Chemical Agents (44)
A. Chemical agents are poisonous gases, liquids or solids that have toxic
effects on peoples, animals or plants. Most chemical agents cause serious injuries or death.
B. Severity of injuries depends on the type and amount of the chemical agent used,
and the duration of exposure.
C. Were a chemical agent attack to occur, authorities would instruct citizens to either
seek shelter where they are and seal the premises or evacuate immediately.
Exposure to chemical agents can be fatal. Leaving the shelter to rescue or assist
victims can be a deadly decision. There is no assistance that the untrained can
offer that would likely be of any value to the victims of chemical agents.
Government Terrorists used a paralyzing gas, fired from tanks into windows.
After the innocent women and children were dead or unable to move,
Government soldiers walked in and shot survivors. The next morning during a
40 mile-an-hour wind, they set fire to the buildings. Photographs taken before and after the fire,
show that the M728 CEV that penetrated the building while injecting CS gas (Wikipedia.com).
Biological Agent
A. Biological agents are organisms or toxins that have illness-producing effects
on people, livestock and crops.
B. Because biological agents cannot necessarily be detected and may take time
to grow and cause a disease, it is almost impossible to know that a biological
attack has occurred. If government officials become aware of a biological attack
through an informant or warning by terrorists, they would most likely instruct citizens
to either seek shelter where they are and seal the premises or evacuate immediately.
C. A person affected by a biological agent requires the immediate attention of professional
medical personnel. Some agents are contagious, and victims may need to be quarantined.
Also, some medical facilities may not receive victims for fear of contaminating the hospital population.
D. Quarantining yourself in your own home might be the best solution when professional help is unavailable.
Other preparedness considerations
A. Be prepared—keep a gas mask handy at home, at work
(especially in high-rise office buildings where the mask can help
you escape in smoky or dusty conditions), and in the trunk of your car.
A gas mask by your bedside is a good option.
B. If you fear you have been exposed to biological agents
(Anthrax, plague, Tularemia, Brucellosis, Q fever, smallpox, viral encephalitis, or hemorrhagic fever, etc.)
do the following during the one to six day incubation period before symptoms arise.