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Hazardous Materials/WMD Related Articles
and Research
20 Mar 2007 -- Chemical
Weapons Expert Says Chlorine Attacks in Iraq Will Be Hard to Stop
+ U.S. military blames al-Qaida in Iraq for
chlorine attacks
+ The Chlorine Gas Attacks in Iraq and the Specter of Suicide Attacks with CBRN
Weapons
+ Change in Terrorism Tactics
Reported; Suicide Bombers Could Have Major Implications
Can be found at:
http://www.emergency.com/archive/cat_wmd-haz-mat.htm
ERRI analysts previously addressed this very
issue in an article that was apparently far ahead of its time [about five (5)
years]. The article, from Monday, April 8, 2002 -- Vol. 8, No. 098-09:00CDT,
and entitled "Change in Terrorism Tactics Reported; Suicide Bombers Could
Have Major Implications," can be found at:
http://www.emergency.com/2002/suicide_implications.htm
03 May 2005
First Responders Not Prepared to Respond to Nuclear Disaster
WASHINGTON, DC:
More than 3 1/2 years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the U.S. government has
failed to adequately prepare first responders and the public for a nuclear
strike, according to emergency preparedness and nuclear experts and federal
reports.
The report appears in today's Washington Post. (May
Require Registration)
Although hundreds of thousands of lives could be saved by rapidly evacuating
people downwind of a radiation cloud, officials have trained only small numbers
of first responders to prepare for such an event, according to public health
specialists and government documents. And the information given to the public is
flawed and incomplete, many experts agree.
"The United States is, at the moment, not well prepared to manage an (emergency)
evacuation of this sort in the relevant time frame," said Richard Falkenrath,
former deputy homeland security adviser and now a fellow at the Brookings
Institution. "The federal government currently lacks the ability to (rapidly)
generate and broadcast specific, geographically tailored evacuation
instructions" across the country, he said.
Security experts consider a terrorist nuclear strike highly unlikely because of
the difficulty in obtaining fissionable material and constructing a bomb. But it
is a conceivable scenario, especially in light of the lax security at many
former Soviet nuclear facilities and the knowledge of atomic scientists in such
places as Pakistan. Read more about it at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/02/AR2005050201454.html
ERRI references: Haz-Mat Archive Page -- http://www.emergency.com/hzmtpage.htm
"What
We Learn About Radiation Threats from Movies—Fact or Fiction," From CDC - Q
&A on "Dirty Bombs" and Radiation Hazards, w/numerous references and links to
accurate data on the issue.
Fourteen Believed Dead, More Than 100 Injured in Refinery Blast
TEXAS CITY, TX: "We believe 14 people lost their lives as a result of the fire," BP site director Don Parus told reporters at a press conference this evening. EMS and hospital officials said that more than 100 people were injured in the blast, 70 of whom reportedly worked at the BP plant.
BP said it did not suspect a terrorist
attack was behind the blast. "We have no reason to believe this was anything
caused by an outside agent," said BP company spokesman Hugh Depland. The cause
of the explosion, which occurred in a part of the plant used to boost the octane
level of gasoline, remains under investigation. Federal investigators were sent
to the scene, said Daniel Horowitz, director of public affairs for the U.S.
Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board.
The Texas City plant is located about 35 miles southeast of Houston.
EmergencyNet News is monitoring events in Texas City closely and we will bring
you updates as circumstances warrant...
Additional reference:
"TEXAS CITY, TEXAS DISASTER, April 16, 17, 1947, Report by FIRE PREVENTION AND
ENGINEERING BUREAU OF TEXAS, DALLAS, TEXAS and THE NATIONAL BOARD OF FIRE
UNDERWRITERS, 85 John Street, NEW YORK 7, N. Y.
Dedicated to the people of Texas City and their heroic firemen whose tragic
disaster, we pray, will be a lesson to those who say "it can't happen here".
http://www.local1259iaff.org/report.htm
http://www.local1259iaff.org/disaster.html
Mystery Substance Causes Airport
Evacuation;
"Unidentified Fumes" Sicken Dozens
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA: The Virgin Blue terminal at Melbourne airport was evacuated and at least 50 people transported to area hospitals complaining of dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and respiratory problems. At least 17 ambulances were dispatched to the airport to treat and transport the stricken, many of whom were airport personnel. Many of the victims were treated and released from Northern Hospital later in the afternoon
According to airport officials the problems began to surface shortly after 08:00 (local time) and the airport terminal was evacuated at about 10:00 a.m. A special team of Metropolitan Fire Brigade personnel were also dispatched to the airport in an attempt to identify any hazardous substance that may have been released. An unconfirmed report said that there was no noticeable smell from the so-far unidentified leak, although several people who had been affected said there was a strange odor shortly before they began to feel ill.
"The source has not been located or identified," a Metropolitan Fire Brigade spokesman said. "All (chemical detection) readings are showing zero." He said firefighters had spent the day testing everything they could, but found nothing. The cause of the leak that forced the terminal closure remains a mystery, fire and medical authorities said. The airport terminal was reopened shortly after 18:00 local time.
An investigation into the incident and
response thereto continues at the time of this report. Watch EmergencyNet News
for additional information if/when it becomes available...
15 Feb 2005
"What
We Learn About Radiation Threats from Movies—Fact or Fiction," From CDC
- Q &A on "Dirty Bombs" and Radiation Hazards, w/numerous references and
links to accurate data on the issue.
09 Feb 2005
Concerns Raised About Terrorist
Possession of "Suitcase Nuke"
ENGLAND/RUSSIA: According to Mosnews.com, Boris Berezovsky -- Russian tycoon and exile in Great Britain, has charged that Chechen guerillas have obtained "an atomic bomb."
...They [The Chechens] have come
into possession of an atomic bomb. “It is a small portable device (Mk-54
Special Atomic Demolition Munition?) which had not been used until now for
only one reason: because some necessary element was missing,” Berezovsky
said citing what he referred to as “credible sources”.
Russian security officials refused to comment on Berezovsky’s allegations.
“We do not believe it necessary to comment on statements, especially
nonsensical ones, made by people placed on international wanted list,” a
security official told Komsomolskaya Pravda. ERRI analysts said that,
although rumors of "loose suitcase nukes" have been circulating for several
years, Berezovsky’s allegations have not been confirmed by other independent
sources or methods at this time. Click here to get the whole story from
Mosnews.com at:
http://www.mosnews.com/news/2005/02/08/berezobomb.shtml
24 Jan 2005
DIRTY WAR
Rated TVMA:
Running Time: 90 minutes
Tonight: 21:00EST on HBO (Check
local listings)
"Don't confuse activity with
achievement."
(HBO) In a post-9/11 world, how do you prepare for the unthinkable? This
alarming HBO Films thriller chronicles the hypothetical story of how a
terrorist "dirty bomb" attack might be planned and executed in London
despite the best efforts of law enforcement--as well as how devastating such
a strike would be. Warned of the possibility of a radioactive-weapons
attack, members of Scotland Yard--including an Islamic undercover detective
and several high-ranking terrorism experts--desperately try to find the
perpetrators before they can construct and detonate their dirty work. But
when the worst happens in the financial heart of London, the city's
inadequate emergency-services are put to an immediate test...with disturbing
results.
Click here for a schedule and further information...
Educational Reference:
Dirty Bombs - Fact Sheet
ATLANTA, GA: Because of possible terrorist events, people have expressed concern about the possibility of a terrorist attack involving radioactive materials, possibly through the use of a “dirty bomb,” and the harmful effects of radiation from such an event. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has prepared this fact sheet to help people understand what a dirty bomb is and how it may affect their health. -- http://www.bt.cdc.gov/radiation/pdf/dirtybombs.pdf
(Note: EmergencyNet News did not
receive any financial or other consideration for our coverage about this
movie...it is being recommended by our analysts so that military and
emergency responders might gain a better understanding of potential
circumstances surrounding a "dirty bomb" attack in a heavily populated area.
Warning -- not children friendly -- may contain disturbing images)
CIA: 33 groups preparing for WMD terrorism
Compiled by Bill Gertz
According to a new CIA report, the threat that terrorists will use
chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons "remains high." "Many
of the 33 designated foreign terrorist organizations and other non-state actors
worldwide have expressed interest in using CBRN," the semi-annual report on arms
proliferation stated.
Most groups will continue to use proven attack methods such as bombings and
shootings. However, the discovery in January 2003 of a plot by Islamist
terrorists to use ricin toxin show active plotting for chemical and biological
attacks, according to the report which was made public last week.
"Al Qaida is interested in radiological dispersal devices (RDDs) or dirty
bombs," the report said. "Construction of an RDD is well within its capabilities
as radiological materials are relatively easy to acquire from industrial or
medical sources."
See:
http://www.geostrategy-direct.com/geostrategy%2Ddirect/
Please see our recent report (below) entitled, "Terrorists Interested in
Unconventional Weapons, CIA Says." on 30 Nov 2004, and note our previous
assessments that warned of similar threats since 2002 (see references).
ERRI references: "22:00CDT -
22 Apr 2002, Zubaydah Says Al-Qaeda Can Build a
Dirty Bomb" which can be found at:
http://www.emergency.com/hzmtpage.htm
and
"12 June 2002, Radiological Survey Equipment Needed By Emergency Forces?"
which can be found at:
http://www.emergency.com/polcpage.htm
30 Nov
2004
Terrorists Interested in Unconventional Weapons, CIA Says
The Central Intelligence Agency sent a report to Congress in November noting that many terrorist groups and non-state actors around the world are interested in using chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapons in the future.
An unclassified version of the report, posted on the CIA's Web site November 23, says that any attacks that might occur in the future would likely be "small-scale, incorporating improvised delivery means and easily produced or obtained chemicals, toxins, or radiological substances."
The report, which covers the six-month period between July and December 2003, says terrorists are still more likely to turn to bombings and shootings to accomplish their goals. But it also cites several groups of mujahideen associated with al-Qaida who have planned, but not carried out, attacks in Europe using easily produced chemicals. Simple chemical agents or toxins "could cause hundreds of casualties and widespread panic if used in multiple simultaneous attacks," according to the analysis.
The report, "Acquisition of Technology Relating to Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and Advanced Conventional Munitions," says that the increasing availability of nuclear, biological, chemical, and ballistic missile technologies make it ever more difficult to stem the proliferation of WMD and the means to deliver them.
The full text of the unclassified summary of the report may viewed on the Internet at http://www.cia.gov/cia/reports/721_reports/july_dec2003.htm
(Distributed by
the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web
site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
The Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG2004)
was developed jointly by the US Department of Transportation, Transport Canada,
and the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation of Mexico (SCT) for use
by firefighters, police, and other emergency services personnel who may be the
first to arrive at the scene of a transportation incident involving a hazardous
material. It is primarily a guide to aid first responders in:
(1) quickly identifying the specific or generic classification of the material(s)
involved in the incident, and
(2) protecting themselves and the general public during this initial response
phase of the incident. The ERG is updated every three to four years to
accommodate new products and technology. The next version is scheduled for 2008.
Summary of data: http://hazmat.dot.gov/gydebook.htm
Full (Searchable) Version of the ERG2004 (2.8M) in .pdf format: http://hazmat.dot.gov/erg2004/erg2004.pdf
PARIS, FRANCE: Terrorists plotting to use
chemical weapons in Europe have more advanced plans than security services
previously suspected, a senior French counter-terrorism official has warned.
Small groups of chemicals experts have been detected in several European
countries and have developed ways of communicating with each other that allowed
them to avoid being exposed.
"We have underestimated the terrorists' willingness and capacity to develop
chemical weapons," the French official
told the Financial Times. He said a recent wave of arrests in Britain and
France has revealed how far they had developed their plans.
The groups appear to operate separately from other cells planning attacks using
ordinary explosives. Several of them are believed to have links to Islamic
militants in the breakaway Russian republic of Chechnya. Western intelligence
services allege that extremists linked to al-Qaeda have carried out experiments
in chemical warfare in Chechnya. Abu Musab Zarqawi, a Jordanian/Palestinian
thought to be in Iraq, is said by intelligence officials to have run classes in
chemical warfare at an al-Qaeda training camp in the Afghan city of Herat in
2000-01... --Click
here for the whole Financial Times article.
British officials Say They Fear Pakistani Terror Suspects Were Going to Add Chemicals To Bomb
LONDON, ENGLAND: British authorities believe terror suspects arrested
last week were planning to make a bomb that would include a highly toxic, easily
obtained chemical called osmium tetroxide,
ABCNEWS has learned.
Eight British citizens of Pakistani descent were arrested and taken into
custody when 700 police raided 24 locations in and around London on March 30.
Investigators say British authorities moved in when they learned from electronic
intercepts that a dangerous chemical was involved in the plot. They had been the
tracking group's activities for several months.
According to sources, there was some indication the group in custody was
targeting Gatwick airport, the British public transportation system and enclosed
shopping areas (Note: Transportation and Soft Targets). British authorities
feared that the plot had the potential to be one of the worst attacks ever
against the United Kingdom. Read the whole story at ABCNews...http://abcnews.go.com/sections/
WNT/Investigation/poison_bomb_plot_040405-1.html
MSDS: Emergency Overview for OSMIUM TETROXIDE
DOT Hazard Class: 6.1 (Toxic)
DOT Proper Shipping Name: Osmium Tetroxide
UN/NA ID No.: UN 2471
DANGER! MAY BE FATAL IF SWALLOWED OR INHALED. CAUSES SEVERE IRRITATION
TO EYES, SKIN AND RESPIRATORY TRACT.
Health Rating: 4 - Extreme (Poison) <<--
Flammability Rating: 0 - None
Reactivity Rating: 1 - Slight
Contact Rating: 4 - Extreme (Corrosive)
Physical and Chemical Properties:
-- Appearance: Colorless to pale yellow crystals
-- Odor: Pungent, chlorine-like odor.
Acute Effects of Overexposure:
-- Inhalation: Coughing, shortness of breath, unconsciousness, could cause
tracheitis, bronchitis, bronchial spasm which may lead to inflammatory lesions
of the lung.
--Contact: Dermatitis, possible skin discoloration (green or black) and
ulceration.
