Response to Covert CBR Attacks

One of the many charatceristics of chemical and biological (CB) agents that appeals to terrorists is the potential for covert employment. Capitalizing on an agent's delayed onset of symptoms, terrorists may execute an attack using a CB agent that no one is aware of until a later time when people begin to demonstrate symptoms of intoxication or infection. One example of this was the 1983 attack by the Rajneesh religious cult in Oregon. In this example, followers of Sri Bagwan Rajneesh discreetly contaminated food in public restaurants with salmonella typhimurium in an effort to alter the outcome of a public referendum. Salmonella typhimurium is the organism that produces samonella food poisoning. Approximately 750 people became infected. This type of attack is only one of many possible scenarios employing chemical and biological agents.

The key to recognizing covert CB attacks is effective public health surveillance. In Tampa Bay, public health authorities have been working aggressively with local hospitals and health care providers to monitor and investigate unusual patterns in public health.

If public health authorities announce that an attack has occurred, consider the following guidelines for personal response.

Due to the "mysterious" nature of chemical and biological agents, many people tend to panic and over-react at the notion of a CB attack. This is probably due to our natural tendency to fear the unkown. Public panic can severely complicate the work of authorities in investigating possible CB attacks and treating victims. One example of this was the 1995 Tokyo sarin attack. In this incident, a relatively small number of people were genuinely intoxicated by the agent. However, hospitals were overwhelmed by thousands of unexposed people seeking treatment.

The key to controlling fear is to keep the threat in perspective and arm yourself with accurate information. If you have questions regarding a possible agent or attack, use the discussion boards on this web site to get accurate advice from an expert or visit the Center for Disease Control's web site (http://www.cdc.gov).

Remember: If exposure is detected within a reasonable period of time, treatment does exist for most CB agents that can dramatically reduce the risk of fatality or permanent effects.

Pay attention to warnings issued by health officials. If authorities announce specific symptoms of an agent possibly used in an attack, monitor yourself for similar symptoms. However, do not panic if you see similarities. Many symptoms of chemical and biological agent intoxication and infection can resemble normal illnesses and physical conditions. If you observe suspicious symptoms or if you have reason to believe that you were exposed to an agent, visit your doctor for an examination and address your concerns. Do not go to the emergency room for treatment unless you are experiencing possible effects of chemical agent exposure or instructed to do so by public health authorities.

This raises the question of how much time is there to receive treatment if you are exposed. For most chemical agents, the rate of action ranges between seconds (hydrogen cyanide) to 12 hours or more. In the case of chemical agents, if you have good reason to believe that you were exposed, seek treatment immediately. In the case of biological agents, incubation periods and rates of action (toxins) are generally more delayed. With biological toxins, symptoms may begin to appear within hours or up to several days after exposure. With living biological agents, incubation periods may range from days (anthrax) to months (rabies). In most cases, treatment administered before the end of the incubation period will dramatically reduce the risk of fatality or severe effects.

Do not take antidote or prophylactic medications unless instructed by a responsible medical authority.

In the aftermath of the 2001 anthrax mailings, many unexposed people requested their doctors for prescriptions for antibiotics for use in preventing infection or to take in the event that they became symptomatic. Unecessary or improper use of antibiotics can have negative physical effects, and may contribute to the creation of antibiotic-resitant strains of mircoorganisms. The excessive demand for unecesary medications can also deplete stocks and impair the ability of health authorities to treat those who are genuinely affected.

Other medications used for treating intoxication by chemical agents can be very dangerous if taken unecessarily. One example is atropine (one of two medications used to treat organophosphate nerve agent poisoning). Taking atropine as a preventative ('prophylactic') measure can easily result in adverse effects, possibly even death.

Public health officials may issue special instructions regarding testing, preventative measures, and other issues. Pay attention to these announcements and follow their directions. The success of their efforts to investigate and mitigate the situation rely upon the support of the public.

This essay was prepared by Craig Gundry, CPS. Mr. Gundry is the Vice President of Special Projects for Critical Intervention Services and a security consultant with over 13 years experience in anti-terrorism and weapon of mass destruction issues. Mr. Gundry is also the author of the Bomb Countermeasures for Security Professionals CD-ROM and teaches anti-terrorism courses for Clearwater's S2 Safety & Intelligence Institute.


