Table of Contents...used to contaminate the well around attacking cities with dead decomposing...

ng

Surviving a Biochemical Attack

2

Table of Contents

Biological Warfare Threat.......................................3

Types of biochemical agents....................................7

Risks of biochemical agents.....................................9

Preparation is the Key...........................................17

Immediate reactions.............................................20

Developing a disaster plan.....................................21

In case of evacuation............................................24

Shelter................................................................25

Giving first aid......................................................28

Important basic needs...........................................31

Final Thoughts......................................................33


3

Biological warfare threat

With the tragic and devastating events that our modern

society has been through, like the terrorism that

happened at the World

Trade Center, many of us

are worried about the high

probability of forthcoming

threats on our wellbeing

and security. After the

September 11 attacks, it became very obvious that

America has been infiltrated by terrorist organizations,

proving that enemies are capable of using any form of

terror against us. Unfortunately, when it comes to warfare threat, not only

global terrorist networks are our concern, but

government agencies around the world are also capable

of producing chemical and biological weapons in a very

short period of time, with relative ease and minimal

financing. Thus, chemical warfare still remains to be one

of the most commonly used forms of warfare, especially

because its mode of production.


4

Being informed about biological warfare agents and how

dangerous they are, this will help you get more prepared

for such an event and also become aware about the

current happenings in the world. Taking preliminary

actions can ensure you and your family’s safety against a

biological threat. Biological threat is real. It can result to extreme problems

in a survival situation, but with the proper knowledge,

training and equipment these problems can be outplayed. Once we reflect on a terrorist attack, we usually think of

suicide bombs, airplanes, cars and trains crashes, but

what we fail to think about an attack that can strictly

endanger our health and wellbeing. Simply put, a Bioterrorist Attack is an outbreak with

bacteria, viruses or other

similar agents posing threat

to people, animals and even

plants. Along with the

development of technology

and bio-engineering, there

is a grim possibility of a


5

rogue nation launching bio-chemical attack. This can

result into sickness and death without any warning or

knowledge in advance. These bio-chemical agents are

typically found in nature, but with the current advanced

technology, it is possible to modify them and increase their

capability to spread disease and make them resistant to

treatment. These biological agents are hard to detect and

in many cases they do not cause instant sickness and

diseases. Some bioterrorism agents, like the smallpox

virus, can spread from an individual to another, however

others such as anthrax, don’t have this capability. The threat is even extreme as a biological or chemical

agent could be delivered in many different ways: air,

water, food and even by clothing or other materials and

elements in our environment. Not only can they can spread

directly to humans, but also can be spread to animals and

then to humans. Moreover, some agents can be designed

targeting only specific individuals, such as anthrax, and

some agents can be transmitted between individuals, such

as smallpox, causing many casualties.


6

Bioterrorism is not a modern concept; it was practiced

since ancient times. For example, it’s known that Romans

used to contaminate the well around attacking cities with

dead decomposing animals, in order to poison and

destroy the water supplies. Such an attack today might

have an advanced and disastrous development on the

well-being of the humans and even animals. The water

supplies, wells or even an entire lake, if polluted with

toxic agents will affect the entire population. But, if a

river is being polluted with such agents, the flow of the

water will dilute and reduce the effects produced within

time. When it comes to contaminating food, such an attack can

happen at any of the phases of its fabrication and

preparation: from harvesting crops, infecting animal feed

or even introducing infectious agents in restaurants, and

cafeterias. Thus, our daily aliments become a convenient

target. Moreover, it is not really necessary to sprinkle

contaminants, but a careless handling of the food is just

enough to transform food supplies into bio-chemical

weapons, as it can cause various infections.


7

This being said, bioterrorism consequences happen not

only as planned, but sometimes they can be an unwanted

and unprepared result of random activities and situations.

These unwanted situations, for example Chernobyl

explosion, can contaminate surrounding waters,

cause short-term burns or lacerations and permanent

diseases like leukemia. These effects are very similar

even in an intended event, such as Hiroshima. Therefore,

when such an event is happening, is very challenging to

establish whether bioterrorism effects come from casual

contamination with no malicious planning ahead or from a

prepared terrorist action.

Types of bio-chemical agents Natural toxins are one of the most effective poisons that

are developed naturally by living organisms

(proteins, bacteria, snake venom, etc.).These toxins are

very poisonous and in some cases can be far more

physically damaging than some manmade nerve agents. Choking agents are one of the most common used

chemical agents during warfare or other military actions.


