Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism: TICs & TIMs

Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism
Training Support Package
Participant Guide
Slide 28
Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism:
TICs & TIMs
Reductions in Hazards &
Vulnerabilities
Safe Hometown Guide
Module One – Toxic Warfare: Looking Beyond Conventional Chemical Weapons
28
An ultimate goal of emergency planning, including legislative efforts, would be to reduce
the risk to surrounding communities by encouraging “hardening” of facilities and
decreasing the available “dose” of toxic compounds (Hardening implies increases the
safety and security of a facility and the chemicals it stores).
In this example, from “Safe Hometown Guide”, reducing the storage capacity, enclosing
vulnerable storage vessels, or even relocating civilian populations can help to reduce the
effect of an unexpected chemical release.
Many of these are common sense maneuvers, but are avoided due to costs and the
belief that such a release is unlikely. Had the shantytowns around the Union Carbide
plant in Bhopal been relocated, for example, the devastation would have likely been
substantially reduced.
December 2008 Version 2.0 Page 33