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		Response to Covert Chemical or Biological Attacks One of the many charatceristics of chemical and biological (CB) agents that appeals to terrorists is the potential for covert employment. Capitalizing on an agent's delayed onset of symptoms, terrorists may execute an attack using a CB agent that no one is aware of until a later time when people begin to demonstrate symptoms of intoxication or infection. One example of this was the 1983 attack by the Rajneesh religious cult in Oregon. In this example, followers of Sri Bagwan Rajneesh discreetly contaminated food in public restaurants with salmonella typhimurium in an effort to alter the outcome of a public referendum. Salmonella typhimurium is the organism that produces samonella food poisoning. Approximately 750 people became infected. This type of attack is only one of many possible scenarios employing chemical and biological agents. The key to recognizing covert CB attacks is effective public health surveillance. In Tampa Bay, public health authorities have been working aggressively with local hospitals and health care providers to monitor and investigate unusual patterns in public health. If public health authorities announce that an attack has occurred, consider the following guidelines for personal response. Do not panic! Due to the "mysterious" nature of chemical and biological agents, many people tend to panic and over-react at the notion of a CB attack. This is probably due to our natural tendency to fear the unkown. Public panic can severely complicate the work of authorities in investigating possible CB attacks and treating victims. One example of this was the 1995 Tokyo sarin attack. In this incident, a relatively small number of people were genuinely intoxicated by the agent. However, hospitals were overwhelmed by thousands of unexposed people seeking treatment. The key to controlling fear is to keep the threat in perspective and arm yourself with accurate information. If you have questions regarding a possible agent or attack, use the discussion boards on this web site to get accurate advice from an expert or visit the Center for Disease Control's web site (http://www.cdc.gov). Local health department web sites are another good source for information: Hillsborough County Health Department http://www.hillscountyhealth.org/ Remember: If exposure is detected within a reasonable period of time, treatment does exist for most CB agents that can dramatically reduce the risk of fatality or permanent effects. Observe yourself for unusual symptoms. Pay attention to warnings issued by health officials. If authorities announce specific symptoms of an agent possibly used in an attack, monitor yourself for similar symptoms. However, do not panic if you see similarities. Many symptoms of chemical and biological agent intoxication and infection can resemble normal illnesses and physical conditions. If you observe suspicious symptoms or if you have reason to believe that you were exposed to an agent, visit your doctor for an examination and address your concerns. Do not go to the emergency room for treatment unless you are experiencing possible effects of chemical agent exposure or instructed to do so by public health authorities. This raises the question of how much time is there to receive treatment if you are exposed. For most chemical agents, the rate of action ranges between seconds (hydrogen cyanide) to 12 hours or more. In the case of chemical agents, if you have good reason to believe that you were exposed, seek treatment immediately. In the case of biological agents, incubation periods and rates of action (toxins) are generally more delayed. With biological toxins, symptoms may begin to appear within hours or up to several days after exposure. With living biological agents, incubation periods may range from days (anthrax) to months (rabies). In most cases, treatment administered before the end of the incubation period will dramatically reduce the risk of fatality or severe effects. Do not take antidote or prophylactic medications unless instructed by a responsible medical authority. In the aftermath of the 2001 anthrax mailings, many unexposed people requested their doctors for prescriptions for antibiotics for use in preventing infection or to take in the event that they became symptomatic. Unecessary or improper use of antibiotics can have negative physical effects, and may contribute to the creation of antibiotic-resitant strains of mircoorganisms. The excessive demand for unecesary medications can also deplete stocks and impair the ability of health authorities to treat those who are genuinely affected. Other medications used for treating intoxication by chemical agents can be very dangerous if taken unecessarily. One example is atropine (one of two medications used to treat organophosphate nerve agent poisoning). Taking atropine as a preventative ('prophylactic') measure can easily result in adverse effects, possibly even death. Follow instructions issued by public health authorities. Public health officials may issue special instructions regarding testing, preventative measures, and other issues. Pay attention to these announcements and follow their directions. The success of their efforts to investigate and mitigate the situation rely upon the support of the public. ******* This essay was prepared by Craig Gundry, CPS. Mr. Gundry is the Vice President of Special Projects for Critical Intervention Services and a security consultant with over 13 years experience in anti-terrorism and weapon of mass destruction issues. Mr. Gundry is also the author of the Bomb Countermeasures for Security Professionals CD-ROM and teaches anti-terrorism courses for Clearwater's S2 Safety & Intelligence Institute.
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