Terrorism & HazMat
Written By: Todd C. McKee
Eastern Knox County Joint Fire District Danville, Ohio
KnoxCountyCareerCenter
CollegeTownship Fire Gambier Ohio
HazMat Instructor
Since September 11, 2001 Terrorism in the United States is a major issue, Americans are more aware of their surroundings. However, Terrorism has been here for longer than people can remember.
The United States Department of Justice Defines terrorism as:
“A violent act or an act dangerous to human life, I violation of the criminal laws of the United States or segment to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.”
Let’s look at some basic responses by HazMat Teams for Terrorist type events.
Biological Threats
Stay calm
Stay away from release
Remember others may be affected to air borne releases and may be contaminated
Was with soap and water
Use emergency showers if available, if not available use Fire Engines with attack lines at low pressure to decontaminate for at least 15 minutes
Contain decontaminated runoff, if possible. This can be done with tarps rolled with hose lines.
Biological Characteristics
Does not penetrate skin
Can not move on their own and are non-volatile
Are more TOXIC than chemical agents
Are not detectable by our senses
Are not easily detected
Must be disseminated as aerosol
Flu like symptoms in early stages
Easy to produce
Delayed effect on Humans
ISOLATE
Wear full PPE (INCLUDING SCBA)
Have victims wash with soap and water (remove contaminated clothing)
Seal clothing materials that are contaminated in a plastic bag
Close down where product is located
If product is outside, cover area with plastic if possible
If product is inside, shut down ventilation system and shut doors
And windows
EVALUATE
Notify local authorities
Call for additional companies if needed
Recognize the need for EMS
MITIGATE
Follow local and state protocols
Decontaminate areas with bleach and water (1 part bleach 9 parts water)
TERMINATE
Debrief and Critique
Do not forget the “RIGHT TO KNOW” Act; information must be forwarded to all involved parties.
Chemical Threats
Stay calm
Move away from released product
Call for help
Remove clothing and wash with soap and water
Notify others of the incident
Evacuate
Stay away from non-affected people
Go through proper decontamination process
Chemical Agent Characteristics
Toxic
Incapacitating
Choking agents (Phosgene, Chlorine)
May not stick around for long periods of time
Blood Agents (Hydrogen Cyanide, Cyanogen Chloride)
Disrupts Oxygen to blood ratio
Blister Agents
Rapidly causes burning of eyes
Mustard, Phosgene Oxime
Mustard gives a garlic odor
Phosgene Oxmine blisters skin in 6 to 24 hours
Nerve Agents
Tabun, Sarin, Soman,
No Odor if pure
Heavier than
Look for pin point pupils
Difficulty in breathing
Tightness in chest
Twitching
Vomiting
ISOLATE
Wear fill PPE (INCLUDING SCBA)
Decontaminate all victims
Flush Strip Flush and TRANSPORT
Secure area any area and clothing that is suspected to be contaminated
If inside shut down ventilation system along with windows and doors
EVALUATE
Follow local and state protocols
Call for additional companies if needed
Recognize the need for EMS
MITIGATE
HazMat Team’s must be able to obtain samples
HazMat Team should wear LEVEL “A” or “B” for entry
May need Military detection equipment for initial testing
Secure Evidence and follow local/state procedures
TERMINATE
Debrief and Critique
Do not forget the “RIGHT TO KNOW” Act; information must be forwarded to all involved parties.
Emergency responders need to be prepared and training on these issues is must! This is not new and has been around for ages. Terrorists are everywhere, and your department may be the next to be first on the scene. Be a part of the solution and not part of the problem. Remember, be safe and train, as training will save lives!
Written By: Todd C. McKee
Firefighter Todd C. McKee is a ten year veteran of the fire service. Currently with the Eastern Knox County Joint Fire District in Danville, Ohio.
Currently Todd not only works as a firefighter at the Eastern Knox County Joint Fire District. He works for the CollegeTownship Fire Department, the KnoxCountyCareerCenter as a Fire Instructor, and is a HazMat Trainer for the University of Findlay.Todd has dedicated three years of his ten to the young Explorers molding them and watching them grow up to become excellent firefighters. He spent two years as Executive Officer of Explorer Post 331 and one year as Lead Advisor for Explorer Post 311. In that time the Explorers won National Achievement Awards from the Boy Scouts of America. Todd has currently conducted HazMat classes in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Pennsylvania and trained over 1500 students in Hazardous Materials. Over the years Todd has served as a Lieutenant, Treasurer, Fire Prevention Officer, Asst. Trainer and Lead Trainer. Todd is a graduate of the 1993 class of Johnstown-Monroe high school, where he then moved on to BroadcastingSchool at the AmericanSchool of Broadcasting. Since then Todd found his love in the Fire Service and has taken several classes. Some of his certifications are as follows: 240 hour firefighter, Emergency Medical Technician, Fire Instructor, HazMat Trainer, HazMat Operations, HazMat Technician, HazMat Specialist x 2, HazMat Commander, C.E.R.T., National ICS 100-200-300-700-800, Rural Water Movement, Fire Investigator, Traumatic Brain Injury Instructor, Special Topics Instructor and School Readiness for Terrorism and Disasters. Todd has been a member of the Knox County Fire Investigation Team, Boy Scouts of America, Ohio Firefighters Association, Knox County Firefighters Association, Heart of Ohio Firefighters Association, Danville Fire Association, College Township Firefighter Association, and NFPA.