Chapter 6

Terrorism

Objectives: Awareness Level Personnel and

Operations Level Responders (1 of 2)

• Describe the threat posed by terrorism.• Understand the definition of terrorism from

a broad perspective. • Describe various types of potential terrorist

targets. • Understand the dangers posed by

explosive devices and secondary explosive devices.

Objectives: Awareness Level Personnel and

Operations Level Responders (2 of 2)• Define weapons of mass destruction.• Understand the basic differences and

indicators of chemical, biological, and radiological threats.

• Describe operations considerations at a terrorism event, including initial actions, interagency coordination, decontamination, mass casualties, and triage.

Introduction (1 of 2)

• Terrorism: the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives

• Goal: to produce feelings of fear in a population or group

Introduction (2 of 2)

• In the first few minutes, the distinction between criminal intent and an accident may not be clear.

• Domestic terrorism: acts committed within the U.S. by individuals or groups that operate entirely within the U.S.

• International terrorism: Any acts that transcend national boundaries

Responding to Terrorist Incidents

• The roles of responders in handling terrorist events involve many of the same functions that responders perform on a day-to-day basis.

• Involvement of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, emergency management agencies, allied health agencies, and perhaps the military

Potential Targets and Tactics (1 of 3)

• Terrorists tend to choose symbolic targets.– Places of worship– Embassies– Monuments– Prominent government buildings

Potential Targets and Tactics (2 of 3)

• Explosive devices are popular weapons for terrorists.

• Law enforcement agencies routinely gather intelligence about terrorist groups, threats, and potential targets.

Potential Targets and Tactics (3 of 3)

• News reports about terrorist incidents abroad can help responders stay current with trends in terrorist tactics.

• Internet resources can also help responders stay current.

Infrastructure Targets

• Bridges, tunnels, subways, or hospitals • Public water supply• Electrical power distribution system,

telephones, or computer-based targets

Symbolic Targets• National monuments• Foreign embassies

and institutions• Religious institutions

© James P. Blair/Photodisc/Getty Images

Civilian Targets• Shopping malls• Schools• Sports stadiums

© Photodisc/Getty Images

Ecoterrorism

• Illegal acts committed by groups supporting environmental-related causes

• Sabotaging logging operations• Bombing university research laboratories• Targeting construction projects extending

into wilderness areas

Agroterrorism• The use of chemical

or biological agents to attack the agricultural industry or food supply

• Introducing animal-targeted disease

• Contaminating crops or water supplies

© Larry Rana/USDA

Cyberterrorism

• Electronically compromising government, industrial, or private computer systems

• Accessing credit card data or personal information

• Infecting systems with a virus

Improvised Explosive Device

• Any explosive device fabricated from readily available materials

• Can be contained in almost any type of package

• Pipe bomb – Most common– Length of pipe filled with explosive substance

and rigged with a detonator

Secondary Devices

• Intended to explode sometime after the initial device detonates

• Designed to kill or injure emergency responders, law enforcement personnel, spectators, bystanders, or news reporters

• Increase levels of fear and chaos following an attack

Potentially Explosive Devices (1 of 2)

• Devices that have not yet exploded• Responders should remove civilians from

area and establish perimeter at a safe distance.

• Explosive ordinance disposal (EOD) personnel should assess device and render it inoperative.

Potentially Explosive Devices (1 of 2)

• Responders should establish command post and staging area.

• A forward staging area may be established.– Rapid intervention team provides immediate

assistance to bomb disposal team.

Actions Following an Explosion

• First priority: Ensure your safety.• Then ensure safety of the scene.• Joint training with local, state, and federal

agencies charged with handling incidents involving explosive devices should occur on a routine basis.

Agents

• Weapons of mass destruction agents include chemical, biological, and radiological agents, as well as conventional weapons and explosives.

Chemical Agents (1 of 2)

• Readily available– Widely used and produced in the U.S. – Found in a broad range of industrial and

commercial processes• Instructions found on the Internet, in

books, and in print or online sources.

Chemical Agents (2 of 2)

• Extent of dissemination of toxic gas or suspended liquid particles depends on: – Wind direction – Wind speed– Air temperature – Humidity

Nerve Agents (1 of 4)

• Toxic chemical agents that attack the central nervous system

• First developed in Germany pre-World War II

• Similar to some pesticides but more toxic• Liquid that must be dispersed in aerosol

form or broken down into fine droplets to be inhaled or absorbed through skin

Nerve Agents (2 of 4)

• Common nerve agents – Tabun– Soman– Sarin– V-agent

Nerve Agents (3 of 4)

• Symptoms of exposure evident within minutes: pinpoint pupils, runny nose, drooling, difficulty breathing, tearing, twitching, diarrhea, convulsions or seizes, loss of consciousness

Nerve Agents (4 of 4)

• DuoDote: most common field level treatment; delivered as a single dose through one needle

• Each drug has specific target and acts independently to reverse effects of nerve agent exposure.

