Unit 07: The Chemical Threat

Question 1

Chemical weapons involve the use of what against targets?

Answer 1

Chemical agents and their toxic properties

Question 2

Chemical agents used as weapons have been referred to as what?

Answer 2

“The poor man’s atomic bomb”

Question 3

Why are chemical agents referred to as “the poor man’s atomic bomb”?

Answer 3

Primarily because chemical agents are easier to acquire than other CBRN materials and can have devastating effects

Question 4

Chemical agents exist in what forms?

Answer 4

Aerosol, Gaseous, and Liquid

Question 5

Chemical agents can be dispersed in a variety of routes depending on what?

Answer 5

Their intended effects

Question 6

Chemical weapons are weapons of what?

Answer 6

Terror and Intimidation

Question 7

Chemical agents are a means of what?

Answer 7

Casualties and Destruction

Question 8

The use of chemical weapons, as potentially with all WMD/CBRN weapons will have what kind of impact?

Answer 8

Psychological

Question 9

Chemical Weapons have been used for over 1000 years to do what?

Answer 9

Conquer armies and terrorize societies

Question 10

1000 B.C.E. evidence suggests the Chines used burning balls of what to smoke out enemies hiding in tunnels?

Answer 10

Mustard and other toxic plants

Question 11

The threat from chemical agents can be understood to come from two general categories, what are they?

Answer 11

Chemical Warfare Agents (CWA’s) and Toxic Industrial Chemicals (TIC’s)

Question 12

There are six categories of Chemical Warfare agents, what are they?

Answer 12

Nerve, Blister, Choking, Blood, Incapacitating, and Tearing

Question 13

Nerve agents have properties similar to what?

Answer 13

Pesticides in high concentrations

Question 14

What are four examples of Nerve agents?

Answer 14

Sarin, Tabun, Soman, and VX

Question 15

What are four examples of Toxic Industrial Chemicals?

Answer 15

Pesticides, Fertilizers, Gasoline, and Propane

Question 16

Why is there no practical way to come up with a complete list of toxic industrial chemicals?

Answer 16

Because the list of possibilities is so extensive

Question 17

Why are the safety challenges with the production of chemical weapons not insignificant?

Answer 17

Because it poses serious risks to those involved in production

Question 18

Chemical weapons production requires what to manufacture and remain stabilized in storage?

Answer 18

Specialized equipment

Question 19

Chemical weapons requires what?

Answer 19

Pre-cursor chemicals

Question 20

Fill in the blanks:

Pre-cursor chemicals are _________ to obtain due to the ___ and may _______ attention

Answer 20

Difficult, CWC (Chemical Weapons Convention), Attract

Question 21

Why would chemical weapon acquisition not be a problem for most governments? (2)

Answer 21

There are at least 10 countries with a history of having/having had Chemical Warfare programs

Some of which have been signatories to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)

Question 22

The more significant threat may be the one posed by what type of chemical?

Answer 22

Toxic industrial chemicals

Question 23

The plan for response considerations of a chemical threat includes what two postures?

Answer 23

Aggressive offensive or in other cases a defensive posture

Question 24

In relation to the response considerations for a chemical threat, what are the three initial steps?

Answer 24

Safety, Isolate, and Notify (SIN)

Question 25

What are the three control zones?

Answer 25

Hot, Warm, and Cold

Question 26

What is the hot zone? (5)

Answer 26

The area immediately surrounding the release; the most contaminated area Complete, appropriate protective clothing and equipment Boundaries should be set Access must be limited to only necessary persons All personnel and equipment must be decontaminated when they leave

Question 27

What is the warm zone? (4)

Answer 27

Personnel and equipment transition in and out of the hot zone Control points for access to hot zone Decontamination corridor PPE one level lower than that of the PPE used in the hot zone

Question 28

What is the cold zone? (5)

Answer 28

Safe area where personnel do not need to wear protective clothing Personnel staging Command post EMS providers Area for medical monitoring and treatment after decontamination

Question 29

In relation to response considerations, what are the two protective actions?

Answer 29

Evacuation and Shelter-in-Place

Question 30

In relation to response considerations, where do you send evacuees? (3)

Answer 30

A definite place By specific route Far enough away so that they will not have to be moved if the winds shifts

Question 31

What is the Protective Action Zone?

Answer 31

The area DOWNWIND from the incident in which persons may become incapacitated and unable to take protective action and/or incur serious or irreversible health effects

Question 32

What does the ERG provide?

Answer 32

Specific guidance for day/night and small/large spills.

Question 33

In general, removing and bagging the victim's clothing removes up to how much of the contaminants?

Answer 33

80%

Question 34

What is the minimal level of decontamination that is acceptable after exposure to a chemical or radioactive source?

Answer 34

Removing and bagging the victim's clothing