8

These agents can be produced with basic industrial

compounds, for example the hydrochloric acid (a mix

between Bleach and Ammonia). These compounds are

very easy to be deployed as form, thus when it is inhaled,

the lungs and throat will provoke an immediate choking,

possibly leading to death by asphyxiation. Blistering Agents are one of the most dangerous and

damaging chemical warfare agent. These agents are oil

based substances that are inhaled and absorbed through

skin, affecting the skin, eyes and respiratory tract. They

produce burns and blisters that can lead to death in case

of delayed medical attention. Blood Agents are those types of toxins that are quickly

distributed throughout the victim’s bloodstream,

damaging the body through inhalation, causing the brain

and body to stop functioning due to inadequate levels of

oxygen.

Nerve Agents are basically neurotoxins that can

produce deadly effects by blocking necessary enzymes for

the central nervous system to function properly leading to

a disruption of muscle function, seizures and even death.


9

Unlike other chemical agents, these nerve agents have

different delivery methods, such as: inhalation, skin

absorption and consumption, producing symptoms within

seconds. Nerve agents are very toxic and dangerous and

just a few milliliters are just enough to kill a person. They

pose a real threat, as they are relatively easy to

manufacture –they are made from compounds used in

manufacturing insecticides, fertilizers and some coloring

agents.

Risks of bio-chemical agents Considering the risks that biological or chemical agents

impose, they can be divided in three main categories:

1. Agents that are a great risk to National Security

These agents can disperse and pose a great danger on

the health of general public. Most of these agents

demand level 4Biosafety laboratories.

Anthrax virus, although very dangerous, is not

contagious and can spontaneously develop in some

animal species. . This virus has a biphasic course which

can be described as: an initial flu-like phase followed by a


10

serious regression for which, at the moment, there is no

cure. It is true that it has vaccine, which consists of a set

of many injections in order to help your body fight the

virus, but there is no real treatment for anthrax.

Back in the days, anthrax is

known to be delivered through

mail in the United States,

especially to the offices of some

senators and politicians. This

incidents led authorities to

develop a program where

every federal employee had to be vaccinated. Also, as in

the case of Sverdlovsk in Russia (1979), anthrax can also

be released in a terrorist attack.

Smallpox is a very contagious virus that affects only

humans. It spreads though air and has a mortality rate of

20% to 40%. Smallpox has a very long history; it was first

used as a biological weapon in the American Revolution,

when the British and French armies contaminated the tents

of Delaware Indians by offering them handkerchiefs and

coverings infected with smallpox leading to an epidemic.


11

Until 1970, people around the world had to be mandatory

vaccinated against smallpox. These vaccines do not

maintain immunity against smallpox as in other infection,

as it lasts only for three to five years. Smallpox is

considered to be the most dangerous infection because

both the infected person and their virus can transmit

disease through air. Plague is caused by bacteria called Yersiniapestis and is

usually found in rodents. This disease is passed to

humans by flea bites and periodically by aerosol as a

pneumonic plague. Its history as a biological weapon

dates back in the ancient times and is still considered a

big threat because of its ease of growth and its ability to

stay in rodents for a longer period of time.

Hemorrhagic fever includes diseases such as Ebola,

Marburg, Lassa or Machupo. The most common disease

is Ebola, as it has a high mortality rate, ranging from 50-

90%. Despite the efforts, there is no cure yet. It kills

The victims by hypovolemic shock or multiple organ

failure. Marburg disease is also very dangerous as its

mortality ranges from 25% to 100%.


12

In the case of Ebola, there is no treatment available as

the vaccines that are being currently developed are only

at the research phase. Ricin is a protein virus obtained from the castor bean and

is considered to be one of the

most toxic substances along with

plutonium and botulism. Only 500

mg of ricin can be lethal to the

human body if it’s exposed by

injection or inhalation. Thus, ricin

is very toxic if it’s injected, inhaled

or ingested, as it inhibits the

protein synthesis.

Although, there is no cure available, the United States

military has developed a vaccine, in order to protect the

human body from its devastating effects.

Botulism is caused by bacteria called Clostridium

botulinum. Botulinum toxin is deadly as it causes death by

respiratory failure and paralysis.


13

Tularemia, also known as rabbit fever, is severely

debilitating but has a low mortality rate. It is caused by

the Francisella tularensis bacteria.

2. Agents that are disseminating easily and have a

very low mortality rate.

Brucellosis is an infection malady that is primarily

transmitted among animals. It is produced by the Brucella

species and it can affect different animals such as cattle,

sheep, goats, dogs, pigs and many other vertebrates.

Brucellosis symptoms are similar to the flue such as

headaches, sweats, fever, muscle weakness and back

pains. Moreover, it can seriously infect the central nervous

system, lining surrounding the heart and a series of

chronic symptoms like fatigue, joint pain and recurrent

fever.