-- Eyes: Irritation, lacrimation, visual disturbance, conjunctivitis, headache,
potential damage to cornea. If eyes are exposed to vapors over a short period of
time, night vision will be affected for about one evening. One will notice
colored halos around lights.
--Ingestion: Irritation, cough, dyspnea, death.
Special Information:
Contact with oxidizable substances may cause extremely violent combustion. In
the event of a fire, wear full protective clothing and NIOSH-approved
self-contained breathing apparatus with full facepiece operated in the pressure
demand or other positive pressure mode.
Jan, 2004 -- "Coping with an Attack, A Quick Guide to Dealing with
Biological, Chemical and ‘Dirty Bomb’ Attacks"
While our forces are well-trained and capable of responding to a
CBRN attack, the safety of their dependents and our DOD civilian
workforce remains a concern. If a military base with dependents were
attacked, it is doubtful the family members or civilian employees would
know what immediate actions to take. By not managing such an attack
properly, contamination could be spread around a base and the base
medical facilities could be overwhelmed by the “worried well.” To
address this concern, the CTNSP Life Sciences Office created Coping with
an Attack, A Quick Guide to Dealing with Biological, Chemical and ‘Dirty
Bomb’ Attacks, a colorful, easy-to-read poster that can be hung on
bulletin boards in military and civilian offices and refrigerator doors
at home. The poster consists of simple matrices describing immediate
actions to take in case of a biological, chemical, or “dirty bomb”
attack, plus answers to frequently asked questions. This poster can be
reproduced locally and adopted for use by any local, state, federal
agency, as well as non-governmental organizations. --
Full Color Poster
(25 inches by 38 inches, Adobe Acrobat pdf.)
17 June 2003
MI5 Chief Warns Of CBRN Attack
UNITED KINGDOM: The director of the British MI5 security service has warned that a biological, chemical or nuclear terrorist attack on a Western city is "only a matter of time." Eliza Manningham-Buller said: "We are faced with a realistic possibility of a form of unconventional attack that could include chemical, biological,radiological or nuclear (CBRN). It is only a matter of time before a crude version of a CBRN is launched on a Western city." She said that intelligence suggests "renegade scientists" have given terrorists the information they need to create such weapons and that terror groups would become more sophisticated. She added: "The threat from international terrorism is with us for a good long time. If this is a war that can be won, it is not going to be won soon. The supply of potential terrorists among extreme elements is unlikely to diminish."
16 June 2003
Advice Offered For Response To A "Dirty Bomb"
GAITHERSBURG, MARYLAND: Security experts claim the chance of a "dirty bomb" exploding in the Washington, D.C., metro area is pretty remote. But, what happens if someone defies the odds and pulls off such an attack? Montgomery County Emergency Response spokesman Pete Piringer says the simplest way to protect yourself from the radiation emitted from such a bomb is to get as far away as possible from the area where the detonation took place, or try to find a solid shelter. ERRI WMD analysts said that the problem with increasing distance between a potential victim and the radioactive source often involves the development of an effective evacuation plan that allows large numbers of people to move out of the area quickly. Evacuation of large cities has often proved troublesome when tested.
Bomb experts say the blast effects of a "dirty bomb" are usually more
dangerous than the actual radioactive material. They say that exposure to
the material in the bomb will not usually produce enough radiation to cause
severe and/or immediate illness. ERRI's Clark Staten said that the larger
problem is one of decontamination of part of a city and the "area denial"
aspects of radiological residues that would be left behind after a "dirty
bomb" explosion.
13 June 2003
Man Arrested With "Dirty Bomb" Materials
BANGKOK,
THAILAND:
According to ABCNews, Thai police on Friday arrested a man selling
radioactive material that can be used to make a so-called dirty bomb.
Officers arrested Narong Penanam, 44, in the parking lot of a Bangkok hotel
after he offered to sell agents a metal container that he said contained
uranium, police Col. Pisit Pisutisak said. Narong expected to be paid
$240,000.
An analysis of the material by the Office of the Atomic Energy for Peace
later revealed it was not Uranium but Cesium-137, which has a number of
medical and industrial applications and could used in a bomb designed to
spread radioactive material over a wide area. Narong reportedly told
authorities he got the container from neighboring Laos and claimed his
sources have more to sell.
28 May 2003
FBI Issues Threat Advisory About Potential WMD Attack
WASHINGTON, DC: According to ABCNews, the FBI today issued an advisory about the possibility of a terrorist attack using Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). Commonly called CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, or Nuclear) in the counter-terrorism community, the FBI included the following list of potential agents that might be used by the "bad guys": hydrogen cyanide, cyanogen chloride, sodium or potassium cyanide, mustard gas, anthrax, botulism toxin or ricin.
Intelligence sources told ABCNews the government's concerns about an
chemical and biological attack are based on no new specific information,
but on general chatter and documents seized from Afghanistan, Pakistan and
other locations. Officials, the source said, are concerned specifically
about cyanide, although no one has any date or specific target for any
possible attack.
Click here to read the whole story from ABC...
13:00CDT - 24 Apr 2003
Developing Hard...
N. Koreans Admit Nuclear Weapons
According to several sources, including the Reuters news service, North Korean officials have admitted that Pyongyang possesses nuclear weapons. It is believed that this is the first official admission that N. Korea actually has thermonuclear devices. The revelation reportedly came during a multilateral meeting between China, North and South Korea, and the U.S., in Beijing, China.
According to the Times of London,
US officials said that N. Korea had engaged in what amounted to a blatant blackmail threat. Li Gun, deputy director of North Korea’s Foreign Ministry, reportedly announced at the Beijing talks that his country had an unspecified number of nuclear warheads, the first time such a claim has been made by a North Korean official. Furthermore, and according to US State department officials, the “blatant and bold” announcement that North Korea possesses nuclear weapons, made to James Kelly, the assistant secretary of state for East Asian affairs, was followed by the threat to test one.INSTANT Update - 12:10EDT - 22 Apr 2003
Homeland Security Says Both "White Powder" Incidents Unfounded...
WASHINGTON, DC: Suspicious powder, found Tuesday in Tacoma, WA., and Fort Myers, FL., are not toxic, according to the federal Department of Homeland Security. Just after 12:00EDT, Homeland Security spokeswoman Rachael Sunbarger is quoted by the USAToday newspaper as saying that laboratory testing of the powder found at a postal facility in Tacoma, WA indicated it was "not poisonous." She added that preliminary results showed similar conclusions about a substance at an air cargo building at Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, FL. Both incidents remain under investigation, officials said, but indications would suggest that the chances of major danger have passed.
09:30CST - 22 Apr 2003
White Powder Incidents in State of Washington, Florida Airport
Tacoma, WA (EmergencyNet News) -- According to emergency service and military service sources, a "white powder" incident has happened overnight at a postal facility in the Tacoma area. The entire facility evacuated and several people were immediately decontaminated.
A preliminary test indicated the powder might be some sort of bio-toxin, fire department spokeswoman Fire Capt. Jolene Davis said. But, the exact identity of substance was not immediately determined. It is believed that the Army National Guard 10th WMD-CST (Civil Support Team), from nearby Fort Lewis, was called in to help investigate the incident. The situation began at about 01:00 this morning, Pacific Daylight time.
In a secondary and not necessarily related incident, another "white powder" incident is also on-going at SW Florida airport near Ft. Myers, FL. Reportedly, fire dept. sources there say that at least six people have been decontaminated and taken to a local hospital. There is no known connection between the two incidents at this time.
ERRI WMD analyst
Clark Staten, who helped train several of the original Civil Support
Teams (CST), said that a large number of similar incidents have proven to be
some sort of "hoax" in the past. That said, the emergency responders are
taking the situation seriously and are erring on the side of caution in
both incidents. EmergencyNet News will bring you additional details if
/when they become available..
27 Mar 2003
FBI Warns Local Police Of Simple Chemical Weapons
WASHINGTON: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is warning local police that terrorists could make a simple but deadly chemical weapon out of materials that are readily available. In its weekly intelligence bulletin to about 18,000 law enforcement agencies, the FBI said on
Wednesday: "Little or no training is required to assemble and deploy such a device due to its simplicity." The bulletin provided no details of a specific threat or possible location of an attack. It does say that terrorists could take advantage of building ventilation systems, air intakes or enclosed areas to disperse toxic chemical gas.
Law enforcement officials previously have warned that al-Qaeda or other terrorist groups might target so-called "soft targets" like subways, hotels and office buildings rather than heavily guarded government or military installations. In addition, material collected in Pakistan after the 1 March capture in that country of senior al-Qaeda planner Khalid Shaikh Mohammed provided further proof that operatives experimented with various forms of chemical, radiological and biological weapons.
The FBI bulletin says hydrogen cyanide or chorine gas could be produced by combining liquid and solid materials, possibly using a canister such as a paint can with holes pierced into it. The materials could be combined using either a blasting cap or some kind of delayed switch. The bulletin said: "When combined, this creates the toxic gas that would emerge through the holes."
Such a device would be most effective in an enclosed space, the bulletin
added, because it would be dispersed too quickly in larger areas or out in
the open to kill or injure many people. But police, firefighters and medical
personnel could be imperiled when responding to an attack because "the
device may reactivate when it is disturbed..."
22 Mar 2003
Journalist "SWAT Teams" Want to Get Equipment to Cover WMD Attacks???
NEW YORK:
According to the New York Times today, as the war with Iraq heightens
concern about the possibility of terrorist strikes in the United States,
news organizations are debating how they would cover the aftermath of a
chemical, biological or radioactive-bomb attack. Several news organizations,
including USA Today, The
ERRI spokesman Clark Staten, a 30 year veteran of military and emergency service and a published journalist for more than 15 years, said that this idea is ill-advised...at best. "Emergency responders spend years learning best practices for entering a 'hot zone,' be it caused by hazardous materials or now by a chemical, biological, or nuclear weapon (WMD)," Staten said. "It is unlikely that reporters in masks and suits will actually contribute to the coverage of breaking story involving WMD and this proposal will place the lives of journalists in grave danger," Staten continued.
"I can not logically envision a scenario where journalists would need to
enter a contaminated area in order to provide information to the general
public...and such a proposal is likely to cause 'serious friction' between
reporters and incident commanders and responders, who will themselves be
limiting the number of people entering into a potential hazard area," Chief
Staten said. "No one from the press has asked me, but if they did...I would
have to strongly advise against this concept...it sounds to me like a
terrible idea, Staten concluded.
02 Mar 2003
Inspectors Probe Travelers For Radiation
WASHINGTON: A U.S. Customs official said on Saturday that Federal
inspectors are checking all travelers arriving in the United States for
radiation as part of an expanded effort to screen for terrorist activity. A
spokesman for the new U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection said
inspectors began using small, pager-like detectors on Saturday at U.S. ports
of entry to check passengers for radiation. He said the inspectors, who ask
incoming travelers for their passports, carry the detectors on their belts.
16:00CST/23:00 - Lagos, Nigeria time - 28 Feb 2003
Radioactive Sources Missing; IAEA Declares Emergency
From the ERRI/EmergencyNet News Watchdesk
LAGO,
NIGERIA: (EmergencyNet News) -- A "radiological emergency" has reportedly
been declared by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as it
searches for missing materials that are toxic and radioactive. Reportedly,
the missing substances are americium and beryllium. The exact amount or
each, that is missing, is presently unclear. They were being used for
inspecting oil pipelines for cracks or leaks, when they were discovered as
being missing. The Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Agency had previously
reported the possible theft (see previous
22 Feb 2003 and 27 Feb
2003 Emergencynet News report),
but information coming from the region now indicates that the missing
materials may have been as the result of some sort of "strategic theft."
22 Feb 2003
Stolen Nuclear Materials Reported
NIGERIA: Nigeria issued a warning on Friday over missing radioactive material, saying an oil company in the Niger Delta had reported the loss. The short announcement, on Nigerian TV, gave few details -- leaving unanswered how much material was missing, and where, among other questions. Citing the West African nation's nuclear regulatory agency, Nigerian TV said an unspecified oil company had reported metal contaminated with radioactive material was missing from its operations. Radioactive materials are often used in machines to inspect pipelines and well-heads for cracks. Radioactive material used in the oil industry includes cesium-137, which can be used in devices to help characterize rock layers.
ERRI analysts said that this information is troubling because of the
known proclivity of some poor Nigerians to engage in a variety of scams and
schemes for raising illegal cash. One analyst said that if there is a profit
to be made by stealing Cesium-137 (or some other illegal material) and selling it on the black market, that
could easily occur in Nigeria.
20 Feb 2003
Explosion and Fire At Factory Causes Smoke Plume, Evacuations
CORBIN, KY: Authorities said at least 22 people were injured after an explosion and fire rocked a factory on
Thursday morning. The blast happened at about 08:00 hours. Many of the
injured were said to had sustained burns and smoke inhalation. Residents
south of the plant were evacuating their homes. How many people were
involved in the evacuations could not immediately be determined, but
eyewitnesses are describing a large smoke plume billowing from the factory, which
was thought to possibly contain toxic
products of combustion. Firefighters, police, and EMS mutual aid companies from three counties
were reportedly sent to the scene. The cause of the explosion has not been
determined and police, fire, and FBI investigators are said to be beginning
an inquiry. Corbin is about 80 miles south of
Lexington, KY in the southeastern part of the state.
Click here to
get the story from the Corbin Times-Tribune..
19 Feb 2003
British Expert Says CBRN Weapons Are of Little Interest to Al-Qaeda
UNITED KINGDOM: According to a new report from the Reuter's news service, Chemical, biological and radiological weapons (CBR) pose only a minimal risk of causing widespread deaths and are of little interest to al Qaeda. "CBR weapons have received only desultory attention from old terrorist organizations and almost none from new. Al Qaeda have shown no interest," Brigadier Malcolm Mackenzie-Orr told Reuters. "Why change their favored method of attack?"
