TERRORISM

1. TERRORISM

2. Unit Objectives • Define terrorism. • Identify potential targets in the community. • Identify CERT operating procedures for a terrorist incident. • Describe the actions to take following a suspected terrorist incident.

3. What Is Terrorism? The unlawful use of force or violence committed by a group or individual against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives. --U.S. Department of Justice

4. Domestic Attacks

5. World Trade Center (1993).

6. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City (1995)

7. Atlanta Olympic Games (1996)

8. Family planning clinics in Atlanta (1996 and 1997)

9. World Trade Center and the Pentagon (2001)

10. Terrorist Goals • Mass casualties • Loss of critical resources • Disruption of vital services • Disruption of the economy • Individual and mass panic

11. Terrorist Targets • Terrorist select “soft” or lightly protected targets over “hard” or very secure targets. • Terrorists may also be drawn to major events such as parades or athletic events. Because of this, you may see increased security measures to help deter and prevent terrorism.

12. Terrorist Targets

13. Terrorist Targets

14. Terrorism Exists Because. . . . • It is cheap • It is mobile • It is low tech • It is deniable • It is more effective than the political process • It is less drastic than total warfare • And it WORKS!

15. Biological Nuclear Incendiary Chemical Explosives Terrorist Weapons

16. Biological Weapons • Targets: • People, animals, crops • Routes of exposure: • Inhalation, ingestion, absorption • Agents: • May take days or weeks to be confirmed. • May spread far beyond initial contamination point. • Considered high risk.

17. Biological Weapons • Biological agents are in three groups, • Toxins • Ricin • Bacteria • Anthrax • Viruses • Small Pox

18. Biological Weapons • Only 2 known successful etiological attacks in the USA; • 751 persons were stricken with salmonella in September 1984 due to intentional contamination of food at 10 restaurants in Wasco County, Oregon • The other attack was when British soldiers gave small pox exposed blankets to native American Indians.

19. Biological Weapons • Transmission of these Biological Weapons would most likely be accomplished by aerosol dissemination.

20. Biological Weapons • Symptoms don't show up for hours or days. • Most are not person to person transmitted except for Small Pox, Ebola Virus and Pneumonic Plague. • Position Uphill, Upwind. • Respiratory and Protective Clothing.

21. Biological Weapons • Antidotes/First Aid = • Strip, Decon with soap and water • Bag clothing Most antidotes are ineffective. NOTE: In specific situations, a 5% solution of bleach may be effective as a decon solution

22. Nuclear Weapons • Much different than conventional weapons: • Many casualties • Very large area affected • Long-term health effects • Considered relatively low risk

23. Nuclear Weapons • Types of radiation: • Alpha • Beta • Gamma

24. Nuclear Weapons Alpha • Least dangerous externally • More dangerous internally • Particles are large • Travel only a few feet

25. Nuclear Weapons Beta • Smaller particles • Some penetration • Causes more skin damage

26. Nuclear Weapons Gamma • Most dangerous • Can penetrate into and through the body

27. Nuclear Weapons Radiation Devices • Improvised nuclear device: • An actual nuclear weapon explosion (conventional bomb plus radioactive material). • Radiological dispersal device: • Bomb laced with radioactive material or a failed nuclear device.

28. Nuclear Weapons Hazards • Radiation Sickness • Radiation Injury • Radiation Poisoning

29. Nuclear Weapons Radiation Sickness • Caused by exposure to large amounts of radiation. Symptoms: • Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hemorrhage, and lowers the body's resistance to disease and infection. • Symptoms occur the day after the exposure and may last a few days. • Depending on the exposure, it may take seven to eight weeks to recover.

30. Nuclear Weapons Radiation injury: • Consists of localized injuries such as skin burns, skin lesions, and loss of hair caused by radiation. • Occur from high amounts of the less penetrating types of radiation like beta particles. • Usually confined to the hands, since such large amounts of exposure generally occur during improper handling of radiation sources.

31. Nuclear Weapons Radiation poisoning: • Caused by dangerous amounts of internal radiation. • Anemia and cancer. • Internal exposure from alpha particles is the most common cause of radiation poisoning.

32. Nuclear Weapons • Radiation sickness, injury, and poisoning are NOT contagious or infectious. • Treating or helping a victim who has been exposed to radiation WILL NOTexpose emergency response personnel to radiation. • If the victim is covered with radioactive material like dust, the material can contaminate responders and cause radiation sickness.