Brucellosis in humans occurs when a person comes into

contact with an animal or even animal product infected

with the Brucella bacteria. Very rarely the bacteria may be

transmitted from one person to another. The bacteria can

enter your body in many different ways such as: through a

cut or scratch on the skin, contaminated air, food, water.


14

3. Agents that have a future potential of serious

health impact. These are agents that are possibly produced for mass

circulation and have a high mortality rate. Some of these

pathogens are nipah virus, hanta virus and multidrug

resistant Tuberculosis. Sarin gas is the most known chemical weapon of mass

destruction. It was first discovered by German scientist in

1939, and since then, it can be used as a nerve agent.

Nerve agents are the most toxic and rapidly acting of the

known chemical warfare agents. They are very similar to

a certain kind of insecticides, in terms of how they work

and the kind of harmful effect they cause.

This kind of toxin is not found naturally in the

environment; it is a man-made toxin. Sarin is a clear

colorless and tasteless liquid that has no odor in its pure

form. However, sarin can evaporate into a gas and

spread to the environment.


15

Food and water illness is caused by germs produced by

on growing bacteria, such as toxins created by the toxic

algal species, or polluting water and food with parasites

or viruses. The human body is exposed to this kind of

illness only when someone consumes the food or water

that has destructive bacteria in it, making the person

sick. Thus, food and water transmitted diseases are not

contagious, as they do not spread through a random

contact to another person. Fortunately, using food and water borne bacteria as a

weapon is unlikely to happen than using viruses and

toxins that can spread through air, as it is very difficult to

expose a large number of individuals in the same time.

However, these types of bacteria can be used to pollute

public food and water supplies at a large scale.

Most common infections caused by the exposure of

contaminated food supplies and water is salmonella,

e.coli, shigella, cholera and parvum. These have several

chronic symptoms:


16

Salmonella can cause fever, bloody diarrhea, headache,

and loss of energy. E.coli may damage your red blood cells, can cause a

series of kidney problems, bloody diarrhea, fever, and

stomach cramps. Cholera –some people that are infected with such a virus

(about5%) might develop severe vomiting, diarrhea and

muscle cramps. Shigella is mostly characterized by blood or mucus in the

stool. Parvum manifests in form of watery diarrhea, stomach

cramps and pain.


17

Preparation is the key

The first thing you can do when it comes to preparing for

a bio-chemical attack is to learn about the likely

occurrence when such an event strikes. Your survival

depends on establishing the possible events and their

impact in your neighborhood. Thus, it is necessary to

discuss with your family or group what you can do when

such a disaster strikes. What can happen?

As we learned from past experiences, the following things

can happen when we’re dealing with a terrorist attack:

1. Casualties–there can be a significant number of

people injured and damages to buildings and

infrastructure. Thus, every individual has to be

prepared with updated information about the

medical needs they and their family or group

members need.

2. Health – despite casualties, an attack affects both

physical and mental health of you and your family.

The resources needed for you to stay healthy

might be limited.


18

3. In the face of a terrorist attack, there will be heavy

law enforcement involvement due to the event’s

criminal nature.

4. There will also be considerable media coverage,

Thus the public fear will increase and the

consequences of a terrorist attack can last for a

long period of time.

5. Schools and workplaces will be closed, especially in

the directly affected areas. Thus, there might be

domestic or even international travel restrictions.

6. Cleaning up the affected areas and the areas near

them, can take a long time lasting up to month and

even years.

A bioterrorist attack can strike quickly and without

warning. It can oblige you

and your family to evacuate

your area or even confine

you to your home.

Moreover, basic services,

such as gas, electricity,

water or communication,

most probably will be cut off.


19

Local officials and authorities will respond as quickly as

possible and they will be on the scene of the disaster, but

with chaos and panic everywhere, it will be very difficult

for them to reach everyone right away.

Thus, before starting making preparations for a disaster,

you can always contact your local Red Cross chapter or

other emergency management office in order to find out

what types of disasters are most likely to happen and

how to prepare for each. Moreover, you can even learn

about your community’s warning signals: what they

would sound like and what you should do when you hear

them. You can also ask about animal care after a disaster

as most animals are not allowed inside some emergency

shelters because of the health regulations.

Furthermore, finding out about the disaster plans at your

workplace, your children’s school or daycare center and

other places where your family frequently spends time

will help you be more prepared in times of a danger.


20

Immediate reactions: Stay calm, be patient and listen to further

instructions on the radio or TV, or follow the advice of

local authorities.

If the event happens near your area, make sure you

check you and your family members for injuries

If people are injured, be prepared to give first aid.

