disaster 5th 1108_5th ed 2011 - Homeland Security and Emergency ...

are many types of chemical agents - too many to list here. We’re only mentioning
several common agents in alphabetical order, but there are many
others we are not covering that could potentially be used. Always listen to
authorities for instructions in the event of a chemical threat or attack.
BZ (Incapacitating) - and other stun agents (LSD, etc.) disrupt the central
nervous system causing confusion, short-term memory loss and immobility
(means you can’t move or are incapacitated).
How it spreads: BZ could be released by a bomb or sprayed into the air
as an aerosol but has been proven unpredictable if used outdoors.
Signs & Symptoms: Depends on how person is exposed to BZ and varies
by person -- basically it disrupts your nervous system causing confusion,
dream-like feelings or strange visions (called hallucinations), dilation of the
pupils (means pupils bigger than normal), slurred speech, and loss of motor
skills (can’t move). It can also slow down breathing and heart rate.
Treatment: BZ is treated with an antidote that reverses symptoms for an
hour. May need repeated doses since effects can last for hours or days.
Chlorine (Choking / Lung / Pulmonary) - is used in industry (to bleach
paper or cloth), in water (to kill germs), and in household products.
Chlorine can be in the form of a poisonous gas or gas can be pressurized
and cooled into a liquid. When gas comes in contact with moist tissues
(eyes, throat, or lungs), an acid is produced that can damage these tissues.
Chlorine is not flammable but reacts explosively if mixed with certain
liquids. Terrorists use bombs on chlorine trucks to spread deadly fumes.
How it spreads: Chlorine could be released into water, food or air. People
can be exposed by drinking or eating something contaminated with excess
amounts of chlorine or by inhaling the poisonous gas. Chlorine gas is yellow-green,
smells like bleach, and stays close to the ground as it spreads.
Signs & Symptoms: Depends on how much and how exposed but signs
may show up during or right after exposure to dangerous amounts of
chlorine:
• Skin - if gas: burning pain, redness, and blisters
if liquid: skin white or waxy, numbness (like frostbite)
• Eyes - burning feeling, blurred vision, watery eyes
• Nose, throat & lungs (respiratory tract) - burning feeling
in nose and throat, tightness in chest, coughing, hard time
breathing or shortness of breath, fluid builds up in lungs
within 2 to 4 hours
• Stomach / gastrointestinal: puking, sick to stomach
www.itsadisaster.net or call 1-888-999-4325
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