ERRI spokesman Clark Staten disagreed, "With all due respect to the
Brigadier's assessment, I'm afraid that our analysis would not be in
concurrence with his position...if nothing else...papers, computer disks,
and actual hazardous materials gathered by allied forces in Afghanistan
would suggest to us that Al-Qaeda has shown a keen interest in CBRN
weapons." "Additionally, interviews with a number of captured Al-Qaeda
operatives also reveal that Bin Laden has been attempting to acquire Weapons
of Mass Destruction (WMD) for a long period of time," Staten added.
"Finally, Bin Laden, himself, has publicly called for and condoned the use
of WMD's against 'the infidels'...in our opinion, that is sufficient
evidence to warrant serious concern about this possibility," the veteran
emergency and counter-terrorism analyst concluded.
11 Feb 2003
U.S. Intelligence Says Another Al-Qaeda Attack Probable
WASHINGTON:
According to U.S. intelligence officials on Monday, al-Qaeda's latest threat
of terrorist attacks is focused on operations in three areas: the
continental United States, the Persian Gulf region or Southeast Asia.
Intelligence from both the CIA and FBI indicates that al-Qaeda is preparing
to conduct a major attack that will cause mass casualties, like the 9/11
attacks. The CIA is said to be very concerned that a new attack will be al-Qaeda's
first attempt to carry out a terror strike using chemical, biological or
radiological weapons.
Intelligence officials said there are also reports that al-Qaeda's latest threat to attack Americans is related to the Hajj, the Muslim religious observation in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, honoring the religion's founder and prophet Muhammad. Southeast Asia also remains a focus of concern over al-Qaeda attacks in the wake of the bombing in Bali, Indonesia.
The London-based Arabic-language newspaper Al-Majallah reported last week that fugitive al-Qaeda leader Usama bin Laden plans to appear on audiotapes and videotapes after the start of U.S. military operations against Iraq. The Saudi-owned weekly newspaper said on 2 February that bin Laden will surface to "incite the Arab and Muslim nations to strike at U.S. interests and repulse the U.S. military presence in the Gulf." The bin Laden statement will reportedly include "surprises" that Al-Rashid declined to specify.
Click here to review an extensive chronology of Usama Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda activities, by ERRI experts... ERRI/EmergencyNet News has been warning about them since 1997.
12 Nov 98 - 14:00CST:
Chicago Institute Warns of Possible Terrorist Attacks Following Iraq Strike
14:00CST - 09 Feb 2003
Train Derailment and Haz-Mat Incident in S. Illinois
Tamaroa, IL (EmergencyNet News) -- According to local emergency
service agencies, the town of Tamoroa is being evacuated following a train
derailment and hazardous materials spill involving Vinyl Chloride. Several
tank cars are off the tracks and leaking at the time of this report.
Residents are reportedly being evacuated due to the toxicity of substance
that is leaking (see below). There have been no report injuries or deaths
associated with the incident. The cause of the derailment is currently
not known. Tamaroa is a small town near Pickneyville and Du Quoin, IL. EmergencyNet News will bring you additional details as circumstances
warrant...
Vinyl Chloride
C2H3Cl
PLACARD: UN1086
PHYSICAL STATE: gas
COLOR: colorless
ODOR: faint odor, sweet odor
VAPOR PRESSURE: 2515.6 mmHg @ 21.1 C
VAPOR DENSITY (air=1): 2.2
SPECIFIC GRAVITY (water=1): 0.9106
WATER SOLUBILITY: 0.25%
FLASH POINT: -108 F (-78 C)
LOWER FLAMMABLE LIMIT: 3.6%
UPPER FLAMMABLE LIMIT: 33%
AUTOIGNITION: 882 F (472 C)
REACTIVITY: May polymerize. Avoid contact with light or storage and use above room temperature.
Major Health Hazards: harmful if swallowed, skin irritation, eye irritation, central nervous system depression, cancer hazard (in humans)
Physical Hazards: Flammable gas. May cause flash fire. May polymerize. Containers may rupture or explode.
According
to ACGIH this substance belongs to Group A1 indicating that it is a
confirmed human carcinogen.
22 Jan 2003
WASHINGTON: The U.S. government is adapting environmental monitors
scattered across the nation to detect bio-terrorism, hoping they will
provide early warning if smallpox, anthrax or other deadly germs are
released into the air. The system, being announced on Wednesday by the White
House, would retrofit many of the 3,000 existing environmental monitoring
stations with new filters to detect biological agents.
In addition to the air-borne monitors, ERRI WMD analysts said that an
effective "disease surveillance" and education program must also be
instituted through public health and Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
agencies that will monitor, report, and analyze suspected outbreaks of
specific diseases in real patients, in real time.
10:15CDT/16:15 London time - 07 Jan 2003
London Arrests Net Traces of Ricin Poison
London, England -- Anti-terrorist police have reportedly arrested six men and a woman after discovering traces of the toxic poison ricin (Ricinus communis-castor beans), in London. They were arrested after an operation by the anti-terrorist branch in north and east London on Sunday. Scotland Yard said equipment and materials' were found at an address in Wood Green in north London, where one of the men was also arrested. The suspects are reportedly of north African origin. Ricin has no known antidote. Click here to get the whole story from Sky News in England...
RICIN - BACKGROUNDER
OVERVIEW:
Ricin is a potent protein toxin derived from the beans of the castor plant (Ricinus communis). Castor beans are ubiquitous worldwide, and the toxin is fairly easily produced. Ricin is therefore a potentially widely available toxin. When inhaled as a small particle aerosol, this toxin may produce pathologic changes within 8 hours and severe respiratory symptoms followed by acute hypoxic respiratory failure in 36-72 hours. When ingested, ricin causes severe gastrointestinal symptoms followed by vascular collapse and death.Signs and Symptoms: Weakness, fever, cough and pulmonary edema occur 18-24 hours after inhalation exposure, followed by severe respiratory distress and death from hypoxemia in 36-72 hours.
Diagnosis: Signs and symptoms noted above in large numbers of geographically clustered patients could suggest an exposure to aerosolized ricin. The rapid time course to severe symptoms and death would be unusual for infectious agents. Laboratory findings are nonspecific but similar to other pulmonary irritants which cause pulmonary edema. Specific serum ELISA is available. Acute and convalescent sera should be collected.
Treatment: Management is largely supportive and should include treatment for pulmonary edema, as needed. Gastric decontamination measures should be used if ingested.
Prophylaxis: There is currently no vaccine or prophylactic antitoxin available for human use, although immunization appears promising in animal models. Use of the protective mask (PPE) is currently the best protection against inhalation injury.
Isolation and Decontamination: Standard Universal Precautions should be used by healthcare workers. Secondary aerosols should generally not be a danger to health care providers. Weak hypochlorite solutions (0.1% sodium hypochlorite) and/or soap and water can decontaminate skin surfaces.
{ERRI Note: ERRI does NOT offer medical advice, nor do we
authorize diagnosis or medical care procedures. It is recommended that
emergency response personnel contact a competent physician/medical authority
for appropriate and specific medical treatment information for this or any
other WMD situation.)
INSTANT UPDATE: 12:55CST - 24 Dec 2002
White Powder Incident Unfounded
Chicago, IL (EmergencyNet News) -- According to Chicago Fire Commissioner James Joyce, in a statement to the press in the past few minutes, the suspicious powder that was found in the vicinity of Lincoln Park turned out to be "unfounded." Apparently, the substance was non-toxic and being used to mark some sort of "running course" in the park area. The Level III haz-mat response has been secured.
12:15CST - 24 Dec 2002
Major Haz-Mat Response Reported In Chicago
Chicago,
IL (EmergencyNet News) -- A Level III Hazardous Materials response has
been declared for an incident in the vicinity of Lincoln Park Zoo on Chicago's
near north side. According to unofficial reports coming from the scene,
some sort of unidentified "suspicious white powder" has been found in
several locations in the area. Numerous police, fire, and EMS units have responded to
the scene and an investigation is underway. A special fire dept. Haz-Mat
team (5-1-1) is on-scene and attempting to identify the substance. Two
people, who may have come in contact with the powder, were transported to
a local hospital as a precaution. There
are major traffic disruptions in the area. EmergencyNet News will bring
you additional updates as circumstances warrant.
WASHINGTON: Health officials have released a set of guidelines on mass vaccination against smallpox in the event of a bioterrorist attack. It sets down detailed plans for setting up emergency clinics, supplying vaccine and briefing the public. Experts believe that smallpox could well be the weapon of choice in any future bioterrorist attack -- it is frequently fatal, spreads easily from person to person unlike anthrax, and -- as vaccines have not been used for decades in the West -- many people have no immunity.
The US government has gradually been amassing a stockpile of vaccines and equipment which could be rushed to the site of an outbreak. Current plans allow for the shipment of 75 million doses of vaccine within a day. But mass vaccination programs need effective staff and facilities as well as the vaccine itself.
The guidelines tell local health authorities how to set up a "model clinic" capable of vaccinating a million people a day. They detail the staff numbers necessary and what shift patterns they should work, how the clinic should be designed and plans for security in case of mass panic. They include forms for obtaining consent from people about to be vaccinated -- a crucial issue when much of the vaccine stockpile consists of formulations which have never been properly tested.
The CDC Smallpox Response Plan and Guidelines now contains a very important addition to smallpox preparedness efforts - a comprehensive annex titled "Smallpox Vaccination Clinic Guide." This new section - part of the upcoming Version 3 of the CDC Smallpox Response Plan and Guidelines - describes the operational and logistical considerations associated with implementing a large-scale voluntary vaccination program in response to a confirmed smallpox outbreak. This provides details on all aspects of immunization clinic operations and staffing and includes an example of a model smallpox vaccination clinic.
Download Smallpox Vaccination Clinic Guide Annex PDF (949 KB/48 pages) directly from CDC at: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/vaccination/pdf/smallpox-vax-clinic-guide.pdf
09 Sep 2002 --
Training
Technology Against Terror: Using Advanced Technology to Prepare America’s
Emergency Medical Personnel and First Responders for a Weapon of Mass
Destruction Attack
(With footnote reference to ERRI's Steve Macko and his article,
"Senate Hearings Say Local
Fire and Emergency Services not Prepared" March 1996, on Page 18 of
report)
28 Aug 2002
U.S. Cities Unprepared For Smallpox Attacks, Expert Says
WASHINGTON: Officials said many U.S. cities are reportedly vastly unprepared to deliver lifesaving vaccinations should terrorists attack with smallpox, with many logistical and policy problems still unresolved. Vaccinations are effective against smallpox if delivered up to a few days after exposure to the virus. The government has enough vaccine in hand to vaccinate 75 million people, with more on the way.
But many communities have yet to determine where to open clinics, who
will administer the shots and how to educate people about the health risks
that the vaccine carries, members of the Secretary's Council on Public
Health Preparedness for the Department of Health and Human Services were
told. D.A. Henderson, who chairs the council and serves as HHS Secretary
Tommy Thompson's top adviser on bio-terrorism, said: "We're lagging
behind, there's no question on that." There is "less sense of urgency"
than is needed in some communities. If that doesn't change, he warned,
"It's going to be bad news, very serious bad news."
24 July 2002
Government Report Says United Kingdom Not Prepared For Terror Attack
UNITED KINGDOM: A British House of Commons committee reportedly warned on Wednesday that the U.K. is unprepared to respond to a major terrorist attack and must improve training and be more vigilant about tracking weapons of mass destruction. In a harshly worded assessment, the Defense Committee said bureaucratic foot-dragging and departmental turf battles have slowed government efforts to better prepare for an emergency. The lawmakers said fire and ambulance crews lacked the training and equipment necessary to respond to chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear attack (CBRN).
The report warned: "Now that there is a real threat of such an attack on a scale not previously planned for, the government must provide the additional resources needed." British Home Office Minister John Denham, responding in contrast to the committee report, said Britain was much better prepared to prevent and respond to a major attack than before 9/11. He said: "Building on our experience of fighting terrorism over the last 30 years, we have ensured that the U.K. has in place tried and tested crisis management plans to deal with a major emergency."
ERRI's Clark Staten
expressed concerns similar to the conclusions reached by the Defense
Committee, about preparations for the terrorist use of Weapons of Mass
Destruction (WMD), in a briefing that he gave to a large group of British
and other senior NATO officers in 1999. (Entitled "Weapons of Mass
Destruction; Consequence Management") Additional Reference, SkyNews:
http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1058582,00.html
12 June 2002
Radiological Survey Equipment Needed By Emergency Forces?
By Steve Macko, EmergencyNet News Managing Editor
CHICAGO, IL: ERRI's senior national security analyst and
retired emergency service chief, Clark Staten said that given recent warnings about attempts by
terrorist forces to attack American targets with a Radiation Dispersal
Device (RDD), it would be prudent for U.S. Fire. Police, and EMS units to
obtain and use radiological survey equipment during any response to a known
or suspected explosion. "Our recommendations would include, at this time,
that someone (as determined by the jurisdiction having authority) among initial response forces
to an explosion, be trained and equipped with
appropriate radiological survey equipment to include a geiger-counter type
device and dosimeters," Staten said. "This equipment could then be used to
conduct a preliminary assessment of the scene and determine what appropriate
protective clothing and equipment might be needed, or if other special units are required," the
veteran analyst added. "As times and tactical situations change, so
must the capabilities of our emergency service agencies...we think it only
prudent to make such a suggestion at this time," Staten concluded.
Additional reference:
1981
-"Handling of Radiation Accident Victims; A Prehospital Care Point of
View," by Staten, C. L. , Fire Command Magazine, January 1981, Pg. 14-15,
19
(Note: requires Adobe .pdf reader/plug-in)
05 June 2002
"Mega-Attack" Fears Expressed
ISRAEL: An Israeli army spokesman said on Wednesday that
Palestinian militants intended to release lethal cyanide gas as part of a
Passover homicide bombing attack in March that killed 29 Israelis, but were
unsuccessful due to "technical difficulties." The plan to use cyanide gas
was part of what appears to be persistent efforts by Palestinian militant
groups to carry out a so-called "mega attack," which could cause scores or
even hundreds of casualties. ERRI spokesman and senior analyst, Clark
Staten, said that this was not the first time we have heard of Palestinian
militants trying to use "chemical weapons." What analysts are unsure of is
why the seeming terrorist fascination with cyanide, rather than other
materials that might be more lethal, or easier to obtain/use. Staten said that given an
evolving terrorist proclivity to try to cause the largest numbers of
casualties, that trend analysis would suggest that it is likely that
militants will continue to try to use Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD),
both in the Mid-East...and potentially elsewhere.