Check your house for any damages using a flashlight.

It is very important to remember not to light any

matches or candles and not to turn on electrical

switches.

Check your house for fire hazards and other

household dangers (gas or water leaks).

Shut down any other damaged utilities in your house.

Confine or secure your pets.

Call your emergency contacts

Check your neighbors, especially those who are

elderly or disabled.


21

Developing a disaster plan Discussing with your family or group members the need

to prepare for disaster is one of the most important steps

in preparation. Explain them the dangers of fire, severe

weather and earthquakes by discussing the type of

disasters that are most likely to happen. Teach them how

to react in every scenario. Plan to share responsibilities

and work together as a team. The first thing you have to do is to create an

emergency communication plan. Do this by carefully

choosing an out-of-town contact that lives far enough so

that they have fewer chances of being directly affected by

the attack. A phone number or an email is just enough to

make a person your emergency contact. Be sure that

every member of the group has the details of the contact

you’ve chosen (house addresses, e-mails, telephone

numbers from home, work, school, pager number and cell

number). Moreover, if you have children, it is very useful

to leave these contact details at their school or at your

office.


22

Everyone must know the address and phone numbers of

the emergency contacts. Request an out-of-state friend to

be your family contact, as after a disaster strikes it’s

usually easier to call long distance. When such an event happens, you must know that there

are high chances that the telephone system would not

work. Thus, in this case, you need to keep trying

contacting your emergency person until it is working.

However, you should keep in mind that people tend to

flood the telephone lines when emergencies occur, but

sometimes an e-mail can get through when telephones

don’t. Another important step you have to take when preparing

for an event like this is to establish, along with your

family, a meeting place. If your home is affected by a

bio-chemical attack or if the area is evacuated, this will

save you time and reduce confusion. Having a

predetermined meeting place can save your life. Thus, it

is important to make preparations to remain with your

family or group. Remember to include pets in your


23

planning, as some public shelters or refugees do not

accept animals. Choose two places to meet: one right outside your home

in case of a sudden emergency and another outside your

neighborhood, in case you can’t return to your home. In case of evacuation or if you need to leave your house

to find another shelter, it is very important to prepare a

few necessary supplies at your hand, so that you and

your family could be more comfortable. Assemble a

disaster supplies kit that is easy to carry and that has

everything that you and your family or group members

need. A duffel bag or a small plastic trash can are good

easy-to-go containers for a supplies kit. Make sure you

include basic items for any family member, such as: infant formulas and basic items for older people or

individuals with disabilities

first aid items (medications)

clothing

sleeping bags

battery powered radio and auxiliary batteries


24

food and water supplies

tool box

cash

copies of vital family and household documents

(marriage and birth certificates, passports, insurance

policies, house insurance, etc.).

In case of evacuation In case of a bioterrorist attack, you might be asked by

the local authorities to leave your house and evacuate.

If this happens, you should take this advice. Make sure

you listen to further instructions

on your television or radio.

Discuss with your family or

group members what to do in

case of an evacuation and plan

how to take care of your pets.

Thus, when you’re preparing for an evacuation, keep

these guide points in mind: Protect your body as much as possible by wearing

shirts with long sleeves, long pants and sturdy shoes.


25

Don‘t forget to take the pets with you.

Call your emergency contact and tell them where you

are and what are your immediate future plans.

Shut off water and electricity.

Leave natural gas service on unless local officials

advise you not to.

Make sure you lock your house before leaving.

Use roads only indicated by local authorities.

Remember using shortcuts is very dangerous, as

some affected areas can be impassable.

Stay as far as possible from down power lines.

Listen to local authorities, as they are the only ones

that can give you proper information.

Stay tuned to the local TV or radio broadcast, and

following instruction is the best way to keep you and

your family safe from dangers.

Shelter When such a disaster strikes, it is very important to find a

shelter and remain there until you are prompted by local

authorities to come out.


26

Lock and close all doors and

windows.

Turn off fans, air conditioning and

heating systems.

Make sure you block the fireplace

damper.

Always have at your hand the

disaster supplies kit

Make sure the radio is working.

Stay put in an interior room with no windows that is

above ground level. In case of a bioterrorist attack,

an above ground room is the safest, as some

chemicals are heavier than air and might infiltrate

into basements.

Seal all the cracks and opening around the doors,

windows and vents with duct tape.

Listen to the television or radio in order to find out

what is happening and when is safe to come out of

the shelter.

Given the fact that when a terrorist attack is happening,

there will be extensive media coverage with raw footage,


27

it is recommended to keep children away from the

disturbing images as they can panic and scare them.

Moreover, even adults will need to take a break from

watching upsetting footage of the terrorist attack.

