Basics of Weapons of Mass Destruction: Basics of Weapons of Mass Destruction


What are WMD?1: What are WMD?1 Any destructive device including any explosive, incendiary, or poison gas Any weapon that is designed or intended to cause death or bodily injury through the release, dissemination, or impact of toxic or poisonous chemicals, or their precursors Any weapon involving a disease organism, or Any weapon that is designed to release radiation or radioactivity at a level dangerous to human life 1. 18 USC Sections 2332a and 921(a)(4)(A)


What is a CBRNE Incident?: What is a CBRNE Incident? CBRNE - Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosive Deliberate or unintentional events Potential to produce catastrophic loss of life or property or strike terror in the affected population


Differences Between WMD Incidents and Other Incidents1: Differences Between WMD Incidents and Other Incidents1 Situation may not be recognizable until there are multiple casualties There may be multiple events Responders are placed at a higher risk of becoming casualties The location of the incident will be treated as a crime scene Contamination of critical facilities and large geographic areas may result 1. FEMA: Concept of Operations Plan – Situation, www.fema.gov/rrr/conplan/conpln3b.shtm


Differences Between WMD Incidents and Other Incidents1: Scope of the incident may expand geometrically and may affect mutual aid jurisdictions There will be a stronger reaction from the public than with other types of incidents Time is working against responding elements Support facilities are at risk as targets Specialized State and local response capabilities may be overwhelmed 1. FEMA: Concept of Operations Plan – Situation, www.fema.gov/rrr/conplan/conpln3b.shtm Differences Between WMD Incidents and Other Incidents1


Types of Terrorist Threats to Transportation Facilities: Types of Terrorist Threats to Transportation Facilities Structural/functional damage/destruction resulting from portable, truck-or boat-borne explosives and fire damage Casualties from blast or fire System shutdown via exposure and contamination from biological and/or chemical WMD, e.g., introduced through tunnel vents Collateral damage to other lifelines, e.g., telecommunications, power, and pipelines carried along bridges or tunnels


CBRNE Characteristics : CBRNE Characteristics


Chemical Agents: Chemical Agents Intended to kill, seriously injure, or incapacitate people through physiological effects Incidents demand immediate reaction from emergency responders Can be introduced through aerosol devices, breaking containers, or covert dissemination


Types of Chemical Agents: Types of Chemical Agents


Characteristics of an Incident Involving a Chemical Agent: Characteristics of an Incident Involving a Chemical Agent Effects mostly local to release site but may be distributed beyond release site by wind and contamination Area may be marked by unusual clouds, haze, mist, odors, tastes, droplets, etc. May be persistent in environment


Indicators of Possible Chemical Agent Use: Indicators of Possible Chemical Agent Use Stated threat to release a chemical agent Initial unexplained casualties and illnesses Unusual liquid, spray or vapor Suspicious devices or packages


Biological Agents: Biological Agents Recognition of a biological hazard can occur through identification of a credible threat, discovery of bioterrorism evidence, diagnosis, and detection Delay between exposure and onset of illness Victims may serve as carriers of the disease with the capability of infecting others Could affect agricultural commodities over a large area


Types of Biological Agents: Types of Biological Agents


Characteristics of an Incident Involving a Biological Agent: Characteristics of an Incident Involving a Biological Agent Immediate effects mostly local to release but may be expanded distribution through human transmittal Possible persistence in environment Possible geographic contamination


Indicators of Possible Biological Agent Use: Indicators of Possible Biological Agent Use Stated threat to release a biological agent Initial unexplained deaths and illness possibly beginning a day or more after an incident Unusual occurrence of dead or dying animals Unusual casualties Unusual liquid, spray or vapor


Radiological Agents/Nuclear Weapons: Radiological Agents/Nuclear Weapons An attack may be difficult to detect - the presence of radioactive material may or may not be obvious Different devices may be used to launch an attack: Improvised Nuclear Device (IND) Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) Simple RDD


Types of Nuclear Radiation Emitted From Radioactive Materials: Types of Nuclear Radiation Emitted From Radioactive Materials Alpha Radiation Internal hazard Beta Radiation Slight or Internal hazard Gamma Radiation Acute hazard Graphic reproduced from FEMA/USFA/NFA-ERT:SS, “Emergency Response to Terrorism Self-Study”, June 1999


