Re: WPM - How Much Harm Can Be Inflicted?

[scanne]

I'm a new mom and a teacher and I have kids asking me all the time about chemical and biological warfare. I am concerned, but unsure of the amount of damage WMD can inflict. I hear conflicting reports. How seriuos are the threats of these types of weapons to us now that war is looming? Do we really need duct tape and plastic? I just don't know what to think...PArt of me thinks our nation is so large that it would take unimaginable amounts of the stuff to harm EVERYONE and that the terrorists and the like will be focusing on concentrated populations. Am I rationalizing this correctly? Help me understand!

 

[Jeff in BigD]

Ricin was found in the UK. This is extremely lethal. I heard on Discovery channel that the amount that's equal to a grain of salt is enough to kill a grown man.

Sarin gas, to my understanding, is a corrosive acid that eats aways at the membrane walls of the lungs.

VX gas is particularly nasty. While the effects of it were a little dramatized on the movie The Rock, it's still gives you an idea of what it does.

Anthrax is an air born spore. It's not really transmittable like a virus, the damage is when it's inhaled. Think of it like a lethal sinus infection. The scary thing is that people wouldn't know they've inhaled it at the time. Often times by the time people are aware of just how sick they are, it's usually too late.




Here's the CDC's list of biological weapons & their effects:
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/


Here's the CDC's list of Chemical weapons & their effects:
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/Agent/agentlistchem.asp

 

[we3luvdisney]

I would stay away from the plastic and duct tape, this can kill you. A family in Israel just died because of this.

I would do as much research about the different types of chemicals and biological agents that have been discussed on the news. All I can suggest is to be honest with the children.

 

[The Hunt]

Tell them that the chances of any chemical or biological attack affecting them personally is extremely small--much smaller than the risks of getting in a car accident.

 

[miko]

Tell them that the chances of any chemical or biological attack affecting them personally is extremely small--much smaller than the risks of getting in a car accident.

While I agree with this, it is never wrong to be prepared for possible risks.
This website may be usefull.
http://www.be-prepared.info/cyanide.html

 

[mrsltg]

scanne, while I understand your concerns, a little knowledge on the subject will go a long way towards calming your fears.

A large scale attack on the US is highly improbable. This is because in order for anything to be done on a large scale, a large amount of whatever needs to be developed. This is far from easy. Once whatever has been developed, it has to be weaponized. Also not easy. Each chemical and biological agent has its own properties that make mass dispersal difficult to say the least. The water supply can't be tampered with because there is just too much water to keep the integrity of the agent intact. The idea of releasing something into the air works in the movies, but in real life, a release is more likely in an enclosed space. These chemicals have distinct smells. If you're in a confined space and you suspect something has been released, hold your breath (as best you can) and get outside as fast as possible. If you are outside and something has been released, get away from it. Notice which direction the wind is blowing and go the other way. Stand as tall as possible as all of these things are heavier than air (don't hit the ground). Put something over your mouth and nose (wet, preferrably). Get to a safe place, and remove your clothes, and wash completely. If your safe place is home, put your clothes in a sealed bag.

If it's a biological attack, relax. The fact that it is biological means that it's going to effect a small (relatively speaking) group of people. Once the initial group has been diagnosed, med staff will know what they are dealing with, and take heart, most of it is completely curable. Again, soap and water are your best defense. Be especially mindful of any body oraface including your eyes.

Try to stay away from mass transit if there has been an attack as you could become contaminated by someone, or you could contaminate someone else.

While none of this is a guarantee, it does help to understand what you are dealing with. As Hunt said, a fatal car accident is more likely than this.

I hope that this helped.

Erin

 

[caitycaity]

A family in Israel just died because of this.

i'd like to read that article.

 

[MJames41]

As long as you are not in the area that is directly attacked, you should be fine - unless it's germ warfare and something highly contagious. Although I don't think the recent flu that is going around is an attack, imagine if it was something like that? It would be very easy to import to our country. Just let someone who has it travel on a plane from city to city.

For right now I think Hunt is correct. I'm not so sure about the future though.