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

• strange symptoms - if unusual symptoms show up, get to
a hospital or medical expert right away!
• tell people you’ve been exposed - tell everyone who
comes in contact with you that you may have been
exposed to a biological agent
• land and property - ask how to clean up (if needed)
For more information about biological agents or bioterrorism, visit the
CDC’s Emergency Preparedness & Response site at www.bt.cdc.gov or
Public Health Agency of Canada’s Emergency Preparedness site at
www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/ep-mu/index.html or call the CDC Public Response
Hotline at 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) or 1-888-232-6348 (TTY).
ABOUT RADIOLOGICAL THREAT OR DEVICE
Also review NUCLEAR THREAT OR DEVICE (covered next) since it
contains additional information about radiation and e-bombs.
Another known terrorist tactic uses explosives on chemical trucks to spread
deadly fumes. See previous pages covering Chemical Agents.
What is a “dirty bomb”
A radiological dispersion device (RDD) - also known as a “dirty bomb” -
uses conventional explosives (such as dynamite) to spread radioactive
materials in the form of powder or pellets over a targeted area.
A terrorist’s main reasons for using a “dirty bomb” is to cause damage to
buildings, contaminate an area, and spread fear or panic. This type of attack
appeals to terrorists since it doesn’t require a lot of technical know-how to
build and use ... plus low-level radioactive materials are pretty easy to
obtain since they are used in many fields like agriculture, research and
medicine.
The most harmful, high-level radioactive materials would be found in
nuclear power plants and at nuclear weapons sites, but with the heightened
state of alert at many of these locations, it’d be hard for terrorist organizations
to get them within the U.S. Note, nuclear power plant accidents are
covered on pages 72-76 and nukes are covered next.
What are the dangers of an RDD (“dirty bomb”)
According to the Center for Disease Control, the primary danger from a
dirty bomb would be the blast itself - not necessarily the radiation.
Knowing how much (if any) radiation might be present at the attack site is
104 www.itsadisaster.net or call 1-888-999-4325