• After a certain time, DuoDote may be ineffective because nerve agents “age” once absorbed by the body.

Blister Agents (1 of 2)

• Sulfur mustard– Clear, yellow, or amber oily liquid – Faint odor of mustard or garlic – Vaporizes slowly

• Lewisite – Oily, colorless-to-dark-brown liquid– Odor of geraniums

Blister Agents (2 of 2)

• Harmful and painful burns and blisters with even minimum exposure to skin

• Lewisite causes pain immediately. • Signs and symptoms of sulfur mustard

may not appear for hours.• Exposure can cause significant respiratory

damage.

Pulmonary (Choking) Agents (1 of 2)

• Cause severe damage to lungs and lead to asphyxia

• Phosgene and chlorine gas• Heavier than air

– Settle in low areas when released• Exposure immediately irritates eyes, nose,

and upper airway.

Pulmonary (Choking) Agents (2 of 2)

• Within hours, causes pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs)

• Can cause skin burns on contact• Decontamination

– Remove individuals from area. – Flush skin with lots of water.

Blood Agents

• Cyanide – Hydrogen cyanide – Cyanogen chloride

• Interfere with use of oxygen by body cells• Highly toxic and can cause death within

minutes of exposure• Can be inhaled or ingested

Indicators of Chemical Agents• Protective equipment, such as rubber gloves,

chemical suits, and respirators• Chemical containers• Glass containers• Unexplained odors• Dead vegetation or animals in immediate

vicinity• Chemistry books or other reference materials

Biological Agents

• Organisms that cause disease and attack the body– Bacteria– Viruses– Toxins

Anthrax (1 of 3)

• Infectious disease caused by bacterium Bacillus anthracis, typically found around farm animals

• Bacteria are cultured to develop spores, which are turned into an ultra-fine powder.

Courtesy of CDC

Anthrax (2 of 3)

• About 8000–10,000 spores are required to cause anthrax infection.

• Spores can infect the skin, can be ingested or inhaled.

• Incubation period is 2–6 days.

Anthrax (3 of 3)

• Can be treated with a variety of antibiotics if diagnosed early enough

• Presumptive field tests are available so hazardous materials teams can determine whether threat of anthrax is legitimate.

• To be positively identified, anthrax must be cultured in a lab.

Plague (1 of 2)

• Caused by bacterium Yersinia pestis,which is commonly found on rodents

• Transmitted to humans by fleas that feed on infected animals and then bite humans

• Individuals bitten by fleas generally develop bubonic plague, which attacks lymph nodes.

• Pneumonic plague is contracted by inhaling bacterium.

Plague (2 of 2)

• The bacteria can survive for weeks in water, moist soil, or grains.

• Can be cultured to be used in aerosol form• Incubation period from 2–6 days• Treated with antibiotics

Smallpox (1 of 2)

• Highly infectious and fatal; caused by Variolavirus

• Kills about 30% of all who become infected• Starts as small red spots or rash on the

mouth, then rash spreads to face, arms, and legs, and then to hands and feet

• By 1980, had been successfully eradicated as public health threat through use of vaccine

Smallpox (2 of 2)

• The U.S. and Russia maintain cultures for research; international terrorist groups may have acquired it.

• Infecting a small number of people could lead to rapid spread of disease.

• It is easily spread through direct contact, droplet, and airborne transmission.

• Incubation period is 4–17 days.• There are millions who have not been

vaccinated and millions more with reduced immunity.

Indicators of Biological Agents• Similar to indicators of chemical agents• Microbiology textbooks or reference manuals• Containers used to transport biological

agents, including metal cylindrical cans or plastic boxes or bags

• PPE, such as respirators, chemical or biological suits, and latex gloves

• Excessive amounts of antibiotics• Abandoned spray devices• Lab area personnel may exhibit symptoms.

Protection from Biological Agents

• CDC and/or area hospitals are first to recognize situation.

• At a minimum, responders who may have been exposed to biological agent should follow AHJ recommendations regarding universal precautions.

• Responders who exhibit flu-like symptoms after incident should seek medical care immediately.

Radiological Agents

• Release energy in the form of electromagnetic waves or energy particles

• Radiation cannot be detected by normal senses of smell and taste.