23:30EDT - 16 May 2002
Unusual Haz-Mat Being Reported in Yonkers
YONKERS, NY (Emergencynet News) -- Early and preliminary reports are coming in with regard to some sort of unusual Haz-Mat incident in Yonkers, NY. Few official details are currently available, but there would appear to be six people injured, with two reported in critical condition. EMS sources said that those stricken were taken to St. Joseph's Medical Center, which was closed to the public for a period of time.
EmergencyNet News has learned that a building near Nepperhan & Elm St. in Yonkers (Westchester County) had been evacuated by emergency service teams and that the block was quarantined for a period of time. Public health officials are reportedly checking to see if the victims were poisoned by some sort of presently unidentified substance. Yonker's Police Commissioner Charles Cola was quoted as saying that the victims' conditions deteriorated very quickly, which is not typical for food poisoning victims and that led him to believe "it was some kind of chemical they ingested." An investigation by local, state and federal agencies is presently underway. EmergencyNet News is monitoring events in Yonkers and will provide additional information if/when it becomes available...
Instant 
- 20:00CDT - 16 May
2002
Hijacked Cyanide Recovered; Some Missing?
According
to a report from CNN, a hijacked Mexican tractor-trailer loaded with
10 tons of deadly cyanide was recovered Thursday near the place it was
stolen, a Mexican embassy official told CNN, but it was unclear whether
all 96 drums were recovered with the truck. Mireya Magaha, a spokesman for
the Mexican embassy in Washington, told CNN he was receiving conflicting
reports from various government agencies, including unconfirmed reports
that some (or most) of the cyanide was missing....
04 Apr 2002 - 09:00CDT
Report Warns That Radioactivity Device Could Spur Panic
WASHINGTON, DC: According to a report in Saturday's Washington Post, a private analysis conducted for Washington area government officials warns that a truck bomb containing radioactive materials and detonated in downtown Washington could disable many of the region's emergency workers within days and trigger a spontaneous evacuation by fearful residents. The report, prepared by the Center for Strategic and International Studies for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, concludes that police and fire agencies must develop plans to protect first responders from radiation, stagger rescue crews to prevent overexposure and ensure that protective gear and equipment can be rushed in from regional sources. The report added that authorities consider ways to exercise emergency powers quickly to prevent panic and recommends disseminating information in advance to educate the media and the public about the risks.
The CSIS study is based on the possibility that an attack with a "dirty bomb" -- a relatively easy-to-assemble weapon that would scatter quantities of "low-grade" radioactive material -- is more likely than the detonation of a stolen thermonuclear device, the release of smallpox or an attack on a chemical production plant. While a dirty bomb could kill people after prolonged exposure, federal officials have said, the broader impact would be psychological. As a result, planning for such an attack includes effectively managing its after-effects.
The report was based in part on a 21 March exercise, in which the center posed a specific dirty-bomb scenario and asked local public safety officials to describe their probable responses. Michael Rogers, executive director of the council of 17 Washington area governments, cautioned that the seminar exercise was not a full indicator of the region's readiness capabilities. Participants included about 40 representatives of area police, fire, emergency management and health agencies and utilities but not top-level decision-makers or their most expert aides. ERRI counter-terrorism and WMD analysts have long expressed their concerns about such a scenario...
EmergencyNet Resource Notification:
Target Terror:
11:30CDT/12:30EDT - 25 Apr 2002
Secondary Reports Say Explosion "Next Door" to Technical School
Chelsea Section of NYC (EmergencyNet News) -- Secondary reports coming from New York City are now suggesting that an explosion that occurred this morning actually occurred in a building next door to the Apex Technical school. FDNY/EMS personnel say that in excess of 30 people have been injured in the blast, some seriously. A field triage center has been set up at the scene, where patients are sorted according to severity, before being sent to area hospitals.
One officially unconfirmed report says that the explosion was the result of a "boiler explosion." NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg called the incident a tragic accident, and reportedly said there were "volatile chemicals in the building's basement that might have set off the explosion." No official statement has been issued by NYC authorities concerning an investigation into the actual cause of the blast, but a unnamed federal official says that the incident "does not appear to be related to terrorism." EmergencyNet News is monitoring events in New York City closely and will provide additional details as circumstances warrant...
*****
11:00CDT/12:00EDT - 25 Apr 2002
Reports of "Explosion" in Chelsea Area of NYC
New York City, NY (EmergencyNet News) -- Early and largely
unconfirmed reports are suggesting that there are multiple injuries at the
scene of a reported explosion near 19th Street and 7th Ave. in the Chelsea
section of NYC. Numerous Fire/EMS units are on the scene and reportedly working to
rescue people in the Apex Technical School. Few official details as to the
cause of the incident are currently available, though speculation is
centering on some sort of "an accident." Bystanders
described the incident as involving "an explosion." Other concerns involve
the possibility of hazardous materials being involved in the incident...
22:00CDT - 22 Apr 2002
Zubaydah Says Al-Qaeda Can Build a Dirty Bomb...
(EmergencyNet News) -- In what appears to be another startling revelation from Abu Zubaydah, a captured senior al-Qaida field commander, Zubaydah says that Al-Qaeda has the capability to build a so-called "dirty bomb" or (RDD - Radiological Dispersal Device). U.S. intelligence sources tell EmergencyNet News that they remain uncertain about the authenticity of Zubaydah's statement, and that they think he may be engaging in some sort of "disinformation or misdirection." A U.S. official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity said: "We're aware that al-Qaeda has been interested in this for a long time. But it doesn't take much know-how to build a dirty nuke. Just because he's making the claim doesn't mean he's telling the truth."
The device would explode conventional high explosives to spread industrial, medical-grade or waste radioactive material into a populated area, in an effort to cause panic and provoke a widespread fear of exposure. Such a explosion, detonated by terrorists, could necessitate evacuation and decontamination of the area and probably disrupt a local economy for a period of time, officials said. The possibility of the use of such a device has been dismissed by some U.S. government and other scientists as "improbable," but other Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) experts, including ERRI analysts, say that they remain concerned about such a possibility.
Additional references:
08 Apr
2002--ERRI
Special Report: Change in Terrorism Tactics Reported; Suicide Bombers Could Have Major
Implications
20 Mar 2002
NYPD Rolls Out Mobile Chem, Bio Lab
NEW YORK CITY: A high-tech mobile lab where NYPD chemists can conduct quick, on-scene tests for chemical and biological weapons was added to the NYPD fleet on Tuesday. Wayne Abrams, an engineer on the chemical defense team of Agilent Technologies of Palo Alto, California, said: "This is the most advanced mobile laboratory that has been built." The firm donated the $750,000 mobile lab to the nonprofit New York City Police Foundation, which gave it to the NYPD.
The federal government uses about 60 of the white, supersize vans, which
look like large campers built atop heavy-duty trucks. In an emergency,
samples of toxic substances -- from bioterrorism attacks or industrial
spills -- are handled through a small air-lock door on the side of the van.
Samples are transferred in a stainless-steel compartment to another room in
the lab, where police forensic scientists and haz-mat specialists can use
two types of machines to analyze and identify suspect materials.
12 Mar 2002
Man Arrested For Possession of Cyanide In Chicago
CHICAGO, IL: A man who was arrested on Saturday night was formally charged on Monday with storing deadly powdered cyanide in an underground passage that makes up part of the city's mass transit system. The suspect is said to had taken over a Chicago Transit Authority storage room under the downtown district and stored sodium cyanide and potassium cyanide there. University of Illinois-Chicago police arrested the suspect and a juvenile on Saturday night for allegedly trespassing.
According to an FBI affidavit filed in federal court, the two people were found in a steam tunnel under the university's education building. The FBI said the man was wanted on charges of fleeing to avoid prosecution in Wisconsin after failing to appear on charges in Door County alleging vandalism against utility systems that knocked out electrical power to a town of 9,000 people. When he was arrested, the suspect was carrying a vial containing a powder that was determined to be sodium cynanide- sodium carbonate.
The juvenile told FBI agents that the man had taken over an area within a CTA underground passageway to store chemicals. The man was interviewed on Saturday night and admitted that he had keys to various CTA sub-stations. Local news reports said the man thought of himself as a self-styled "anarchist" (domestic terrorist) and used to hang around with computer hackers, using the screen name "Dr Chaos."
Safety data for sodium cyanide
Synonyms: hydrocyanic acid sodium salt, cyanogran
Molecular formula: NaCN
DOT Placard #1689
2000 Emergency Response Guide: 157
Physical data:
Appearance: white granules or powder
Melting point: 564 C
Boiling point: 1496 C
Vapour density: 1.7 (air = 1)
Vapour pressure:
Density (g cm-3): 1.6
Water solubility: appreciable
Stability:
Stable. Incompatible with water, strong acids, strong oxidizing agents.
Toxicology:
Poison - may be fatal if inhaled or swallowed. Contact with acid releases
highly poisonous HCN gas.
Treatment: Amyl Nitrite and Sodium Thiosulfate
03 Mar 2002
Al-Qaeda Has A "Dirty Bomb"??
WASHINGTON: The Washington Post was reporting on Sunday that a U.S. intelligence assessment believes that the al-Qaeda terrorist group has acquired lower-level radioactive materials that could be used in what is called a "dirty bomb." An unidentified senior government expert told the newspaper that although such a "dirty bomb" could cause a more modest number of deaths than an actual nuclear weapon, it could have considerable impact as a "weapon of psychological terror." The Post also said that after a briefing by the CIA, POTUS ordered his national security team to give nuclear terrorism priority over every other threat to the United States. ERRI Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) analysts have reported on and cautioned about such a scenario on several previous occasions (see http://www.emergency.com/cntrterr.htm - report on 17 May 2001, and others on http://www.emergency.com/hzmtpage.htm )
The newspaper said that the U.S. has installed hundreds of sophisticated radioactivity detectors at U.S. border inspection points and around the nation's capital. Delta Force has been placed on standby alert to seize any nuclear materials that are detected. Other counter-nuclear assets such as the Nuclear Emergency Search Team (NEST) are also thought to have been alerted to be ready for action. According to the Post, the heightened fears of the use of nuclear materials along with reported threats of a terrorist attack bigger than 9/11 explain the decision to maintain a cadre of senior federal managers or "shadow government" on standby outside of Washington.
The CIA reportedly told the President at one point of not only the
published arrests by Pakistan of two former nuclear scientists who visited
terrorist mastermind Usama bin Laden, but of a third Pakistani scientist who
tried to sell a nuclear bomb to Libya. The likeliest source for terrorists
of nuclear materials was the crumbling nuclear industry infrastructure in
parts of the former Soviet Union, despite the insistence of Russian
officials that all such materials are accounted for.
INSTANT -
13:00CST/14:00EST - 23 Feb 2002
Army Anthrax Incident Appears to be Some Kind of Hoax
Ft. McPherson, GA (EmergencyNet News) -- As was suspected by at least some analysts, the "anthrax scare" at Ft. McPherson, GA now appears to be some kind of a hoax. Army spokesman LTC Ken Konstanzer said the secondary CDC tests had proven negative for anthrax on samples taken from the U.S. Army Reserve Command headquarters last night. Both military and fire/health services officials said that they had purposefully "erred on the side of caution" in the incident.
*****
22:30CST/23:30EST -22 Feb 2002
Unconfirmed Anthrax Scare At Military Post; Seven People Potentially Exposed
Ft. McPherson, GA (EmergencyNet News) -- According to military sources, a suspicious package arrived at about 17:15 on Friday afternoon at the U.S. Army Reserve Command headquarters at Ft. McPherson. Although many details are still sketchy as too how the package got into the building, it would appear that it contained a "white-powdery substance" that tested positive for anthrax on preliminary field tests. The package has been sent to the Center For Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta for more definitive tests.
Col. Guy Shields, chief of public affairs for Forces Command, said
that although the early tests for anthrax were positive, "preliminary field
testing is not that accurate. It errs on the side
of caution." "We are going to treat it as if anthrax is present,"
Llelwyn Grant, a spokesman for the U.S.C.D.C. told the Atlanta Constitution
newspaper.
Col. Shields said seven people, all civilians, came in contact with
the suspicious package. Five are employed as office workers at Fort
McPherson and the other two were emergency personnel from the base fire
department. All are were decontaminated by Fire/Haz-Mat personnel and
medically evaluated. They are now waiting until tomorrow for further results
of CDC tests. EmergencyNet News is monitoring events at Ft. McPherson and
will provide additional updates as circumstances warrant...
WORLDWIDE INTELLIGENCE
CIA Reportedly Sees Rise In Terrorist Weapons
WASHINGTON: In a report that was released on Wednesday, the Central Intelligence Agency said that the danger of a terrorist attack with chemical, biological or nuclear weapons has increased since the 9/11 strikes. The semiannual report on arms proliferation from January to June 2001 said U.S. intelligence also "uncovered rudimentary diagrams of nuclear weapons inside a suspected al-Qaeda safehouse in Kabul. These diagrams, while crude, describe essential components -- uranium and high-explosives -- common to nuclear weapons."
The report said that several of the 30 foreign terrorist groups and other non-state actors around the world "have expressed interest" in obtaining biological, chemical and nuclear arms. However, terrorists likely will continue to favor "proven conventional tactics such as bombing and shootings."
According to the report that was in today's Washington Times, the CIA identified Russia, China and North Korea as "key suppliers" of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons materials and missile- delivery systems. That's not new, they had previously been identified as such in CIA reports. But for the first time, the report included a section on the use by terrorists of unconventional weapons.
The CIA report said that Usama bin Laden and groups allied with him are interested in "staging unconventional attacks" and have sought materials to develop chemical, biological and nuclear weapons since the early 1990s. The report said: "Bin Laden and his organization continue to make public statements about unconventional weapons, which could be an attempt to justify the use of such weapons."
