The Binomial Bookstore

COUNTER-TERRORISM FOR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS
by Robert Burke

“Providing step-by-step procedures for recognition and identification of terrorist
incidents, Counter-Terrorism for Emergency Responders explores scene security, crime
scene, and isolation issues, as well as recommended protective equipment and
decontamination procedures. This book provides guidance for all emergency responders to
terrorist incidents, including fire, EMS and law enforcement.
- includes first responder information on chemical, biological, radiological,
explosive, and
incendiary agents
- covers scene management and incident command issues for multi-agency
response to a
terrorist incident
- discusses the proper use of personnel protective equipment, monitoring
instruments,
and decontamination.”

===============================

FROM THE PREFACE

“Terrorism is the latest buzzword in the news media, within the federal
government, and
throughout the emergency response community across the U.S. Terrorism has become a
fact
of life in certain countries around the world, like Northern Ireland, England, Israel, and Japan.
It is, however, no longer a problem that just happens somewhere else. Bombings at the
World
Trade Center, the Oklahoma City Federal Building, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and in many
other locations throughout the U.S., have brought the idea of terrorism home. It does not just
happen in other countries around the world it can also happen here. It is not just foreign
countries and factions that sponsor terrorism, but domestic groups as well, including militia,
anti-government, anti-abortion, and animal rights organizations, to mention a few. While
bombings have been the terrorist weapon of choice in the past, chemical and biological
agents will likely be the weapons of choice in the future. Biological agents in particular are
cheap and easy to make without detection. They have often been referred to as the "poor
man's atom bomb.” A very small amount of a chemical or biological agent has the potential
to
kill thousands of people if disseminated in an effective manner, and there may be little we
can
do to prevent its rapid spread. The outcome of a terrorist attack may well depend on how
thoroughly emergency responders at all levels plan and train to deal with terrorist events.

“The underlying mission of this book is to present the idea to emergency
responders that
chemical, biological, nuclear, explosive, and incendiary agents are hazardous materials.
Responding to hazardous materials releases is not unlike responding to acts of terrorism. In
fact, a terrorist response is a combination of a mass casualty incident, technical rescue
incident, hazardous materials incident, and crime scene rolled into one. Many
warfare/terrorist agents are common industrial chemicals and explosives. Acts of terrorism
are hazardous materials incidents. To quote Chicago Fire Department Captain and
hazardous materials team member Gene Ryan, chemical and biological terrorist agents are
"hazmats with an attitude." Responders will still need to exercise recognition and
identification procedures, enforce scene security, establish isolation zones and perimeters,
wear proper protective equipment, and implement decontamination procedures. When
dealing with acts of terrorism, there are new recognition and identification tools, advanced
equipment technologies, and additional players involved on the scene of an incident.
However, it is still a hazardous materials response at the local level. If emergency
responders
are prepared to deal with releases of hazardous materials, they can also deal effectively with
chemical and biological agents. What will be required is additional planning, procedures,
equipment, and training.

“Every person in this country who responds to emergencies, whether he or she is
a fire,
EMS, police, or other emergency professional, should be aware of the basic tools needed to
recognize and safely respond to acts of terrorism. This book is written to provide concise
information for emergency responders who might be called upon to confront explosive,
chemical, nuclear, biological, or incendiary acts of terrorism. Specific procedures are
necessary to properly respond to acts of terrorism.”

===============================

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION: IT'S JUST ANOTHER HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INCIDENT!

2 HISTORY OF TERRORISM

3 CHEMICAL TERRORIST AGENTS
Nerve Agents
Blister Agents or Vesicants
Blood Agents (Cyanogens)
Choking Agents (Lung-Damaging Agents)
Riot Control Agents (Irritant Agents)
Vomiting Agents
Miscellaneous Chemical Agents

4 BIOLOGICAL TERRORIST AGENTS
Bacterial Agents
Viruses
Toxins

5 EXPLOSIVE TERRORISM
ATF Bomb Threat Checklist
Characteristics of Explosions
Definitions
Types of Explosives
Types of Chemical Explosions
Two Phases of Explosions
Categories of Explosions
Yield vs. Order
Improvised Explosive Devices
Letter and Package Bombs
Explosives Under ATF Jurisdiction

6 NUCLEAR TERRORISM
Definition of Radioactive Material
History of Radiation
Atomic Structure
Nuclear Fission
Types of Radiation
Measurements of Radioactivity
Biological Effects of Nuclear Explosions
Effects of Nuclear Explosions

7 INCENDIARY TERRORISM
What is Arson?
The Firefighter's Role
History of Incendiary Terrorist Incidents
Types of Incendiary Devices
Chemistry of Fire and Fire Behavior
Clues to Arson and Terrorism
Fire Causes

8 MONITORING AND DETECTION EQUIPMENT FOR TERRORIST AGENTS
pH
Monitoring for Oxygen Levels
Monitoring for Flammable Atmospheres
Monitoring Toxic Atmospheres
Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry
Colorimetric Sampling Tubes
Chemical Agent Detectors
Direct-Read Instruments
Test Kits
Test Strips
Agent Characteristics for Monitoring
Biological Agent Detectors
Radiation Detection Equipment
Air Monitoring During Terrorist Incidents