• Several instruments can detect presence of radiation and measure dose rates.

Alpha Particles

• Can travel only 1 or 2 inches from their source

• Clothing or paper can stop this type of energy.

• Ingestion can damage internal organs.

Beta Particles

• Can travel 10 to 15 feet • Metal, plastic, and glass can stop this type

of energy. • Exposure can be harmful to skin and eyes.• Ingestion or inhalation will damage internal

organs.

Gamma Radiation

• Can travel significant distances, penetrate most materials, and pass through the body

• Most destructive to the human body• The only materials that can stop it are

concrete, earth, and dense metals such as lead.

Effects of Radiation• Low-level exposure can cause nausea and

vomiting.• High levels can cause vomiting and digestive

system damage within a short time.• Other symptoms: bone marrow destruction,

nerve system damage, radioactive skin burns• A person contaminated will have particulates

on exposed skin and clothing; decontamination must be complete and thorough.

Ways to Limit Exposure

• Keep time of exposure short.• Stay as far away from source as possible.• Use shielding to limit amount of radiation

absorbed by the body.• Do not enter area that might contain

radiation until trained personnel have assessed the radiation.

Indicators of Radiological Agents

• Production or containment equipment, such as lead or stainless steel containers

• Equipment that may be used to detonate the radioactive source, such as containers, caps, fuses, gunpowder, timers

• Radiation monitoring equipment, such as Geiger counters

• Personnel may exhibit exposure symptoms.

Radiation Dispersal Device or “Dirty Bomb”

• Any device that causes the purposeful dissemination of radioactive material across an area without a nuclear detonation

• Improvised nuclear device– Weapon fabricated from fissile material capable

of producing nuclear explosion• Radiation exposure device

– Radioactive material in sealed container located where persons would receive a direct exposure

Operations

• Emergency responders will usually not know that a terrorist incident has occurred until personnel on the scene begin to piece together information.

Initial Actions (1 of 3)

• Responders should approach a known or potential terrorist incident just as they would a hazardous materials incident.

• First units should establish outer perimeter to control access to and from the scene.– Deny access to all except emergency

responders.– Prevent potentially contaminated individuals

from leaving area before decontamination.

Initial Actions (2 of 3)

• Incident command should be established in a safe location.

• Initial reconnaissance team should quickly examine involved area and determine number of people involved. – Proper use of PPE, including SCBA, is

essential.

Initial Actions (3 of 3)

• Process of elimination may be required to determine the nature of the situation.

• Responders should remain vigilant for secondary explosive devices.– Note suspicious packages and notify IC.

Interagency Coordination• If terrorism is suspected, an IC should

consult with law enforcement officials, and a unified command should be established.

• If there are casualties, the IC should notify area hospitals and activate mass casualty incident plan.

• State emergency management officials should be notified to ensure quick response by state and federal resources.

Emergency Operation Center

• Usually set up in predetermined remote location

• Staffed by experienced command and staff personnel

• A terrorist incident is also a crime scene; responders should not disturb the scene any more than necessary.

Decontamination

• Perimeter established for incident response must fully surround the area of contaminants.

• Standard decontamination usually involves processing people through a series of stations.– At each station, clothing and protective

equipment removed and individual cleaned

Mass Decontamination

• May be necessary if incident involves a large number of people

• Master stream devices from engine companies to create high-volume, low-pressure showers

• Specially designed tents with preplumbedsprayers

Mass Casualties• Mass casualty plans require resources

from multiple agencies.• Patients may need to be decontaminated

as they are moved to triage and treatment areas.

• In other cases, triage and treatment areas may be considered contaminated and patients would be decontaminated before they are transported from the scene.

Summary (1 of 4)

• Terrorism is the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives. This broad definition encompasses a wide range of acts committed by different groups for different purposes.

Summary (2 of 4)

• The goal of terrorism is to produce feelings of fear in a population or group.

• Terrorism can occur in any community, so it is essential that responders be aware of all potential targets in their area.

• Terrorists can and do turn ordinary objects into weapons.

Summary (3 of 4)

• Secondary devices are intended to explode sometime after the initial device detonates.

• Weapons of mass destruction include chemical, biological, and radiological agents, as well as conventional weapons and explosives.

• As part of the response to a potential terrorism incident, it is important to be able to identify which type of agent is involved.

Summary (4 of 4)

• When dealing with a potential terrorist-related incident, responders should establish a staging area at a safe distance from the scene and follow the direction of the incident commander.

• Interagency coordination is an important part of responding to a terrorist event.