A HazMat team evacuates five square miles of a city business district in response to a chemical spill. Ten city blocks away, a police special response team forms a perimeter around an office building where a terrorist threatens the release of a deadly chemical agent. Meanwhile, paramedics administer first aid to victims exposed to a possible vesicant. In the real-life world of emergency response, nothing is more crucial to crisis personnel than quick and decisive action. D. Hank Ellison's Emergency Action for Chemical and Biological Warfare Agents tells police, paramedics, and firefighters just what actions to take in the event of a crisis involving hazardous materials. The book contains abridged versions of the class indices from Ellison's larger Handbook of Chemical and Biological Warfare Agents. The indices deal with classes of agents (nerve, blister, etc.) instead of focusing on specific agents. Each index contains information on the toxicology/health impacts, physical characteristics, hazards from fire or reactivity, protection of personnel, and general first aid for that agent class. Designed to provide rapid access to critical emergency information at the scene of a release of chemical or biological warfare agents, this handy field guide is also ideal for facilitating the coordination with off-site personnel who have access to more comprehensive information in Ellison's larger Handbook. It differs from its larger companion, however, in that agent specific data, as well as information on evacuation distances, are listed in table format, making it the ideal tool for emergency responders deployed in the field.

The threat of domestic terrorism today looms larger than ever. Bombings at the World Trade Center and Oklahoma City's Federal Building, as well as nerve gas attacks in Japan, have made it tragically obvious that American civilians must be ready for terrorist attacks. What do we need to know to help emergency and medical personnel prepare for these attacks? Chemical and Biological Terrorism identifies the R&D efforts needed to implement recommendations in key areas: pre-incident intelligence, detection and identification of chemical and biological agents, protective clothing and equipment, early recognition that a population has been covertly exposed to a pathogen, mass casualty decontamination and triage, use of vaccines and pharmaceuticals, and the psychological effects of terror. Specific objectives for computer software development are also identified. The book addresses the differences between a biological and chemical attack, the distinct challenges to the military and civilian medical communities, and other broader issues. This book will be of critical interest to anyone involved in civilian preparedness for terrorist attack: planners, administrators, responders, medical professionals, public health and emergency personnel, and technology designers and engineers.

Biological and chemical weapons are a growing terrorist threat to the United States and other nations and countermeasures continue to evolve as a national and global priority issue. To keep up with this rapidly changing and vital field we must establish the current state-of-the-science on countermeasures to form a platform from which to offer persp

Does the identification number 60 indicate a toxic substance or a flammable solid, in the molten state at an elevated temperature? Does the identification number 1035 indicate ethane or butane? What is the difference between natural gas transmission pipelines and natural gas distribution pipelines? If you came upon an overturned truck on the highway that was leaking, would you be able to identify if it was hazardous and know what steps to take? Questions like these and more are answered in the Emergency Response Guidebook. Learn how to identify symbols for and vehicles carrying toxic, flammable, explosive, radioactive, or otherwise harmful substances and how to respond once an incident involving those substances has been identified. Always be prepared in situations that are unfamiliar and dangerous and know how to rectify them. Keeping this guide around at all times will ensure that, if you were to come upon a transportation situation involving hazardous substances or dangerous goods, you will be able to help keep others and yourself out of danger. With color-coded pages for quick and easy reference, this is the official manual used by first responders in the United States and Canada for transportation incidents involving dangerous goods or hazardous materials.

The author describes over 50 toxins most likely to be used in a terrorist attack, and describes the symptoms and treatment.

The first edition of this book, Chemical Warfare Agents: Toxicity at Low Levels, was published just prior to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The second edition titled, Chemical Warfare Agents: Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutics, included new epidemiological and clinical studies of exposed or potentially exposed populations; new treatment concepts and products; improved organization of the national response apparatus addressing the potential for CWA terrorism; and improved diagnostic tests that enable rapid diagnosis and treatment. Since the second edition, the chemical warfare agent community has worked hard to advance research for protection and treatment and develop/improve response approaches for individuals and definitive care. Consequently, in addition to updating previous chapters, Chemical Warfare Agents: Biomedical and Psychological Effects, Medical Countermeasures, and Emergency Response, Third Edition features several new chapters that address the Syrian War, chemical destruction, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, biomarkers for chemical warfare agent exposure, field sensors, aircraft decontamination, lung/human on a chip, chemical warfare response decision making, and other research advancements. Features: Describes the newest medical interventions, and the latest technologies deployed in the field, as well as developments in the international response to CW usage highlighting recent events in the Middle East Discusses the latest in organizational/interagency partitioning in terms of responsibilities for emergency response, not just in the United States but at the international level—whether prevention, mitigation, medical care, reclamation, or medico-legal aspects of such response Contains the most current research from bench-level experts The third edition contains the most up-to-date and comprehensive coverage of the question of chemical warfare agent employment on the battlefield or in terrorism. Edited by workers that have been in the field for 35+ years, it remains faithful to the scientific "constants," while evaluating and crediting the advances by the industry that have made us safer.