From eagleflt@eagleflt.com Mon Feb 09 11:33:34 1998 Received: from damien.beaconhouse.com ([207.87.244.12]) by THE-SPA.COM with SMTP (IPAD 2.03) id 2317800 ; Mon, 09 Feb 1998 11:33:31 EST Received: from [206.137.185.99] by damien.beaconhouse.com (SMTPD32-4.0) id A3396B7C0152; Mon, 09 Feb 1998 09:31:21 -0500 Message-Id: <3.0.3.32.19980208235330.006d7eb4@damien.beaconhouse.com> X-Sender: eagleflt@damien.beaconhouse.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Pro Version 3.0.3 (32) Date: Sun, 08 Feb 1998 23:53:30 -0700 To: "72113.1673"<72113.1673@compuserve.com> From: "EAGLEFLIGHT----\"uNITED STATES Theatre Command (David E. Rydel)\"" Subject: Recommendations for chemical/biological protection Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >From: Intel96B@aol.com >Date: Sun, 8 Feb 1998 23:40:41 EST >To: eagleflt@eagleflt.com, wolfeyes@cdsnet.net, leroy@ix.netcom.com >Subject: Recommendations for chemical/biological protection >X-Mailer: AOL 3.0 for Windows 95 sub 21 > >There are many aspects of chemical and biological weapons that you may or may >not be aware of: > >Chemical weapons can be either short-term or "persistant". A short-term >chemical weapon is one which is primarily intended to rapidly disperse (or >evaporate) after doing it's damage. A "persistant" chemical agent is one which >is intended to remain potent and effective over a longer period of time, and >is basically an "area denial" weapon, deployed for generally the same purposes >as a mine field (to keep personnel out of certain areas). > >Chemical agents can be delivered many different ways, but normally they are >deployed using chemical bombs (SCUD), aerial sprays (similar to "crop- >dusting"), and chemical mines. There are also chemical artillery shells. > >For foreign terrorists to deploy either type of agent (short-term or >"persistant"), they would be faced with the logistical difficulty in >transporting it covertly, and then deploying it. Centralized HVAC systems on >modern office buildings would be particularly vulnerable. You may have to >break the windows with a fire axe, or throw an office chair through it, in >order to ventilate the building. If you work in an older building, you might >still be able to open the windows. Biggest problem with chemical agents is >detection. If you have the symptoms, you're probably going to die, nothing you >can do about it. So, early detection and quick action is the key. If you start >to see people on the other side of the room grabbing at their throats, act >quickly to protect yourself. > >The best personal defense against this possible threat is to have a gas mask >handy (you can usually get an Israeli gas mask at a military surplus store for >under $20, but try to get as new a filter as possible, and a few extras). >Also, drink at least two quarts of (bottled) water per day to keep yourself >hydrated, in the event that you have to put on your gas mask, and will not be >able to drink anything for a while (keeping yourself hydrated can also help >alleviate numerous health problems, so it's a good idea to do this anyway. I >usually chug a quart first thing in the morning). Also, heavy rubber gloves >(like you'd use to clean the bathroom), rubber boots (like the ones used by >construction workers when pouring concrete) and commercially-available >raingear or maritime foul-weather gear (with hood) would add extra protection. >If you have time, and especially if you have someone to help you (a good idea >to practice using the "buddy system"), you can also wrap the openings around >your wrists and ankles with duct tape. You might also want to attach a wrist >watch outside of your protective gear, so you can keep track of how long >you've been "suited up". While wearing a gas mask, talking on a telephone will >be very difficult (especially for the person at the other end trying to >understand what you're saying), but you could still communicate by e-mail >(although you might have to type slowly, using the eraser-end of a pencil >while wearing those heavy rubber gloves). Try to stay "upwind" of any chemical >agent. > >The weather can also be a major factor in the effectiveness of chemical >weapons. For example, I think California is relatively safe from chemical >attack right now, because it's been raining over most of the state for about a >week. Temprature and amount of sunlight can also effect the potency of >chemical weapons. > >Biological agents, on the other hand, are