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Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism: TICs & TIMs

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<strong>Chemical</strong> <strong>Agents</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Opportunity</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Terrorism</strong><br />

Training Support Package<br />

Participant Guide<br />

Slide 13<br />

<strong>Chemical</strong> <strong>Agents</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Opportunity</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Terrorism</strong>:<br />

<strong>TICs</strong> & <strong>TIMs</strong><br />

Case 2: Cyanide<br />

• 06:00 am<br />

– A pail caught fire at a plating company containing:<br />

• Sodium meta -nitrobenzene (85%)<br />

• Potassium cyanide (15%)<br />

• 15 workers <strong>of</strong> a downwind warehouse smelled<br />

smoke and noticed brief upper respiratory irritation<br />

• Evacuated to nearby (5 miles) airport facility but not<br />

in<strong>for</strong>med <strong>of</strong> potential cyanide exposure<br />

Module One – Observed Behaviors during Mass <strong>Chemical</strong> Exposures<br />

13<br />

This next case highlights problems with communications and expectations in the setting<br />

<strong>of</strong> a possible mass exposure. On a cold January day in 1995 (Temperature 2 degrees<br />

F) a fire occurred in a plating company in Indianapolis, Indiana. Within an isolated room,<br />

a pail containing 85% sodium meta-nitrobenzene sulfonate and 15% potassium cyanide<br />

caught fire. Scrubbers filtered the escaping smoke from the room. 15 employees <strong>of</strong> a<br />

downwind warehouse noted the smell <strong>of</strong> smoke and brief irritant symptoms. The fire<br />

department evacuated nearby neighborhood including warehouse employees without<br />

in<strong>for</strong>ming them <strong>of</strong> potential cyanide exposure. The warehouse procedure was to<br />

evacuate to an airport facility (approx 5 miles away). The “All clear” was given at incident<br />

command because downwind air monitoring found no evidence <strong>of</strong> cyanide and<br />

calculations predicted no risk <strong>of</strong> cyanide release <strong>of</strong>f <strong>of</strong> property.<br />

December 2008 Version 2.0 Page 439

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