The remodeling job’s still a month or two away, but R.M. Hoover figured he might as well stock up on a few supplies early.

With war against Saddam Hussein looming and terrorist cells activating, the retired chemical worker in Lawrence decided to take his government’s advice and buy a 180-foot roll of duct tape and a 250-square-foot roll of plastic sheeting.

Just in case.

“In view of the orange alert, I’ll go ahead and get it now,” Hoover said Tuesday afternoon, loading up a cart at Westlake Ace Hardware. “I think we’re in an unlikely geographical spot for terror attacks, but I need this anyway. It’s for a renovation project.”

Hoover’s pragmatic diligence comes as local, state and federal officials urge U.S. residents to take personal responsibility for their protection in the face of the orange alert’s designation of “high risk” for terrorist attacks.

Officials want Americans to keep their homes stocked with three days’ worth of food and water, in case the county is attacked with chemical, biological or radiological weapons. Also suggested: Keep blankets, flashlights, radios, spare batteries, a manual can opener and scissors in a room designated as a family gathering place in case of attack.

That’s where the heavy plastic sheeting and duct tape should be, too — for sealing off doors, windows and air intakes in case biological attack.

Paula Phillips, Douglas County’s director of emergency management, said the suggested preparations were no different than for severe weather season or a cold winter. But talk of terrorism could heighten awareness.

‘It’s an attitude’

“People will prepare to the extent that they believe the threat is real and it’s real to them,” Phillips said. “If they feel it’s a personal threat, and it’s a threat to themselves or their family, they will prepare. If they don’t … they won’t.

“It’s an attitude. It’s a state of mind. It depends on how much you believe, how much you trust in government, and how much you believe that bad things can happen. Everyone has to make a personal decision.”

Lawrence and area residents say they're concerned, but not overly worried, about a terrorist strike in the region, despite the federal government's heightened alert. With the code orange level of alert, the government recommends Americans have at least three days worth of water and food on hand. Tuesday at the Community Mercantile, 901 Iowa, there was no rush to purchase the water jugs that lined the aisles.

Thomas Shmalberg, a 17-year-old senior at Lawrence High School, is more worried about fixing his 10-inch telescope than bracing for the threat of terror. Duct tape? Plastic sheets?

Get real.

“I don’t know that it’s really going to help,” he said. “If we’re going to get bombed, or attacked, I don’t know why you’d want to tape yourself in a room. If they’re going to drop a bomb right on top of me, so be it.”

Scott Swanson isn’t making any special preparations, either. But the former volunteer firefighter for Palmyra Township, who lives on a farm north of Baldwin, said he already had most of the necessary supplies around the house anyway: flashlights, batteries, blankets, food and a bountiful water well.

Swanson, his wife and two sons heard about the orange alert Friday, and they have been taking the news in stride ever since.

‘We’ll be fine’

“We don’t get too worried about it,” he said. “We’re Christians, and from that perspective, we’ll be fine no matter what happens. We want to enjoy what we have now. …

“We live in an evil world. It’s very real. But we have a loving family, and we do what we can. If we’re sitting around worrying about what is going to happen tomorrow, we’re all wasting our time. God only gave us the strength for one day, and if we waste it on fear, we’re missing the point.”

Ericka Waller, Lawrence, doesn’t have time to worry, but she does anyway.

¢ 6News video: Kansas not terror target¢ General warnings from government may play into terrorists’ hands, psychology professor says¢ White House – Are You Ready?¢ White House – What FEMA is doing¢ White House – Border and transportation security¢ White House – Project BioShield

The mother of two rushed Tuesday afternoon into Walgreen Drug Store for a some groceries — a few packs of Reese’s, Butterfingers and some pop — and didn’t even think of picking up a jug of water, a can of tuna or anything else on the government’s list.

“We’ve talked about what we should do — three days of water on hand, tape for the windows — but we haven’t done anything yet,” Waller said, buckling daughters Jessie and Blair into their car. “For some reason, it’s not affecting us here in Lawrence like it should be.

“It scares me to death, what’s going on. We have friends and family in the military who are called up for a year and pulled out of our lives,” she said. “But even that isn’t causing us to change how we go about our lives. We just go on as usual.”