basically living organisms which are >toxic (botulism, anthrax, etc.), and are capable of reproducing themselves. >For this reason, a much smaller amount can be easily transported covertly, and >once deployed (depending on conditions), or just prior to deployment, they can >reproduce and create a much larger batch of themselves. > >I consider this to be potentially a bigger threat. > >First of all, any chemical agent deployed by terrorists would quickly be >identified as a manufactured chemical agent, and the situation would most >likely be confined to a relatively small (although probably heavily-populated) >area. > >With biologicals, humans (and possibly animals and birds as well) would be the >delivery system, and could travel far and wide before manifesting any symptoms >in the infected party, and thereby infecting many others. In addition, a >biological agent would introduce a factor of uncertainty, with the possibility >of it being a naturally-occurring phenomenon clouding the origin, and also >introducing "plausible deniability" into the scenario. By the time health >officials can determine whether or not it is a naturally-occuring microbe, or >a biological weapon, many millions of people could become infected. Just look >at the way flu viruses get around. > >The key here is rapid diagnosis and treatment. The longer it goes without >diagnosis and treatment, the higher the mortality rate, and the slimmer the >chance for recovery. There are two ways you can get anthrax, one is by >contact with the skin (not usually fatal), and by inhalation (usually fatal if >not treated immediately). Anthrax, if quickly diagnosed and treated, can be >fully recoverable (even if inhaled). The usual treatment is 500 mg of >ciproflaxin twice a day for ten days to two weeks. > >Since any terrorist attack against the United States by a foreign threat would >most likely be directed toward the more concentrated population centers (New >York City, for example), most people living in small-town America will not be >effected (except possibly politically). Health-care facilities in the more >heavily-populated areas would most likely be over-burdened, and would quickly >go "Code Black", meaning that they couldn't take any more patients. Some >patients might be airlifted (or otherwise moved) to outlying area hospitals. > >Whether terrorists would use chemical or biological agents, the possibility >also exists that there could be co-ordinated attacks on several population >centers (and possibly military and government facilities) simultaneously. > >My guess, though, is that since terrorists are basically attempting to effect >political objectives (and prefer to stay away from military facilities), a >high-profile incident, with relatively few people involved, is the most likely >scenario. In Japan, the Aum Cult deployed a chemical agent ("Sarin" nerve gas) >in the subway, where it could not rapidly disperse (the subway is a confined >area, without wind or strong sunlight). This would probably be the most >efficient deployment of a chemical agent, and something to be wary of. > >Try to get a military field manual on chemical and biological defense in order >to learn more about how to protect yourself from this threat. > >Know as much about these threats as possible. Buy a Merck Maunal to get >familiar with the symptoms of Anthrax, Botulism, Ebola, Lassa Fever, Crimea- >Congo Hemhorragic Fever (a big one in Bosnia and Serbia), Hanta Virus, etc. >(Merck Manuals are widely available - can be found at BJ's or in the book >store at any community college with nursing courses). In the event that you >(or someone you know) contract the symptoms, don't expect your local health >professionals to know what they're dealing with. > > > Please visit http://www.prospectorsbanqueclub.com and http://www.eagleflt.com To receive posts from this list send an E-MAIL to me with the word "subscribe" in the subject box. To be removed from this list send a post to me with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject box. ================================================================== EAGLEFLIGHT ///, /// \ /, / >. David E. Rydel \ /, _/ /. ***** \_ /_/ /. uNITED STATES Theatre Command \__/_ << Voice-248-391-0798 /<<<<<< \_\_ Fax-248-391-6785 /,)^>>_._ \ Alt.Fax-248-391-3528 (/ \\ /\\\ E-MAIL: EAGLEFLT@eagleflt.com // ```` ==============((`============================================= A VOICE OF THE MILITIA IN NORTH AMERICA