered. She had a steady gaze. Her short brown hair was tucked behind her ears. “Hello Dr. Springer, Dr. Pedersen, I’m Kathy Walsh.”
“Pleasure to meet you in person, Ms. Walsh. Thanks for setting us up here,” said Bert. He had informed Ernie that Kathy Walsh was the go-to person in the department.
“Let me introduce Maria Moreno and Julia Mills,” Kathy said, looking at her colleagues. Maria appeared to be well past retirement age. “Maria will answer any questions you may have regarding our departmental budget and research expenses.”
“Good morning. Happy to help. This isn’t my first rodeo with your outfit, so I’m sure I can find what you need,” said Maria.
Kathy continued with a nod to the remaining woman. “Julia oversees our IT. She can set you up with your temporary access and help you search our policies and procedure manuals online.”
Julia looked pale and much younger than her coworkers. Ernie thought she looked anxious. She gave the surveyors a nod and a brief smile but appeared as if she wanted to bolt from the conference room.
“Many thanks, ladies. It looks as if you have us all set up,” said Ernie. It was evident to him that Williams had surrounded himself with very capable work wives.
After the surveyors signed confidentiality agreements regarding the full gamut of the division’s activities, they were off and running.
Ernie requested coffee as he got started on his policy reviews. He noted Bert’s undisguised excitement about his day of inspection. Bert even had a nerdy belt with a flashlight and gizmos on it to check for leaks and loose connections to and from the air filtration system. Ernie heard him asking hopefully if he could take a look at those double-lined pipes that were used to carry water in and out of the facility.
“Don’t forget to visit the little boy’s room before going to Level 4, even if you don’t need to,” Ernie teased him.
They both knew there were no toilets in level 4. The staff inside had to hold it or remove and disconnect from the air supplied to their suits if nature called. The process in and out of level 4 was time consuming.
The morning passed quickly. At noon, Ernie was pleasantly surprised when Kathy came into the conference room with sandwiches and a plate of cookies. Bert had returned by then and both men were working on the checklists that the U.S. Biosafety Association required to confer certification. They told her it was going well.
“Once you’ve done a few surveys, you can almost sense a pass or a fail the minute you walk in. You can smell it,” Bert said to Ernie after Kathy had left the room.
It wasn’t till 4:00 that Ernie prepared to meet Dr. Drake for his last—and most important—meeting of the day. He had read her proposal and reviewed the research methodology and statistical analysis. With his background in microbiology and his years in and out of research labs, Ernie remained sharp and incisive when it came to study review. Despite the downward spiral of his personal life, he retained a bit of self-esteem regarding his professional capabilities. He vowed to apply himself more once this was all behind him. Maybe he would put in for a promotion to team leader at the lab back home.
The study was sound, and the conclusions would be hard to dispute. He could see why completion and publication would give the climate change deniers some serious heartburn. He couldn’t say they didn’t deserve it with their undisguised toadying up to the oil and gas lobby. The evidence for global warming was accepted scientific dogma. But under the current administration, even the Environmental Protection Agency leadership appeared dubious.
Is this who the voice on the phone was referring to when he mentioned “his people?” I mean, how could someone work at, let alone run the EPA and not believe in climate change? Yet here Ernie was getting ready to derail a solid attempt to shine light on EPA’s cynical denials.
As Dr. Gennifer Drake walked into Conference Room C, Ernie looked up. She was a striking woman, almost 6 feet tall, with a graceful and powerful walk. Her mid-length brown hair was neatly styled. She was dressed in a conservative but feminine manner, brown slacks and a tailored white blouse. Her white lab coat was neatly pressed.
“Hi Dr. Drake. Interesting research you have going,” Ernie said as he stood up to greet her. “Sounds really scary,” he added with a weak smile. He could see Dr. Drake was not impressed by his first comment.
“I would say that my report isn’t “scary” but terrifying and time sensitive. I think it’s crucial that we get this report out as soon as possible. I’ve had trouble getting people upstairs to see the urgency in this public health emergency,” Dr. Drake replied.
“I agree, I agree—if the methodology bears out. But that’s not really my job here today. I’m here to make sure the research in the Insectary Division is carried out in a fashion that is safe for employees of the lab and the community-at-large. Our association wants us to look at the metrics you use to make sure your research conclusions meet the standards of certified institutions.”
Ernie then asked her several questions based on his review of the project. She was able to answer them all and he had no choice but to appear satisfied. It was all there. He indicated that the interview was over by shuffling his papers together and standing up.
Dr. Drake shook his hand and thanked him for his comments.