9 PERSONNEL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) AND DECONTAMINATION
FOR
TERRORIST AGENTS
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Respiratory Protection Body Protection
PPE Required for Protection from Specific Agents
Decontamination
Skin Decontamination Solutions and Agents
Equipment Decontamination Solutions and Agents
Decontamination Corridor Set-Up

10 TACTICS FOR TERRORISM: "THE RULES HAVE CHANGED"
Approaching the Scene
Establishing Scene Control
Identifying the Hazards
Public Protection Options
Managing the Incident
Incident Operations
Triage, Treatment, and Transport
On-Scene Triage
Treatment
Transportation
Preparing the Hospitals
Fighting Fires Involving Chemical Agents
Investigating the Crime
Termination of the Incident
Developing a Plan
Resources
Department of Energy Nuclear Emergency Search Team (NEST)
FEMA’s Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) Program
Medical Strike Force Teams
FBI Explosives Unit - Bomb Data Center
U.S. Army Soldier Systems Command (SBCCOM)
U.S. Coast Guard Strike Force
National Guard Rapid Assessment and Initial Detection Teams (RAID)
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
Terrorism Response Training Programs
National Fire Academy: Emmitsburg, Maryland
Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP): Fort McClellan, Alabama
Conclusion

Glossary
Appendix A Terrorism Training for the 120 Largest Cities
Appendix B NFPA 472 and 1991 Terrorism Changes
Appendix C Terrorism Websites
Appendix D U.S. Urban Search & Rescue Response System
Appendix E Conversion Charts
Appendix F Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) Training Programs
Appendix G Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms List of Explosive Materials
Appendix H Regulations on the Transfer or Receipt of Select Agents
Appendix I Chronological Listing of UNABOMBER Targets 1978 to 1995
Index

===============================

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

“Robert A. Burke, born in Beatrice, Nebraska, and raised in Lincoln, Nebraska
and
Dundee, Illinois, earned an A.A. in Fire Protection Technology from Catonsville Community
College, and a B.S. in Fire Science from the University of Maryland. He has also completed
graduate work in Public Administration at the University of Baltimore. He is also a graduate
of numerous classes at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

“Mr. Burke has over 20 years' experience in emergency services as a career and
volunteer firefighter, and has served as an Assistant Fire Chief for the Verdigris Fire
Protection District in Claremore, Oklahoma; Deputy State Fire Marshal in the State of
Nebraska; a private fire protection and hazardous materials consultant; and Exercise and
Training Officer for the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP) at
the Maryland Emergency Management Agency. Mr. Burke is currently the Fire Marshal for
the
University of Maryland Baltimore Campus.

“He is an adjunct instructor at the National Fire Academy, where he teaches
Emergency
Response to Terrorism: Basic Concepts and other hazardous materials courses. He is also
a hazardous materials instructor for the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute. Mr. Burke is a
contributing editor for Firehouse magazine and has had numerous articles published in
Firehouse, Fire Chief, and Fire Engineering magazines. He has developed several training
programs, including "Advanced Hazardous Materials for Emergency Responders," a unique
Modular Awareness Program for police, fire, EMS, and public works personnel, and the
1996
North American Emergency Response Guide Book. He has conducted training classes for
Louisiana State University Firemen's Training School in Baton Rouge; the New York State
Academy of Fire Science in Montour Falls; the Michigan State Police Academy in East
Lansing; the Delaware County Emergency Services Training Center outside Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania; the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy in Lewistown; the Motorola Corporation
in Buffalo, New York; the Massachusetts Regional Hazardous Materials Team outside
Boston; the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland; and the Maryland Fire and
Rescue Institute. Mr. Burke is also the author of the book Hazardous Materials Chemistry for
Emergency Responders. He has given presentations at the Firehouse Expo in Baltimore; the
International Hazardous Materials Spills Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana; the Illinois
State Association of Fire Protection Districts in Springfield, Illinois; Region III EPA
Conference in Norfolk, Virginia; HazMat 2000 in Las Vegas, Nevada; and various other state
and local functions.

“In 1997, Mr. Burke was commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel by the Governor of
Kentucky, the highest honor given by the state, for his Train-The-Trainer program about the
1996 North American Emergency Response Guidebook. Using the program he developed,
he trained over 100 instructors in two courses held in Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky. The
Governor of Maryland awarded Mr. Burke a "Governor's Citation" in 1997 for his work with
the Chemical Stockpile Preparedness Program (CSEPP) in Maryland. Once again, in 1998
Mr. Burke received a "Governor's Citation" for fire prevention work at the University of
Maryland, improving life-safety for the staff, students, and faculty.”

===============================
1999, 368 pages. Order #DR437.

The Binomial Bookstore

Terrorism; Workplace Violence, Crime

Rothstein Associates Inc.