With the increasing availability of biological and chemical materials, the threat of terrorism grows daily. Innocent bystanders -the major targets of terrorists because they gain the most publicity - create a vast number of potential victims. In our changing world, horrendous violence has become commonplace. The growth of incidences involving chemical and biological agents has created a need for local response teams to be aware of the dangers they face. Emergency Response to Chemical and Biological Agents serves as a training manual for emergency responders who handle incidents involving biological and chemical hazardous materials. The author covers poisons such as nerve, blood, blister, and choking gases and biological agents such as anthrax, typhus, and cholera. Using examples ripped from the headlines, he explains what is and is not a terrorist act, and the difference in handling each incident. In addition the author explains the standard operating procedures of Hazardous Materials Teams before, during, and after an incident. Whether terrorist act or chemical spill, local responders usually reach the scene first. As these incidents multiply - and they will - these teams will need a blueprint for dealing with chemical and biological materials. Emergency Response to Chemical and Biological Agents provides a clear, concise plan of action for responding to these incidents.

Have the contents of an entire hazardous materials and WMD first responder course at your fingertips when you need it most ... at an incident. This handy field guide covers most of the operational level first responder competencies identified in NFPA 472 and 473, with guidelines to help you recognize and safely manage any hazmat incident or WMD event. It's the perfect companion to the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG).The information is organized into fourteen chapters:1. The "e;Quick Reference Guide"e; contains a concise overview of your responsibilities as a first responder.2. "e;Recognizing and Responding to a Hazmat/WMD Incident"e; has detailed explanations and guidelines on each of the tasks listed in Chapter 1.3. "e;Labels, Placards, and Other Marking Systems"e; provides key points on each of the hazard classes and information on various other marking systems.4. "e;Container Recognition"e; provides clues about the types of products found in various containers and how these containers behave in an emergency. Look at both the general information about the type of container (nonbulk package, cargo tank, rail car, etc.) and specific information about the particular container(s) in question.5. "e;Assessing the Hazards"e; contains information on how hazardous materials cause harm, toxicological terms and exposure limits, properties of flammable liquids, chemical and physical properties, and guidelines for dealing with special hazmat situations.6. "e;Medical Management of Hazmat Exposures"e; has information on the risk of secondary contamination, patient decon, triage, health effects of hazardous materials commonly encountered, EMS treatment protocols, and medical support of hazmat response personnel.7. "e;Introduction to Terrorism"e; provides information on distinguishing a terrorist event from an accident and distinguishing between chemical and biological warfare agents.8. "e;Explosives Incidents"e; has information on how to recognize common explosives and initiation devices and guidelines on what to do upon discovery of a device or after detonation of an explosive.9. "e;Chemical Warfare Agents"e; has general information on how to deal with incidents involving chemical warfare agents, as well as more detailed information on nerve agents, blister agents, blood agents, choking agents, and riot control agents.10. "e;Biological Warfare Agents"e; provides general information on dealing with incidents involving biological warfare agents, as well as more detailed information on specific biological agents.11. "e;Nuclear Events"e; has information on dealing with incidents (intentional or accidental) involving radioactive materials.12. "e;Tactical Considerations"e; provides more information on defensive options and the use of foam.13. "e;Additional Considerations"e; includes guidelines on dealing with the media, minimizing liability, developing protective action messages, preserving evidence, and dealing with children.14. "e;Resources for Information and Assistance"e; provides information on various agencies that can help you manage a hazmat incident or terrorist event.Five previous editions were released in print form. The book was updated for this 2014 eBook edition.

Updated to reflect the numerous advances that have evolved since the September 11 terrorist attacks, Emergency Response Handbook for Chemical and Biological Agents and Weapons, Second Edition maintains its reputation as a comprehensive training manual for emergency responders to incidents involving nuclear, biological, and chemical materials

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.

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.

"In many cases, the communities most ill-prepared to deal with . . . terrorism incidents," Jason B. Moats writes in the introduction to this book, "are the rural communities that provide . . . food and crops." Having conducted training across the country for first responders in cities, small towns, and rural communities, Moats for the first time gathers here the knowledge gleaned from research and nearly twenty years' experience in emergency services and emergency training. Whether used in the field or in the classroom, this manual is designed to help rural communities prepare for an act of agroterrorism. It explains why the U.S. agriculture industry is a target for terrorists and how farms and farming communities across the country are vulnerable. The author lists known biological and chemical agents and their effects, explains model systems for supporting emergency response efforts, and lays out proven plans for gathering personnel and other resources in an orderly, coordinated way. In Agroterrorism: A Guide for First Responders, Moats spells out who should do what and when, providing a critically needed path through the bureaucratic maze of state, national, and interagency homeland security directives. With this book, Moats empowers those on the front lines in rural America, those charged with the responsibility of handling emergency crises in agricultural communities. Armed with the information they need, emergency response agencies, emergency managers, public health professionals, veterinary and animal health practitioners, as well as farmers and producers, will be able to answer the questions: "Where do we start?" "What do we do?" "Who is going to do it?" and "How do we pay for it?" Closing with a complete training program that includes practical exercises formatted for easy use, Agroterrorism: A Guide for First Responders contains resources vital for America's rural communities, emergency managers, and the agriculture sector that is so central to our national interest.