Nonetheless, listening to television and radio constantly

is important in a survival situation. Thus, a good plan is

continuously listening to the news by taking turns with

other adult members of the group.

In case of a disaster, some ordinary items in your home

can cause serious injuries and damages; anything that

can fall, break or cause fire is a potential hazard. In order

to avoid these things from happening in your house,

there are some safety measures you can take:

Repair any damaged electrical wiring and leaky gas

connections.

Tighten shelves securely

Place large heavy objects on lower shelves.

Hang pictures, painting or mirrors away from beds

and sofas.

Brace overhead light fixtures

Secure the water heater by strapping to wall studs.

Repair the crack in ceiling and foundations.


28

Keep weed killers, pesticides and other flammable

products away from heat sources.

Put oil polishing rags or waste in sealed metal cans.

Clean and repair chimneys, vent connectors, gas

vents and flue pipes.

Another important thing that you need to know in case of

a disaster is to know basic first aid. Enrolling in a first aid

and CPR course, can be very useful when it comes to

survival situations as you will have to be very cautious

about your wellbeing, so that you can give first aid to

other people in need. People who came in contact with

biochemical agents will have to follow a decontamination

procedure and receive immediate medical care.

Giving first aid

Check the area to make sure it’s safe for you to

come close to the injured person.

Check if the victim is conscious and if he or she is

breathing. A person who has a life threatening

status, like bleeding or not breathing, needs

treatment from medical professionals.


29

If you’re overwhelmed by the situation, look out for

help.

If the victim has open wounds, cover them with

pieces of cloth and apply direct pressure on the

wound. Cover the cloth with a bandage.

If the bleeding does not stop, cover the wounds with

more cloth and bandages and use a pressure point to

squeeze the artery against the bone.

Give first aid for shock: keep the victim’s

temperature stable (prevent him or her from getting

overheated or chilled), lift the legs approximately 12

inches if there are no broken bones.

Care for burns by cooling them with great quantities

of cold water and then cover them with dry and

clean pieces of cloth.

Care for injured muscles and bones: avoid any

movement or activity that can cause pain, put ice or

cold packs to keep the swelling under control. If you

have to move the victim make sure you immobilize

the injured part.


30

Avoid biological exposures and other life threatening risks!

Listening to local authorities, television and radio reports

is the best way to keep you and your family safe from the

dangers of a biochemical attack, as they are the only

ones that can provide you the correct information from

medical and governmental institutions on what is going

on and what measures you will have to take.

Although, there are very low chances of getting an

infection while giving first aid to an injured person, there

are some steps you can take in order to minimize the risk

even more, such as: avoid direct contact with the body

fluids and blood by using protective equipment like

breathing barriers and disposable gloves. Moreover, keep

in mind that you need to intensely wash your hands with

soap or other disinfectant solutions before and after you

give first aid to the victim.

It is very crucial to be prepared for an emergency and to

know how to give emergency care to a person in need.


31

Important basic needs

When preparing your house for a disaster, you should

always keep in mind these essential needs that every

family or group member needs:

Water

Food

Clothing

First aid supplies

Beddings

Tools, emergency supplies and other special items.

Water can be stored in plastic containers such as soft

drink bottles. It is important to avoid using containers

that can decompose or beak (milk cartons or glass

bottles).

Remember that you need to keep yourself hydrated in

order to survive a disaster. A normal person needs to

drink at least two quarts of water per day, but hot

weather and intense physical activity will double the

quantity needed.


32

In order to be fully prepared, you can store one gallon of

water per person for a day. Keep at least a three day

supply for each person.

Food is also important when it comes to preparing for a

disaster. Thus, when you start stock piling food, keep in

mind that you need to store at least a three day supply of

non-perishable food. It is recommended to store food

that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking.


33

Final thoughts

Because of the increased threat of terrorism, the risk

posed by various microorganisms as biological weapons

increases as well. Biological warfare agents may be more

potent than conventional and chemical weapons. During the past century, the progress made in

biotechnology and biochemistry has simplified the

development and production of such weapons. In

addition, genetic engineering holds perhaps the most

dangerous potential. Ease of production and the broad

availability of biological agents and technical know-how

have led to a further spread of biological weapons and an

increased desire among developing countries to have

them. With everything that is happening in the world right now,

terrorism has become a real threat. It has become an

efficient way to deliver political messages or showing

open hatred against a nation. This is why it is important

to inform ourselves about the possible dangers.

Date post:	27-May-2020
Category:	Documents
Upload:	others
View:	0 times
Download:	0 times

Table of Contents...used to contaminate the well around attacking cities with dead decomposing...

Documents