Indicators of Possible Radiological Agent/Nuclear Weapon Use(e.g., dispersion of radioactive material by non-nuclear explosion or pressurized gas, nuclear detonation with radioactive fallout): Indicators of Possible Radiological Agent/Nuclear Weapon Use (e.g., dispersion of radioactive material by non-nuclear explosion or pressurized gas, nuclear detonation with radioactive fallout) A stated threat to deploy a nuclear or radiological device Unexplained deaths and illness The presence of nuclear or radiological equipment (e.g., spent fuel canisters or nuclear transport vehicles) Nuclear placards or warning materials along with otherwise unexplained casualties


Characteristics of an Incident Involving a Radiological Agent or Nuclear Weapon: Characteristics of an Incident Involving a Radiological Agent or Nuclear Weapon Effects mostly local to release but may be some distribution via, e.g, wind beyond release site Persistence in environment Geographic contamination Extensive radioactive fallout Radioactive poisoning of foodstuffs, water sources and long-term illnesses Large-scale infrastructure destruction Conventional explosive used for dispersal may cause additional effects and explosions


Conventional Explosive Devices: Conventional Explosive Devices Easiest to obtain and use May be used to cause massive local destruction or to disperse chemical, biological or radiological agents Characterized as being explosive or incendiary, employing high or low filler explosive materials to explode and/or cause fires


High Explosives: High Explosives RDX ANFO (Ammonium nitrate fuel oil solution) Potassium Chlorate Nitrostarch Explosives Picric Acid (Tri-Nitro-Phenol) Ammonium Picrate (Explosive-D) Lead Azide Dynamite


Relative Destructive Forces of Explosives: Relative Destructive Forces of Explosives


Indicators of Use of Conventional Explosive Devices (e.g., detonation of military type or commercial bombs, such as fuel, oil-fertilizer, etc.): Indicators of Use of Conventional Explosive Devices (e.g., detonation of military type or commercial bombs, such as fuel, oil-fertilizer, etc.) Explosions Casualties Various types of localized blast damage up to structural collapse Exposure to dust and hazardous building materials, e.g., asbestos


Types of Explosive Weapon Threats to Highway Assets: Types of Explosive Weapon Threats to Highway Assets Portable, hand-placed charges placed on or near structures, e.g., 100 pounds of C4 Vehicle or boat-borne explosives, e.g., 4,000 pounds of explosives of fertilizer/oil mix (ANFO) Up to 60,000 pounds of explosive delivered in a semi-trailer or boats of various sizes


Vehicle Bomb Explosion Effects: Vehicle Bomb Explosion Effects Source: Federal Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Agency website


Combined Hazards: Combined Hazards WMD agents can be combined to achieve a synergistic effect Mixed infections or intoxications may occur Casualties may suffer from multiple effects Potential exists for multiple incidents in single or multiple municipalities


Initial Detection of a WMD Terrorist Attack: Initial Detection of a WMD Terrorist Attack Will likely occur at the local level by either first responders or private entities State and local health departments and local emergency first responders will identify unusual symptoms and symptom patterns First responders must be protected from the hazard


Investigation and Containment of Hazards: Investigation and Containment of Hazards The proper local, State and Federal authorities capable of dealing with and containing the hazard should be alerted to a suspected WMD attack after State or local health departments recognize the occurrence of unusual or unknown symptoms


Federal Response: Federal Response FEMA is authorized to support the DOJ until the Attorney General transfers the overall lead role to FEMA FEMA is designated as the lead agency for consequence management within the U.S. and its territories Federal response will include experts in the identification, containment, and recovery of WMD


Resources: Resources “Guide for All-Hazard Emergency Operations Planning”, State and Local Guide (101), Chapter 6, Attachment G- Terrorism, FEMA, April 2001 “Emergency Response to Terrorism, Self-Study”, FEMA/USFA/NFA-ERT:SS, June 1999 “Surface Transportation Vulnerability Assessment”, U.S. DOT, RSPA, Volpe Center, Oct. 25, 2001 “A Guide to Highway Vulnerability Assessment for Critical Asset Identification and Protection”, http://security.transportation.org/community/security/guides.html FEMA: Concept of Operations Plan – Situation, www.fema.gov/rrr/conplan/conpln3b.shtm Various other WMD related websites