The intelligence report said it had "no credible reporting" that
terrorists had purchased or stolen nuclear weapons or sufficient material
to produce them. It said: "Gaps in our reporting, however, make this an
issue of ongoing concern."
NATIONAL NEWS:
Seven Civil Support Teams Certified
Summary from NEWS RELEASE: the United States Department of Defense
WASHINGTON: The Department of Defense notified Congress today that the Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Teams (WMD-CST) from the Arkansas, California, Florida, Iowa, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Virginia National Guard are now certified. These teams are fully ready to assist civil authorities respond to a domestic weapon of mass destruction incident, and possess the requisite skills, training and equipment to be proficient in all mission requirements.
The Arkansas National Guard team, the 61st WMD-CST, is stationed at North Little Rock, Ark. The California National Guard team, the 95th WMD-CST, is stationed at Hayward, Calif. The Florida National Guard team, the 44th WMD-CST, is stationed at Stark, Fla. The Iowa National Guard team, the 71st WMD-CST, is stationed at Johnston, Iowa. The New Mexico National Guard team, the 64th WMD-CST, is stationed at Santa Fe, N.M. The Oklahoma National Guard team, the 63rd WMD-CST, is stationed at Oklahoma City, Okla. The Virginia National Guard team, the 34th WMD-CST, is stationed at Blackstone, Va.
Congress has authorized 32 WMD-CST. The seven teams certified today are
part of the 17 teams authorized in the National Defense Appropriations Act
for fiscal 2000. All 10 of the teams authorized in fiscal 1999 have
already been certified; 14 of the 17 teams authorized in fiscal 2000 are
now certified; five more teams authorized in fiscal 2001 are being
organized.
08:30CST - 18 Jan 2002
At Least One Dead, 25 Hurt, in Hazardous Materials Incident in North Dakota
Minot, N.D. (EmergencyNet News) -- An anhydrous ammonia leak continues to plague the city of Minot this morning following a train derailment that occurred overnight. The accident, which occurred at about 01:40 this morning apparently resulted in the development of a cloud of anhydrous ammonia gas that has settled into the valley surrounding Minot. Police, Fire, and EMS officials said that at least one person has died as the result of exposure to the fumes, and another 25 people have been taken to local hospitals.
Residents have been advised to
"shelter-in-place" as officials hope that the gas will dissipate. The
cause of the train derailment, that appears to be the immediate cause of
the ammonia leak, has not been determined and will be investigated once
the immediate emergency passes.
U.S. MILITARY OPERATIONS
Uranium Found At Al-Qaida Base
[Terror Group Reference: al-Qaida]
AFGHANISTAN: Near Kandahar in southern Afghanistan, uranium and cyanide have reportedly been discovered in drums at an al-Qaida terrorist base. The London Telegraph said that the find -- the first evidence that terrorist mastermind Usama bin Laden had obtained materials for a nuclear arsenal -- was confirmed by U.S. officials. The cache included a low-grade uranium which could be used to make a so-called "dirty bomb," or a crude radiological device wrapped around a conventional explosive. Such a bomb is designed to spread radiation over a large area after exploding.
The suspicious material was found in tunnels at the edge of an air base controlled by U.S. forces. USA Today newspaper quoted one U.S. official as saying some depleted uranium was found recently, but that the material did not appear to be dangerous and that it isn't clear whether Sunday's claim involves the same discovery.
Haji Gullalai, the interim intelligence chief for Kandahar province,
told The Telegraph that after capturing the air- port area earlier this
month, his men discovered the materials in the tunnels. He said: "There
were big drums the size of petrol drums and metal boxes with sides seven
or eight inches thick. The bottles were labeled in four different
languages -- Chinese, Russian, Arabic and English."
By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 21, 2001 – What kind of risk will the American people accept in regards to bio-terrorism? How does the government communicate better with the American people when a biological attack occurs?
These are just two of the questions Maj. Gen. John S. Parker, commanding general of the Army's Medical Research and Material Command at Fort Detrick, Md., posed during a presentation to the Fletcher Conference, Nov. 14. Parker and his command have been involved in supporting public health and law enforcement efforts in the October anthrax mailings.
He said the anthrax mailings to news organizations and the Senate has redefined the battlefield. "In military terms we used to say, 'detect to avoid, detect to identify the threat, detect to protect,'" he said. "And, we were thinking of working in some far-off land with a face-to- face enemy. Now, all of a sudden, the battlefield is the continental United States." "Detect to avoid" is not really possible. People are going to have to use facilities, such as post offices. And this leads America into assessing the risks posed by biological agents, including anthrax. "In my experiences with the recent anthrax contingency that occurred here, I learned one thing above all things," he said. "It boils down to one person who wants to know, 'Am I contaminated? Am I going to get ill? What should I do?' One person."
He said American scientists have the know-how to build equipment to detect a biological agent, but once the detector finds agent "X," the mystery really begins. "We'd better know an awful lot about 'X,' we'd better know what it is, what it's physiology is, what it's human effect is, what the therapy for 'X' is, and," Parker continued, "at what level do we provide therapy for an exposure to 'X'".
Parker explained the idea of decontamination took on a new meaning and a higher level of urgency when the battlefield was the United States. "Decontamination of people, places, things, papers, file drawers, your favorite pencil; they all became important in the decontamination process," he said. "Have we done enough research in the way of decontamination that it is done quickly, leaving no residues so that people can leave a building, have (the building) decontaminated and immediately return?"
As the country faces this new war, more questions must be answered. Defining the level at which contamination becomes a threat is one aspect researchers must contemplate. "Do we worry about one spore on the table?" Parker asked. "Do we worry about 100 spores in the rug? When do we worry?" The country needs to develop standards of what is safe and acceptable.
"I don't think we can guarantee no spores still exist in the Hart [Senate Office] Building," he said. "One tiny little spore is going to find some niche and survive. Now, is that a danger? Well, to some people it is."
Parker added he does not think one spore is a danger and we must identity the thresholds where people are safe. "As we walk through our world today, people are shaking hands, hugging, coughing, sneezing. Bacteria and viruses are invisible to us, but we seem to survive in a sea of pathogens that just would love to set up housekeeping in the rich environments of our physiological fluids," he said. "We seem to survive until one of those gets out of balance and we need to know when that balance is changed."
He said all Americans need information to confront bio- terrorism in the 21st Century. "The general public must have a basic knowledge of what is in their environment, how to act with it and how to take care of it if it becomes personal," he explained.
Polls show Americans expect "zero risk" from biological agents, but can the country afford zero risk, he asked. "Getting to zero risk is an isotonic curve in which there may be not enough dollars in the future to get there," he said. "At what level of risk will a human being feel safe?"
People take risks every day. They ride motorcycles without helmets, every day a thousand more children learn how to smoke, every day 50 people die on the highways because of drunk driving, he said. "There must be a level of risk that the American public will accept because those statistics prove it," Parker said. "Now, will they accept more than zero risk in a biological event?"
Parker said communication during a bio-terrorism attack is crucial. "Communication between people, communication between the agencies, communication with our customers and with the people that are involved in the incident," he said. "We must do better with communication.
"I've been in the United States Army for 38 years," he continued. "I've been in a lot of scenarios, be they real or be they exercises. And, in the after action report of almost every single one of those scenarios or exercises, it's been, 'We could have communicated better.'"
He said the country needs to think about improved communication and invest both money and manpower in this goal, adding that law enforcement and public health officials need to resolve competing needs. "When is material so important to a forensic investigation or to a prosecution that it cannot be shared openly in situations where it may have a public health consequence?" he asked.
Finally, the United States needs more information and testing of defenses against biological weapons. "What we need is a national test bed [for defenses against biological weapons]," Parker said. "Not just a military test bed, but a national test bed where entrepreneurs can bring their equipment to that national test bed and have it tested against a criteria."
Related Site of Interest:
http://mrmc-www.army.mil:80/
-- U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command
07 Nov 2001
NATIONAL NEWS:
Senate Hearing Details Troubling News About Bio-Terrorism
By Paul Anderson, ERRI Analyst
FBI executives were grilled by U.S. senators on Tuesday over the lack of progress in finding the person(s) responsible for the current anthrax scare. Also, at the hearing, the doctor charged with coordinating the national response to public health emergencies expressed concern over a bio-terrorism attack involving smallpox smuggled out of Russia.
A Senate panel considering legislation that would tighten government regulation of viruses and bacteria that could be used as weapons heard FBI counterterrorism officials give a grim assessment of their anthrax probe. James Caruso, a senior FBI counterterrorism official, said investigators have been spread thin thanks to a seemingly unending stream of hoaxes and false alarms.
Caruso said since mid-September the FBI has responded to about 7,089 suspicious anthrax letters, 950 incidents involving bomb threats or other potential mass weapons and 29,331 telephone calls from the public about suspicious packages.
Dr. Donald Henderson, the head of the government's new Office of Public Health Preparedness, said that while new anthrax infections have stalled, prompting officials to wonder whether the anthrax threat has subsided, it is too soon to relax. He said: "We'd like to believe it is over. But I am afraid ... there is someone out there who had and maybe has material that is clearly potent stuff. What might happen next is anybody's guess."
Henderson, a leading expert on smallpox who headed the global effort that succeeded in eradicating the disease two decades ago, was named last week to coordinate the U.S. response to public health emergencies. In addition to anthrax, Henderson expressed concern about the potential of a bio-terrorism attack involving smallpox. Henderson said of smallpox: "This is a disease we need to be concerned about. It was the worst of the world's pestilences."
He said Soviet weapons experts had succeeded in weaponizing smallpox -- putting it into warheads that could fit into intercontinental ballistic missiles. Each missile would release melon-sized spheres that would spin as they approached the ground, spewing out clouds of smallpox virus to be breathed in by victims. ERRI WMD analysts said that there are also intelligence reports that indicate that the former Soviet Union also experimented with cruise-type missiles that could launched from a ship or submarine and used to disperse bio-agents.
Senator Dianne Feinstein chaired the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on
technology, terrorism and government information. Feinstein said Congress
needs to do more to prevent people from possessing personal stockpiles of
dangerous biological agents such as anthrax.
01 Nov 2001
United Nations Nuclear Agency Warns Of Terrorist Threat
By Paul Anderson, ERRI Analyst
Warning that security at some nuclear sites and centers where radioactive material is stored was disturbingly weak, the International Atomic Agency is calling on the world's nuclear powers to tighten security at their nuclear plants to avoid them being targeted by terrorists. The United Nations nuclear watchdog is holding a special session on nuclear terrorism on Friday.
Mohamed El-Baradei, head of the IAEA, said that the ruthlessness of the 11 September attacks on the United States showed there was a "new dimension to the nuclear threat. We have seen an aerial attack on a building, and the threat that a nuclear facility may be attacked in a similar manner now must be considered a serious security threat." The US has already banned small private airplanes from flying near the 103 nuclear power plants around the country. As previously reported by ERRI, France, for its part, is protecting nuclear facilities with surface-to-air missiles.
Nuclear plants in the United States are protected by security personnel who are subject to security clearance and background checks. Plants must prove that they can repel attacks from small groups of paramilitary troops with automatic weapons and armed with explosives, and an attack by employee working inside the plant or an attack from four-wheel drive vehicle bomb.
Another threat identified by the IAEA is the lack of security around sources of radioactive material used in industrial and medical applications. It is feared that this material, as well as nuclear material which has been smuggled across borders, could be used in so-called "dirty bombs," which use conventional explosives to disperse radioactive particles.
In a related issue, U.S. Undersecretary of State John Bolton said on Wednesday that the 11 September attacks have increased concerns that terrorists would use weapons of mass destruction -- including possibly nuclear weapons -- against the United States. Bolton predicted that if terrorists possess weapons of mass destruction they will use them.
Bolton, the State Department's top official dealing with arms control and international security affairs, said he was worried "there will be use of a weapon of mass destruction." He added: "Had these people had ballistic missile technology, there is not the slightest doubt in my mind that they would have used it. If they could couple that with a weapon of mass destruction -- nuclear or whatever -- and dropped it on lower Manhattan, as tragic as the destruction of the World Trade Center was, the loss of lower Manhattan or any comparable place would obviously be a lot worse."
He refused to say if the United States knew whether master terrorist Usama bin Laden and his al-Qaida network of Islamic extremists were in possession of nuclear weapons. Iran, Iraq and North Korea have long been key states of U.S. concern in regard to both weapons of mass destruction and terrorism.
Bolton would not directly answer on whether the United States believed
Pakistan could lose control of its nuclear arsenal in any political
instability that might result from its alliance with Washington in the
anti-terrorism war.
Reference -- Chemical/Biological/Radiological Incident
Handbook: 31 October 2001
Source:
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/cbr_handbook/cbrbook.htm
US Army Summary of Common Biological Agents and Their Treatment
20:00CDT - 04 Sep 01
Allegations that Colombian Rebels Used "Gas" in Attack on Police Station
BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA (EmergencyNet News) -- ERRI analysts are currently examining preliminary reports that Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerillas have used some kind of "toxic gas" in an attack on the police station in the town of San Adolfo, in Huila province.
According to National police chief Gen. Ernesto Gilibert, four police officers were killed after the rebels threw some sort of device into a police bunker. Witnesses said that a "dark gray smoke," which caused almost immediate blindness and shortness of breath, engulfed the bunker. Although Colombian police said that the gas may have been CN or CS tear-gas, which can cause serious symptoms in a confined space, tear-gas usually is not lethal.
Colombian authorities said that autopsies and toxicology tests are
being carried out on the remains of the deceased police officers to
ascertain the exact nature of the gas that was used. Both Colombian and U.S.
experts say that if the FARC guerillas actually used poison gas in their
attack, that it is a new and dangerous escalation of the conflict in
Colombia. EmergencyNet News is monitoring this story closely and will
provide additional details if/when they become available...
31 August 2001
UNITED KINGDOM:
Top Scientist Warns Britain To Be Prepared for Biological Warfare
Wars of the future could be fought with microbes rather than bombs and missiles, a leading scientist warned a British conference on Friday. Biological weapons pose a real and growing threat which nations ignore at their peril, said Sir William Stewart, a former chief scientific adviser to the Government.
