Chemical agents release

One common characteristic of many chemical agents is that they tend to be relatively fast acting that is, victims begin to exhibit symptoms of distress within seconds to minutes after exposure to the agent. This almost-immediate showing of symptoms has implications for defensive strategies based on detection systems, since the chemical agent released in an attack would reach and produce a response... 

This report identifies options for sensing and responding to chemical agent releases. It... 

There are a number of characteristics of a chemical agent release which are relevant to the management ... 

LIFE SUPPORT FOLLOWING CHEMICAL AGENT RELEASE... 

It is possible that a hybrid application of the Monica remote case entry and sampling system and a tent-like containment structure and APC system, similar to the existing ballistic tent used for the tent-and-foam system, can be easily developed, tested, and fielded to fill this need. This new system would use the tent-and-foam and APC technology to contain and capture any chemical agent released during the agent removal via the Monica without requiring the munition to be moved from the location where it was found. 

Kesik K, Janik-Spiechowicz E. 1997. Comparison of the mutagenicity of chemical agents released during coke production. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 10(3) 267-272. 

The most urgent decontamination priority in the aftermath of a chemical agent release is decontamination of all people who may have been contaminated. Decontamination of a person has two objectives minimization of the health effects to that person and prevention of the spread of contamination to other people. Minimizing die health effects to the contaminated person requires that decontamination be performed within a very few minutes of exposure. Preventing the spread of contamination to others requires that decontamination be thorough. To ensure that both... 

This phase includes evaluation of site safety, and potential human health and ecological impacts. RE examples include, but are not limited to (1) Military ranges where chemical munitions were employed and where the RA/AR process shows a potential exposure from a chemical agent release. (2) Military ranges where land use or the degree of public access is incompatible with the condition of the range following the RA/AR process. 

Stimulation of nerve endings in the endosteum by chemical agents released from the destroyed bone tissue such as prostaglandins, bradykinin, substance P, or histamine... 

An explosive event is any event involving conventional ordnance, ammunition, explosives, explosive systems, and devices that results in an unintentional detonation, firing, deflagration, burning, launching of ordnance material, leaking or spilled propellant fuels and oxidizers, or chemical agent release. An explosive event is essentially an explosion event. 

Bystander observations indicating a toxic agent release A chemical agent release should be considered if bystanders ... 

In chemical agent releases, the analogue to this protective cordon is determined by the fire services or HAZMAT specialists but is again enforced and controlled by the police who act under fire and rescue guidance about the hazards involved, based upon detection and identification procedures described earlier. The principal purpose of this cordon is to permit rescue and life support for casualties as early as possible but with an emphasis on protecting emergency responders becoming the next casualties from the toxic release. 

Indirect toxic trauma arises from the ingestion of contaminated food as in mass food poisoning. Many bacterial toxins act through this route. In deliberate chemical agent release, there is also a risk of ingestion of an aerosolised toxin such as botulinum toxin. 

Although there have been military developments in providing mechanical means of detecting a BW aerosol, in the civil setting, where a terrorist attack is currently the most likely threat detection will depend largely on observation. This parallels the use of the senses in detecting a chemical agent release as discussed in Chap. 5. 

Recognition of the features of a deliberate chemical agent release... 

Initial management of a suspected chemical agent release incident... 

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