Mailmen might deliver meds in next anthrax attack

Federal health officials are beginning a project in Minneapolis-St. Paul to let local letter carriers stockpile a supply of antibiotics in their homes so that they're ready to go deliver aid to the rest of the city at a moment's notice.

Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt announced the pilot project Wednesday. It affects a big hurdle of emergency planning: The government has lots of drugs stockpiled against future bioterrorism, but little way to get them to panicked citizens quickly.

If enough of Minneapolis' 700 letter carriers volunteer to be on standby for the project, the program could be offered to other cities starting next year.