But, he warned that microbiology, essential to combat such weapons, was becoming a "Cinderella subject" in Britain, where it was losing the battle for research resources.
Sir William, president of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, told fellow scientists: "There are those who say the First World War was chemical, the Second World War was nuclear, and that the third world war God forbid will be biological.
"Information on the potential use of biological agents is widely available in the published literature. The offensive use of biological weapons is forbidden by international convention. Yet, the published literature lists around 30 conventional microbes as potential BW [biological warfare] agents."
Sir William's warning came in his presidential address to this year's British Association Festival of Science at Glasgow University. He argued that the foot-and-mouth epidemic should be seen as a salutary lesson even though it did not harm humans.
"We only have to look at the current foot-and-mouth episode to see what can go wrong if we are not properly prepared and when a bug is not adequately contained," he said. A nation unprepared for foot-and-mouth was poorly equipped to defend itself against a military biological attack, he added...
Get the whole story, click here:
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/science/story.jsp?story=91999
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION/CHEM-BIO
THREE MORE CIVIL SUPPORT TEAMS CERTIFIED
The Department of Defense notified Congress today that Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Teams (WMD-CST) from the Massachusetts, Missouri and Texas National Guard are now certified. These teams are fully ready to assist civil authorities respond to a domestic weapon of mass destruction incident, and possess the requisite skills, training and equipment to be proficient in all mission requirements.
They are the 1st WMD-CST, Natick, Mass., 7th WMD-CST, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and the 6th WMD-CST, Austin, Texas.
Congress has authorized 32 WMD-CSTs. The three teams certified today are among the first 10 teams authorized in the National Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal 1999. Seventeen additional teams were authorized in fiscal 2000; five more teams were authorized in fiscal 2001. Last month the department certified the 8th WMD-CST, Aurora, Colo.; the 2nd WMD-CST, Scotia, N.Y.; and the 10th WMD-CST, Tacoma, Wash. (See below - This brings to six the number of teams that have been certified as operational)
Source:
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Aug2001/b08152001_bt377-01.html
News Release from the U.S. Department of Defense
No. 342-01
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 27, 2001
THREE CIVIL SUPPORT TEAMS CERTIFIED
Three National Guard units were certified yesterday as the nation's first fully mission capable Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Teams (WMD-CST). These teams are designed to support incident commanders responding to a terrorist use of a weapon of mass destruction. The three weapons of mass destruction civil support teams are: the 8th WMD-CST, Aurora, Colo.; The 2nd WMD-CST, Scotia, N.Y.; And the 10th WMD-CST, Tacoma, Wash.
The Department of Defense has notified Congress that teams from Colorado, New York and Washington possess the requisite skills, training, and equipment to be proficient in all mission requirements.
A total of thirty-two weapons of mass destruction civil support teams have been authorized by Congress and are in various stages of organization. The three teams certified yesterday are among the first ten teams authorized in the National Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal 1999. Seventeen additional teams were authorized in fiscal 2000; five more teams were authorized in fiscal 2001.
24 July 2001 --
ERRI Special Report; Bio-Terrorism "Dark Winter" Scenario Reviewed By
Officials
CONNECTICUT- Haz-Mat
19:30CDT - 26 July 2001
Hazardous Materials Incident Forces Evacuations; Concerns About Toxic Smoke
Manchester, CT (EmergencyNet News) -- According to WFSB T.V. in Hartford, CT, hundreds of people have been evacuated from an area near the NAMCO Pool and Patio Equipment Co., located in an industrial park in the northeast section of Manchester. Fire and Emergency Medical Service (EMS) officials say that at least five people have been taken to local hospitals complaining of breathing problems. Numerous mutual aid units from surrounding communities were sent to the scene.
The incident, which began about 14:00EDT, involved an explosion,
fire, and the possibility of toxic products contained in a smoke plume
that is being released by the fire. Brian Emanuelson, who is with
the CT Department of Environmental Protection's Oil and Chemical Response
Division, said the major concern from the fire was the possibility of a
release of chlorine gas into a residential neighborhood.
EmergencyNet
News continues to monitor events in Manchester closely and will provide
additional updates as circumstances warrant...
20 July 2001
NEW YORK CITY:
21 Burned By Chemical Tossed From Manhattan Apartment
Authorities said that 21 people were burned early Friday (20 July 2001) by a caustic liquid thrown out of a fifth-story window in northern Manhattan. The victims, including children, received burns and had holes in their clothing from the fluid, which was thrown just after midnight at West 159th Street and Broadway. The 21 victims, first treated at the scene, were later transported to four area hospitals.
An FDNY Hazardous Materials unit and the mayor's Office of Emergency
Management also went to the scene. Police were searching for the person who
threw the liquid. Five patients were sent to Columbia Presbyterian Medical
Center, five to St Luke's Hospital, eight to Harlem Hospital and three to
Metropolitan Hospital by ambulance. All were reported to be in stable
condition.
18-23 July 2001: Series of
EmergencyNet News Reports Concerning a Train Derailment/Hazardous
Materials Incident in Baltimore, MD
14 July 2001
N.
CAROLINA:
Ammunition Ship Catches Fire At Army Depot
An ammunition ship caught fire at a U.S. Army terminal on the Cape Fear River in Southport, North Carolina, on Saturday afternoon. A civilian crew member was killed and at least one other person was still reported missing. Teams suspended their search early Sunday for the missing crew who were believed to have jumped ship when the fire began. A crew member who was killed died in the engine room.
The ship, the SS Edward Carter, is a 939-foot contract vessel that hauls ammunition and other cargo. A crew of 40 was on board when a fire broke out in the engine room at around 1600 EDT Saturday. The fire was confined to the engine room and was contained by midnight.
A half-mile radius had been evacuated around the vessel and no civilians or homes were in danger. A hazardous materials team sprayed foam to try to prevent the fire from reaching the ammunition. The ship was loading ammunition from another ship when the fire broke out. It was unclear how the fire started.
MICHIGAN:
Three Killed In Fire At Chemical Plant Near Detroit
A fire broke out on Saturday in a suburban Detroit chemical plant owned by ATOFINA Chemicals Inc. Three plant workers were killed and seven others were injured in the blaze. Fire department officials said they evacuated about 400 residents within a half-mile radius of the plant, located in Riverview, Michigan. The blaze broke out when a rail car exploded at the plant, releasing methyl mercaptan, a chemical used in the manufacture of chicken feed.
A spokeswoman for Riverside Osteopathic Hospital, where the injured
workers were taken for treatment, said two of those hurt were treated and
released. She said exposure to the chemical can result in respiratory
failure.
12 July 2001
WORLDWIDE:
04:00CDT - 12 July 2001
FBI Official Predicts Major Terrorist Attacks Directed Against U.S.A.
According to a report by the Reuters News service, FBI officials yesterday said that during the past year they are in receipt of more than 250 threats involving the use of Chemical, Biological, or Nuclear weapons and directed against U.S. targets at home and abroad.
"We predict one major terrorist attack against U.S. interests overseas, one per year for the next five years, Assistant Director Dale Watson of the FBI Counter-terrorism Division told a National Governors Association conference on Wednesday. "I'm not a gloom-and-doom type person, but I will tell you this, what I see and what most smart people see, the United States is headed for a (weapons of mass destruction) incident inside the United States," he said.
As previously reported by EmergencyNet News, on a number of occasions, the threat of terrorist use of a Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) continues to deeply concern counter-terrorism analysts both in the government and in private think-tanks. Moreover, this threat prompts a continued examination of the state of preparedness by American fire, police, EMS, medical, and military forces. Several recent studies suggest that much progress has been made in efforts to defend the United States against a WMD attack, but others still point out deficiencies in regard to coordination and cooperation among various agencies.
, who has been studying and teaching about terrorism and WMD issues for more than 14 years said today, "We wholeheartedly concur with the FBI assessment... this is something that we have been warning the American public about for several years." "Prime consideration must be given to getting more 'bang for our counter-terrorism buck,' avoiding duplication among agencies, and assuring adequate training and equipment for first responders in our local communities," Staten continued. "Most of all, we need to find innovative ways to better communicate, cooperate, and coordinate between government agencies at all levels...our defensive efforts must move faster and be better implemented than those of the 'bad guys' if we are to avoid a major disaster," Staten concluded.
11 July 2001
WASHINGTON, DC:
Cabinet Secretary Details Bio-terror Concerns
Warning that an incident was likely at some point, state officials were told by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson on Tuesday to intensify preparations for a possible biological weapons attack. Speaking at the National Governors' Association summit on domestic terrorism in Washington, Thompson -- the former governor of Wisconsin -- said: "Someday we're more than likely going to be hit by some sort of bio-terrorism in America." Thompson said that he did not know when or where such an attack would occur, but urged states to do what they could to get ready.
To prepare for the threat, Thompson announced the appointment of Dr. Scott Lillibridge, the former director of bio-terrorism preparedness and response at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Lillibridge, who will coordinate national response plans, said the threat of bio-terrorism was of great concern to national intelligence and security analysts. U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft will address the summit on Wednesday, following an FBI discussion on the domestic terrorism threat.
A counter-point editorial to the current hearings and Sec. Thompson's comments-- by Larry C. Johnson, former State Department counter-terrorism specialist, and entitled "The Declining Terrorist Threat,"-- is available on the New York Times website at: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/07/10/opinion/10JOHN.html?todaysheadlines
11 July 2001
OKLAHOMA:
Nearly 100 Sent To Area Hospitals After Tulsa Chemical Leak
Nearly 100 people who were complaining of nausea and breathing problems were taken to area hospitals yesterday after a valve on a chemical tank blew off and released toxic gas in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Wednesday. The victims were exposed to arsine gas and medical officials warned they might not notice a reaction for several hours. Arsine destroys red blood cells and breathing even small amounts can be harmful. There is no specific antidote for arsine poisoning, but doctors can give exposed patients fluids to protect their kidneys. In severe poisoning, blood transfusions may be needed.
Ambulances, city buses and private cars transported 95 people to area
hospitals. The gas release occurred before 14:00CDT on a loading dock at
Solkatronic Chemical. The Tulsa Fire Department's hazardous materials unit
placed the leaking tank in another container to stop the leak. The plant is
located in the industrial park at the Tulsa Port of Catoosa, an inland
waterway.
"Guidelines for Use of Personal Protective Equipment by Law Enforcement
Personnel During A Terrorist Chemical Agent Incident", USASBCCOM, 21 June
2001.
http://www2.sbccom.army.mil/hld/cwirp/ppe_law_enforcement_ca_incident_download.htm
18 June 2001
Resource Notification
Tularemia as a Biological Weapon: Medical and Public Health Management
10 June 2001
Resource
Notification:
"Elements of Effective Bio-terrorism Preparedness: A Planning Primer for Local Public Health Agencies". by National Association of County and City Health Officials, Jan 2001.
http://www.naccho.org/files/documents/Final_Effective_Bioterrism.pdf
(Ed. Note: requires Adobe .pdf reader)
UNITED
STATES SENATE
COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES
SUBCOMMITTEE ON EMERGING THREATS AND CAPABILITIES
Testimony on the U.S. military's capabilities to respond to domestic terrorist attacks involving the use of weapons of mass destruction.
WITNESS LIST:
Mr. Robert J. Lieberman
Deputy Inspector General
Department of Defense
Lieutenant General Russell C. Davis, USAF
Chief, National Guard Bureau
Major General Michael D. Maples, USA
Director of Military Support
Office of the Chief of Staff of the Army
Major General Bruce M. Lawlor, USA
Commander, Joint Task Force Civil Support
U.S. Joint Forces Command
Source/Reference document: http://www.senate.gov/~armed_services/hearings/2001/e010501.htm
11 May 2001
LOS ANGELES, CA
23 People Treated Following Haz-Mat Incident
A number of people are recovering after being sickened
after inhaling vapors from a chemical. The LAFD got the call just after
16:00PDT Friday afternoon to respond to the 4600 block of Worth Street.
Arriving firefighters and paramedics treated 23 people at the scene and
transported several people to area hospitals. The chemical was identified
as dimethylanine. It apparently failed to dissipate as expected. Most of
the victims complained of nausea and vomiting.
FEMA/V.P. Cheney To Explore Homeland Defense
Washington, DC (EmergencyNet News) -- Vice President Dick Cheney said that he will head a task force on "homeland defense" to assess changing threats to the United States and how to prepare for potential man-made disasters of the future. Two more days of hearing are scheduled and testimony from several of the 46 government agencies who have some responsibility for a response to terrorist incidents is expected.
Local and state officials, and a number of
private "think-tanks," including the Emergency Response &
Research Institute (ERRI -- the parent of this website) have, in the past,
expressed their concerns about coordination, communications, and cooperation
between various agencies, should a major major terrorist event occur in CONUS
(Continental United States).
1> Click
here to review the ERRI Counter-Terrorism Page
2> Click here to review the ERRI Military Operations Page
3> Click here to review the ERRI Counter-Terrorism Operations Page
Watch this space for a major upcoming "White Paper" containing some recommendations from ERRI analysts concerning better overall anti- and counter-terrorism coordination...
01 May 2001
EmergencyNet Resource
Notification:
Hospitals Unprepared For Biological and Chemical
Terrorism
Less than 20 percent of hospitals have plans to treat victims of chemical or
biological weapons incidents. Fewer than half (45 percent) have indoor or
outdoor decontamination units with isolated ventilation, shower and water
containment systems. Only 12 percent had one or more self-contained breathing
apparatus or supplied air-line respirators, and only six percent had the
minimum recommended physical resources for a hypothetical sarin
incident.
Using a questionnaire to survey 186 hospital emergency departments in four northwestern states, the authors asked hospitals about their administrative plans, training, physical resources and medication inventories. The authors conclude, "the findings of this survey, while not surprising, are nonetheless disturbing: they indicate that hospital [emergency departments] generally are not prepared in an organized fashion to treat victims of incidents involving chemical or biological weapons." [From: "Hospital Preparedness for Victims of Chemical or Biological Terrorism." Contact: Donald Clark-Wetter, PA-C, MPH, US Public Health Service.]