33. Incendiary Devices • Used to initiate combustion • Easy to use • Considered high risk/low impact • Easy to make • 3 main parts • Igniter or fuse • Container or body • Incendiary material or filler

34. Chemical Agents • Five types • Blister • Blood • Choking • Nerve • Irritants (Riot – Control Agents) • Components readily available • Onset of symptoms from immediate to 18 hours • Considered moderate risk

35. Blister Agents • First used in WW1, developed to get around gas masks. • Smells like garlic, sulfur or geraniums. • Mustard (effect delayed) • Nitrogen Mustard (effect delayed) • Lewisite (effect immediate) • All are heavier than air and can be absorbed through skin, lungs, and eyes.

36. Blister Agents Signs/symptoms of exposure; • Reddening of eyes/gritty irritation, reddening of skin, severe itching/burning of skin, blisters with/without pain, sore throat, hoarseness, dry cough /nausea /vomiting. • Signs/symptoms may not present until 2-24 hours after exposure. • Blister Agents are an immediate inhalation hazard, 30 minutes on the skin and most exposures will be fatal. • Eyes are the most vulnerable. • 80% of decontamination will be accomplished by removing the clothing.

37. Blister Agents • Victims usually die from secondary infection. • In WWI 25% of all U. S. casualties were from blister agents. (70,000 casualties of 272,000 total casualties), however only 2% were fatal.

38. Blister Agents Antidotes/First Aid = • Immediately wash skin and clothes with 5% solution of sodium hypochlorite or liquid household bleach within one minute. • Cut and remove contaminated clothing, flush contaminated skin area again with 5% sodium hypochlorite solution, then wash contaminated skin area with soap and water, (30 minute window on skin or Death). • Treatment by Medical Personnel.

39. Blood Agents • First used in WW1. • Smell like Bitter Almonds. • Hydrogen Cyanide (lighter than air) • Cyanogen Chloride (heavier than air) • Absorbed into the bloodstream and deprive blood cells of oxygen. • Exposure may be made through liquid or vapor contact with any exposed skin, inhalation, or ingestion.

40. Blood Agent • Signs/symptoms • Headaches • Strong stimulated breathing • Loss of consciousness / convulsions • Apnea • Reddish Skin and Lips. • Quick gulp of air, DEATH in minutes. • “Bluish” across the nose and cheeks and around the mouth.

41. Blood Agent • If the poisoning occurs rapidly there is no time for symptoms to develop and exposed persons may then suddenly collapse and die.

42. Choking Agents • First used in WW1 • Smells; Newly mowed hay, Pool chlorine. • Phosgene- Frequently created accidentally at home by combining bleach and ammonia. • Chlorine, Currently used widely in water and wastewater plants. • Sulfur Dioxide- Currently used widely in wastewater plants.

43. Choking Agents • Attack the lungs. • Following exposure through inhalation, the lungs fill with fluid, which prevents oxygen from being absorbed by, and carbon dioxide from being removed from, the blood. • Death results from lack of oxygen and is similar to drowning.

44. Choking Agents • Antidotes/First Aid = Treatment by Medical Personnel.

45. Nerve Agents • Developed in the 1930’s. G in name means it was designed in Germany. • Smells; • G= Colorless but may be have fruity odor, • Vx= Odorless, sulfur odor if impure and liquid is slight yellow color. • GA (Tabun) • GB (Sarin) • GD (Soman) • VX (no name) (heavier than air and can be absorbed through eyes /lungs /skin.)

46. Nerve Agents • Affect the central nervous system. • Quickest acting • Most lethal of all chemical agents, acting within seconds of exposure. • Victims of nerve agents experience constricted pupils, runny nose, shortness of breath, convulsions, and cessation of breathing.

47. Nerve Agents Signs/symptoms of exposure; • Pinpoint pupils • Runny nose/salivation • Tightness of the chest • Coughing, jerking, and twitching • Difficulty breathing • Nausea /vomiting /diarrhea • Sudden loss of consciousness • Convulsions / apnea.

48. Nerve Agent • Sarin (GB), Soman (GD) and Tabun (GA) have a 2-3 hour duration. • "VX" last days or weeks in an oily state, it is a persistent chemical.

49. Nerve Agent • Antidotes/First Aid = Auto injector, Hose down first except VX, Remove clothing then Decon. • (30 minute window on skin or Death). Treatment by Medical Personnel. • Death usually occurs within two minutes of receiving a lethal dose. • For VX decon with bleach solution. • For GB decon with a caustic soda solution.

50. Riot – Control Agents • Lachrymators • cause tears and eye pain. • Sternutators / Vomiting agents • cause the victim to sneeze and / or vomit