Source: http://www.apha.org/news/press/2001_journal/may01.htm
27 Apr 2001
MIRAMAR,
FLORIDA:
Haz-Mat/Hoax Call; Building Evacuated
The Miramar police headquarters and an office building are
back open after getting a chemical scare. Hazardous materials crews responded
to both facilities on Tuesday after a woman complained of a burning sensation
to her hands from a white powder substance found in an envelope. According to
investigators, after the mortgage company employee felt the discomfort at the
office building she immediately went to the Miramar Police department to
report the incident. Officials evacuated both buildings as precautionary
measures, but after an FBI analysis they said the substance did not contain
any hazardous materials.
23 Mar 2001
CANADA:
Bio-Terror Scare In Toronto
Thousands of government workers were evacuated in Toronto on Thursday after another anthrax scare hit Canada. Workers were forced to leave three downtown office complexes. Dozens were quarantined inside their offices after the mysterious packages were delivered to the buildings.
People spilled onto the streets at Bay and Wellesley streets just before noon as firefighters and police arrived at the building. Police said employees on the 14th floor of the building, containing offices for Ontario's Education Ministry, were isolated for almost three hours after a suspicious envelope containing a grey powder-like substance was delivered. The package was opened and a grey substance apparently came out and as a result the emergency response was activated. The mysterious substance was accompanied by a note, but authorities wouldn't reveal what it said.
One person who was in the office at the time, said the
note said something to the effect of "How do you like anthrax?"
Police later determined the substance was not anthrax, but didn't know
what it was...Click
here for a 02 Feb 2001 story on a previous Bio-Hoax in Canada
13 Mar 2001
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA:
A malfunctioning unit exploded and caught fire at a plastics plant on Tuesday,
killing three workers. The cause of the accident at the Amoco Polymers plant
was not known. The victims had been repairing a unit where metal fasteners are
made when two explosions occurred. No other workers on duty at the time of the
explosions were injured. Firefighters said they had quickly knocked down a
small blaze and noted that there was little structural damage to the plant.
The dead victims were three men, aged 25, 35 and 42.
08:30CST - 18 Feb 2001
Special Branch Police Break Up Alleged Chemical Attack Plot
London, England -- According to a report today in the London Telegraph, police in London have broken up what they believe was a plot to release deadly Sarin (GB) nerve gas in the London underground (subway). Detectives are reportedly linking the plot in London to a police raid in Frankfort, Germany last December, which resulted in the arrest of four individuals with ties to suspected master-terrorist Usama Bin Laden. Investigation of the whole matter remains under investigation....
Click
here for an additional references on "G" Nerve Gases from ERRI...
12 Feb 2001
WORLD-WIDE/CONUS:
US Still Not Fully Ready To Handle Bio-Terrorism
A recent series of anthrax hoaxes nearly shut down Canada's immigration department. At almost the same time, a blue-ribbon US commission reported that an attack using nuclear, chemical, or biological agents was likely to occur in the United States in the next 25 years.
The threat has grown along with the exponential rise in hoaxes -- hundreds of them now -- as well as the knowledge that several groups or nations have been plotting to use biological, chemical, or nuclear warfare. Warren B. Rudman, a former US senator and cochairman of the Commission on National Security, which called for a Cabinet-level agency to coordinate the defense against an act of terror, said: "Unfortunately, a chemical or a biological terrorist attack is something we are convinced we are more likely to see in the next 10 to 20 years than not." ERRI analysts, who have been studying this issue since the late 1980's, said today that the U.S. may have even less time than that to prepare.
The planned response has shifted over the last two years, moving beyond police and the military into the realm of public health to include teams of emergency room doctors and nurses, lab technicians, and infectious disease specialists. And yet, anti-terrorist experts say, many areas of the country still lack even the slightest protection against a terrorist strike.
Additionally, by recent conservative estimate, more than
half (at least 54%) of emergency (Fire/Police/EMS) responders in the
United States have received NO training in regard to response to terrorist
incidents involving chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons (Weapons of
Mass Destruction: WMD's). And worse yet, this necessary training has not
yet been incorporated into basic training courses for new recruits in
fire, police, and EMS agencies, so the problem is sure to
continue...
(Article continues in ERRI DAILY INTELLIGENCE REPORT-Monday, February 12,
2001-Vol. 7, No. 043)
09:30CST - 06 Feb 2001
United Kingdom:
Chemical Incident Declared Major; At Least Fifty People Injured
According to the BBC, the Staffordshire Ambulance Service has declared a "major incident" after a leak of titanium tetrachloride at a heat treatment factory in Tamworth at about 10:45GMT on Tuesday.
Bob Lee, a spokesman for the
ambulance service, told the BBC that the chemical turns to hazardous
hydrogen chloride when in contact with the air. He added: "We have 15
people injured, all very seriously, and at least 40 more casualties..."
05 Feb 2001
ORLANDO, FL:
Anthrax Hoaxes Replacing Bomb Threats As Major problem
There were at least eight cases of letters
being mailed to government offices or large businesses around the Orlando
area on Monday. In each case, the letter claimed to bear the threat of
anthrax, and in every case the threat was a hoax. Officials don't think
the eight letters were the work of the same person or persons who mailed
several disease-threat hoax letters to Central Florida businesses a couple
weeks ago. The FBI says the threatening anthrax letters are often replacing bomb
threats, and are becoming "a national problem."
12 Jan 2001
CBRN:
"Proliferation: Threat and Response"
Biological Weapon Threats Cited By Pentagon as Danger
In a new report released on Wednesday by the Pentagon, biological weapons usually viewed as a threat to U.S. troops and cities, are also a threat to U.S. ranches and farms. In the report that was entitled "Proliferation: Threat and Response," the Pentagon said: "Attacks against U.S. agricultural assets might be tempting, due to the perceived relative ease of attack" and the likelihood that an attacker could plausibly deny responsibility.
The report, signed off by U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen as one of his last acts before leaving office, outlines a wide range of threats posed by biological, chemical and other weapons of mass destruction, as well as the spread of missiles used to deliver such weapons. It updates a 1997 report on the same subject, but the latest version adds a section on biological agents, such as anthrax, that cause debilitating or deadly diseases in plants and animals, such as foot and mouth disease.
The Pentagon report also said: "Similar to the human population, the high health status of crop and livestock assets in the United States creates a great vulnerability to attack with biological agents." It said highly infectious plant and animal microorganisms exist outside U.S. borders and some are readily transportable with little risk of detection.
According to the report, a biological weapon attack on U.S. agriculture could disrupt the supply lines for food stocks, which in turn could undermine U.S. military readiness. The former Soviet Union apparently had a plan in place to target U.S. agriculture and livestock as one part of a larger "disruptive process," and it developed a range of biological agents that would be effective in such attacks. The report provided no other details on the Soviet plan, including when it was developed or when Washington learned of it.
The Pentagon report also outlined more commonly discussed aspects of limiting the spread of weapons of mass destruction. It said China and Russia are the main suppliers of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons equipment and technologies, as well as missile technologies.
In the introduction of the report, Cohen said the U.S. faces a "superpower paradox" at the start of the 21st century. He wrote: "Our unrivaled supremacy in the conventional military arena is prompting adversaries to seek unconventional, asymmetric means to strike what they perceive as our Achilles heel." He cited North Korea, Iran, Iraq and Libya as the main concerns...
The full report may be viewed on the web at http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/ptr20010110.pdf
(Requires Adobe Acrobat Plug-In/Reader, which is available for free)
16 Dec 2000
OSHKOSH, WI: After a railroad boxcar
carrying a chemical into an Oshkosh chemical plant caught on fire,
hundreds of homes were evacuated on Saturday evening. Fire officials said
the car was loaded with sodium hydrosulfite, a highly flammable chemical
that can heat and ignite in the presence of moisture and air. As of
midnight, fire officials and hazardous material experts still were trying
to determine how best to extinguish the flames. There were no reports of
serious injuries, although two police officers and two residents were
taken to a hospital because they had trouble breathing. Oshkosh has a
population of about 62,000 and is about 85 miles north of Milwaukee.
Click link to
obtain Adobe Acrobat Reader/Plug-in
15 Dec 2000
Resource Notifications: Major Reports on Homeland Defense
Combating Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Terrorism: A Comprehensive Strategy
Center for Strategic and International Studies Washington, D.C.
http://www.csis.org/homeland/reports/combatchembiorad.pdf
(Requires Acrobat .PDF reader/plug-in to view)
ERRI's Clark Staten was a member of the panel that prepared this report.
*****
"Toward a National Strategy for Combating Terrorism"
Gilmore Commission Second Annual Report
http://www.rand.org/organization/nsrd/terrpanel/terror2.pdf
(Requires .PDF reader/plug-in to view)
10 Dec 2000
SAN JOSE,
CA:
Holiday Shoppers Get Pepper-Sprayed
More than 50 holiday shoppers were hospitalized on Sunday after an irritant similar to pepper spray was released in four San Jose stores. Customers first began complaining of watery, burning eyes at a Kmart store. The store was evacuated, sending 35 people to local hospitals complaining of nausea, sore throats and itchy eyes.
Two hours later, a nearby Ward's department store and a Walgreen's pharmacy were evacuated after people complained of the same symptoms. A combined 23 were sent to area hospitals. A Starbucks also was evacuated, but no one was hospitalized.
No serious injuries were reported, but fire officials say more than 120 people were evaluated at the scenes of all four stores. A surveillance video at Montgomery Wards captured three juveniles entering the stores and releasing the spray. Police also have a tape showing three juveniles running from the coffee shop. They believe the three incidents, which happened within a three-mile radius, are related.
25 Nov 2000
LEESBURG, FL: Lake County, Florida, police are trying to figure out who put an "acid bomb" in a mailbox on North Whitney Road in Leesburg on Saturday. The bombs are made with acid and a plastic bottle and are rigged to explode when the bottle is moved. A 30-year-old woman triggered the device when she was picking up the family mail. Fortunately, the bomb only smoked and melted but didn't explode.
Resource Notification:
November 6, 2000
The General Accounting Office (GAO) today released the following reports and correspondence:
REPORTS:
1. Influenza Pandemic: Plan Needed for Federal and State Response. GAO-01-4, October 27. (requires .PDF Adobe Acrobat reader)
19 Oct 2000
Retired Marine General Anthony Zinni, former Central Command CINC, today
(Thursday) told the Senate Armed Services Committee the United States must
prepare for a new "asymmetrical"
conflict with guerrillas able to use new weapons to strike hard at U.S.
interests.
"There are no rear areas out here. There are no safe barracks. There are no safe places you could move. It's not just unique to the Middle East, although it's more intense and concentrated," Zinni said.
"We will continue to face asymmetric threats. Where you shut them down ... they go back and cook up a new way I think you're going to find, in this incident, this is a new way, a new technology," he said.
"We're going to see that again. We will eventually see a weapon
of mass destruction used in a terrorist act, somewhere, in this mode.
And I would just say that we had better start thinking about how we're
going to be prepared for that because we're woefully unprepared for that
event. And that's inevitable as this asymmetry continues," he added.
(Source: Reuters News Service, "U.S. General Defends
Using Aden, Warns More Attacks," Thursday October 19 8:13 PM ET)
17 Oct 2000
PHOENIX:
Simulated Chemical Attack Tests Rescue Skills
The only thing that was real was a diversionary device set off by police in a trash can behind home plate at Bank One Ballpark. Everything that followed -- from the sick people to the ten dead people sprawled on the walkway to the emergency units staged nearby - was make-believe, a chance for Phoenix-area police and fire agencies to see just how prepared they might be for a large-scale chemical attack.
Nearly 200 police officers and 45 firefighters participated in Monday night's drill to simulate an attack with a weapon of mass destruction. The exercise, the largest ever in the city of Phoenix, was designed to test response times, tactics and communications between agencies. While no one is predicting a bioterrorist attack in Phoenix, most experts say such attacks are a matter of when, not if. In 1996, the FBI opened 37 cases involving threats of weapons of mass destruction. Last year, the agency opened more than 220, including more than 100 involving biological agents. Arizona already has seen several scares.
Earlier this year, the Arizona Department of Health Services hired two epidemiologists to help detect lethal biological agents such as anthrax and smallpox. And the state was picked as one of 27 across the country to house a National Guard team specially trained in chemical and biological attacks.
13:30CDT - 13 Oct 2000
EmergencyNet News Exclusive Report
16 People Overcome by Unknown Fumes in Georgia
Cobb County, GA (EmergencyNet News) -- According to the Cobb County Fire and Emergency Services, they responded to an incident involving "unknown fumes," at 2041 Mesa Valley Way in Austell, GA, this morning at about 10:05EDT.
The first units on the scene reported that several people were complaining of dizziness, nausea, and respiratory symptoms. A total of 16 people, including 4 firefighters and 2 Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), have been transported to Wellstar Cobb hospital for treatment.
Fire department personnel are still on the scene at the time of this report, attempting to identify the source and nature of the fumes. Officials from the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, have all been called to the incident scene and are assisting in the investigation.
EmergencyNet News continues to monitor events in Georgia and will provide updates as the circumstances warrant...
EmergencyNet Resource Notification:
Improving Local and State Agency Response to Terrorist Incidents Involving Biological Weapons - Interim Planning Guide (Final Draft), August 1, 2000, U.S. Department of Defense
http://dp.sbccom.army.mil/fr/bwirp_interim_planning_guide.pdf (Note: Requires Adobe .PDF reader)
03 Oct 2000
OHIO:
Canton Residents Flee Chlorine Leak
CANTON: Dozens of people were forced to flee their homes early Sunday morning to escape toxic gas that leaked from a water treatment plant on Canton, Ohio's northern border. Nearly 600 pounds of chlorine discharged from a 2,000-pound tank at the Canton Water Works at 2664 Harrisburg Road N.E. Fire officials said that workers put in a regulator valve improperly.
Fire and hospital officials reported minor injuries as a result of the 0430 EDT leak. Chlorine is a poisonous, yellowish green gas with a foul odor. In large concentrations, the gas can kill. In smaller quantities, it just irritates the nose, throat and lungs.
Canton Fire Captain Robert Cerne was the only person hospitalized. He was in stable condition at Mercy Medical Center. Mercy and Aultman Hospital reported that doctors at each institution treated and released 12 others, including a 4-month-old girl and Canton Fire Captain Roger Nye, Canton Firefighter Brian Byers and Canton Township Fire Chief James Good.
Plain Township Fire Chief John Sabo said both Canton and Plain firefighters and Stark County sheriff's deputies evacuated nearly 50 people. The plant sits on the Plain Township-Canton border. All of the evacuees live in Plain Township.
Two Canton firefighters stopped the leak at about 0650 EDT. The pair -- Tom Garra and J.C. Ward -- are members of the multijurisdictional Stark County Hazardous Materials Team. Firefighters have conducted training exercises at the plant in the past, including a simulated chlorine leak about three or four years ago.
COLUMBUS: Central Ohio drug agents report that at least one problem elsewhere has not been noticed yet in central Ohio. In the southwestern part of the state, a farm supply company has reported a theft of anhydrous ammonia. Ammonia is one of the chemicals that may be needed for one recipe for making a popular illegal drug, crystal meth. It is also known as "crank," "ice," and "speed." Anhydrous ammonia is a popular farm fertilizer. Officials say that in central Ohio, most of the distributors are aware of the potential problem and have already placed alarms on their tanks, which sound if there are unauthorized removals.
23 Aug 2000 - From: http://www.emergency.com/ennday.htm
UNITED STATES/BIO-TERRORISM
Lead Focus
U.S. Said To Be "More Vulnerable to Biological Terror Than Nuclear Attack"
A leading expert in biological weapons said Tuesday that advances in technology make the United States more vulnerable to bio-terrorism than to a nuclear attack.
Dr Tara O'Toole, deputy director of Johns Hopkins University's Center for Civilian Bio-defense Studies, suggested devoting $30 billion over the next decade to prepare health care systems to detect, track, respond and contain epidemics that would be triggered by biological weapons. Currently, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says it is spending $278 million this fiscal year to prepare for bio-terrorism.
In a discussion at the independent Center for Strategic and International Studies, O'Toole said: "The likelihood of a biological weapon being used is a lot higher than a missile coming across the Pacific. And yet we are spending a lot more on missile defense than we are on biological systems. A 'bio-Unibomber' is perfectly possible, and that threat will grow because of the growing power of biotechnology and genomics."
O'Toole said the United States needs to strengthen its public health and medical care system to deal with biological attacks because this would "probably make ourselves less attractive targets to would-be perpetrators."
Public health experts have warned for several years that bio-terrorism is a growing threat. While the government is more prepared to respond to chemical spills or bombings, bio-terrorism could be the ultimate sneak attack. It is possible that no one would know it had happened until sick people began arriving at hospitals...
27 July 2000 - From: http://www.emergency.com/ennday.htm
UNITED STATES/CHEM-BIO:
GAO Says U.S. Intelligence May Exaggerate NBC Threat
A congressional investigator alleged on Wednesday that U.S. intelligence officials may be giving policymakers an exaggerated view of the threat from a biological, chemical or nuclear attack because they don't discuss the hurdles to obtaining and using such weapons. Norman Rabkin, director of national security preparedness issues at the General Accounting Office said that terrorists would have to overcome "significant technical and operational challenges" to successfully make and release chemical or biological agents to harm large numbers of people without substantial assistance from a foreign government.
Giving testimony at a House hearing, Rabkin also said: "These types of qualifications are important because, without them, policymakers in both the executive or legislative branch may get an exaggerated view" of the terrorist threat related to chemical, biological an nuclear weapons.
Rabkin spoke before a House Government Reform sub-committee. He added: "Some past public statements by intelligence agencies do not include the challenges that terrorists would face "in using such materials to launch an attack. Terrorists would need specialized knowledge in the manufacturing process and an effective delivery device for most chemical and nearly all biological agents..."
Reference: "Combating Terrorism: Linking Threats to Strategies and Resources," GAO Report, GAO/T-NSIAD-00-218, July 26, 2000, Norman J. Rabkin http://www.gao.gov/new.items/ns00218t.pdf (Note: Requires Adobe .PDF reader/plug-in to view)
ERRI's Clark Staten said that Mr. Rabkin's testimony is "extremely interesting and thought provoking," but that it doesn't seem to take into account the possibility that 'non-state actors' may purchase or steal already state-manufactured chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons...which would negate the need for "specialized knowledge in the manufacturing process and an effective delivery device," as noted in Mr. Rabkin's statement. "Obviously, Mr. Rabkin is privy to information that ERRI does not possess...if that is his opinion, it must be given due consideration," Staten said of the report.
25 July 2000 - From: http://www.emergency.com/ennday.htm
MINNEAPOLIS, MN:
Lead Focus
Arrests Made During Protest; Chemical Agents Used by Protestors?
Police in Minneapolis on Monday skirmished with protesters near a downtown hotel where an international conference of scientists had convened to discuss the latest advances in animal genetics. Police said that 80 people were arrested. One police officer suffered a minor injury. No major injuries were reported among protesters, though dozens were sprayed with pepper spray and others were struck with police batons.
Minneapolis Police Chief Robert Olson said: "We tried to be as gentle as we could. They want to shut down our city. We were not going to let them do that."
The skirmishes were the first significant disruption since the International Society for Animal Genetics conference opened on Friday under heavy security. Police also said on Monday night that canisters left by activists at a McDonald's restaurant and at least one other location contained traces of a chemical agent. FBI tests revealed the presence of the poison, which is lethal when inhaled or digested.
Chief Olson said of the canister incidents: "I don't wanna be starting any panic thing, but this is clearly ratcheted up, at least on the side of the protests. And this is clearly connected to that..."
EmergencyNet News is gathering additional information concerning the chemical-related aspects of this incident and will provide additional updates as circumstances warrant.
02 June 2000 - From: http://www.emergency.com/ennday.htm
UNITED STATES:
Experts Continue To Say U.S. Unprepared For Bio-Terrorist Attack
Experts said on Thursday that despite continuous warnings (see references below) and genuine efforts by the government to get the nation ready for a bio-terrorist attack, the United States is still greatly unprepared to deal with even the smallest attack. Michael Osterholm, a bio-terrorism expert and chairman and CEO of Infection Control Advisory Network Inc, said that a single release of anthrax would overwhelm any city's health care system.
Osterholm told a briefing sponsored by the American Medical Association: "There isn't a hospital in this country today that is prepared for a bio-terrorist event." Osterholm and other experts have been saying for years that groups in several countries have the means and motive to launch a biological weapons attack against the United States.
The U.S. Health and Human Services Department (HHS) says it will spend nearly $278 million on bio-terrorism preparedness this year, including work to boost surveillance, build medical response teams and stockpile drugs and vaccines. But Osterholm said he had seen no effect at the basic level -- the hospitals and health care workers who would have to deal with the effects of any attack. He said only $14 million had gone to states and the six largest cities for local efforts.
Osterholm said most doctors would never recognize anthrax infection or smallpox -- another potential bio-weapon. And he said "uneducated police and emergency services overreact to non-threats," such as anthrax hoaxes. He said: "A powder in a letter is never going to transmit anthrax under almost any conditions."
25 May 2000 - From: http://www.emergency.com/ennday.htm
DONALDSONVILLE,
LA:
Explosion in Plant; 1 Dead, 11 Hurt
Authorities said that an explosion at a fertilizer plant Wednesday night left one person dead and 11 others injured, five of them critically. The blast happened around 2330 CDT Wednesday at CF Industries in Donaldsonville, about 55 miles west of New Orleans. One person was killed inside one of the plant's ammonia-processing units. The plant makes nitrogen-based fertilizer. Eleven people were injured, including five in critical condition and one in serious condition. The explosion happened during routine maintenance on an empty storage tank. The cause of the blast was not immediately known. The explosion set off a fire which was brought under control in about 20 minutes...
22 Mar 2000 - From: http://www.emergency.com/ennday.htm
WORLDWIDE:
DCI Says It's Getting Harder To Detect Bio/Chem Efforts Of Other Nations
Central Intelligence Agency Director George Tenet said on Tuesday that countries like Iran are becoming more self-sufficient in producing materials for biological weapons, making U.S. intelligence detection efforts more difficult. Tenet told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing that biological warfare programs "are becoming self-sufficient, challenging our detection and deterrence efforts, and limiting our interdiction opportunities. Iran, for example, driven in part by stringent international export controls, is acquiring the ability to domestically produce raw materials and the equipment to support indigenous biological agent production."
The DCI warned that rapid advances in biotechnology could mean more sophisticated biological warfare agents and there was a growing risk that new chemical agents more difficult to fight could become available to countries or groups hostile to the United States. He said at the hearing concerning non-proliferation of weapons: "Biological and chemical weapons pose arguably the most daunting challenge for intelligence collectors and analysts..."
29 Feb 2000 - From: http://www.emergency.com/ennday.htm
PLEASANT HILL, MO:
Intentional Haz-Mat Release Reported
Local emergency response officials said that at least 250 people had to be evacuated yesterday following what is being called a "deliberate release" of potentially toxic anhydrous ammonia. The incident happened at about 04:00CST, when police and Haz-Mat personnel believe someone intentionally opened a valve to release the ammonia. Two people suffered respiratory problems associated with the release, EMS sources said.
"It wasn't just a mechanical problem. It was not an accident," Pleasant Hill Fire Captain Rod Richter reportedly told the Reuters news service. ERRI analysts said that they routinely discuss such a possibility while teaching local domestic preparedness and hazardous materials classes and have issued warnings concerning the possibility of terrorists or criminals using chemical plants in attacks. No motive or suspects were firmly identified in Monday's incident.
06 Feb 2000-14:00 CST--Special Report: Bio-Terrorism Preparedness-2000
12 Jan 2000 - From: http://www.emergency.com/ennday.htm
UNITED STATES:
Feature Article
U.S. Medical Systems Reportedly Unprepared For WMD Attacks
The Cable News Network (CNN) on Tuesday was reporting that "Most U.S. hospitals [are] found unprepared to handle chemical, biological attack." The article quotes doctors from this week's Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). "I think there is a general consensus among emergency planners and among the health care community in the United States that our health care preparedness for catastrophic chemical terrorism is not where we want it to be," said Dr. Joseph Barbera of George Washington University.
Resources: 12 Jan 2000 JAMA Article: Weapons of Mass Destruction Events With Contaminated Casualties
20 Jan 1999 ERRI/EmergencyNet News Assessment: THE THREAT OF BIOLOGICAL ATTACK -- IS AMERICA PREPARED?
16 Dec 99 - From: http://www.emergency.com/ennday.htm
U.S. Still Not Ready To Handle WMD Terrorist Attack
Citing a report by a panel assessing the nation's vulnerability, the Washington Post was reporting on Thursday that terrorists armed with weapons of mass destruction pose a "genuine threat" to U.S. security. The 18-member commission said terrorists armed with ever-changing technology could strike virtually at will against federal, state and local governments that in too many cases fail to communicate with each other. The panel, formed to advise Congress and the White House, is made up of retired senior military officers, medical officials, emergency planners and intelligence experts.
According to the Post report, panel members concluded there was "too much ambiguity" about who would be in charge if an attack took place. The commission report concluded that the nation's lack of a "clear, comprehensive and truly integrated national preparedness strategy means that we may still remain fundamentally incapable of responding effectively to a serious terrorist attack. A major cultural change is needed in government that will allow the exchange of critical information between...authorities about actual and potential threats..."
05/08/99-09:35CDT- UK Think-Tank Releases Survey On "WMD" Terrorism
WASHINGTON, DC/JAPAN:
Doctor Says World-Wide Medical Community Not Prepared for Chem/Bio Attack
Dr. Sadayoshi Ohbu, director of neurology at St. Luke's Hospital in Tokyo, told APBnews.com that many health-care practitioners he has met around the globe are not prepared or trained to deal with victims of large-scale biological and chemical terrorist attacks because they simply don't expect it to happen where they are.
Ohbu, A physician who supervised emergency treatment of 641 victims in 1995's sarin gas attack in a Tokyo subway "We didn't know the cause was sarin at first, so we didn't do decontamination," he said in an interview. "As a result, sarin contamination spread to 23 hospital staffers from patients exhaling the toxins or from their clothing and skin. We were lucky. There could have been many secondary contamination deaths."
"In Japan, for example, most think the possibility [of terrorism] is not so high," and they are not fully prepared to respond, he said. Ohbu was a keynote speaker at this week's Chemical Emergency Preparedness conference sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
02/10/98--Is the Threat
of a Chemical/Biological Attack Real? (You'll need a RealAudio player) 
Haz-Mat related Web-links (URLs) that you
might find useful:
NBC Links - Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Warfare:
http://www.nbc-links.com/index1.html
Improving Local and State Agency Response to Terrorist Incidents Involving Biological Weapons Final Draft date 1 Aug 2000. SBCCOM: http://www2.sbccom.army.mil/hld/bwirp/bwirp_interim_planning_guide_download.htm
Kansas City Kansas Bio-terrorism Manual: http://www.kcmo.org/kcmo.nsf/web/home?opendocument
Planning Document, "Elements of Effective Bio-terrorism Preparedness: A Planning Primer for Local Public Health Agencies". National Association of County and City Health Officials, Jan 2001. http://www.naccho.org/files/documents/Final_Effective_Bioterrism.pdf
Local Officals Guide: Domestic Terrorism, Resources for Local Government, National League of Cities: http://www.nlc.org/nlc_org/site/files/reports/terrorism.pdf
Biological and Chemical Threat Backgrounder From CBSNews.com
Fatality Management, "Model Procedure for Medical Examiner/Coroner on the
Handling of a Body/Human Remains that are Potentially Radiologically
Contaminated". Dept. of Energy
http://www.em.doe.gov/otem/coronerv2.pdf (Requires
Adobe .pdf reader/plug-in)
Radiation Incidents, "Guidance for Radiation Accident Management - Guidance
for Hospital Medical Management" Radiation Emergency Assistance
Center/Training Site (REAC/TS)
http://www.orau.gov/reacts/care.htm
Javascript Menu of Chemical/Biological Related Terrorism Articles
