DOMESTIC BIOTERRROISM
Bioterrorism Attack Fears
Raised by Conference ExerciseBy: Paul Anderson, Correspondent/Analyst
Chicago, IL (EmergencyNet News) - A tabletop exercise held last week confirms what Emergency Response & Research Institute (ERRI) analysts have been saying for more than five years. The realistic simulation of a smallpox release, sponsored by the Center for Civilian Biodefense Studies at Johns Hopkins University, left 15,000 people dead over two months and theoretically left more than 80 million people dead, world-wide, in a year.
Clark Staten, ERRI Executive Director and Senior National Security Analyst, says that the scenario outlined is "a nightmare" that could happen tomorrow in almost any of America's cities. "We are far more concerned about the potential implications of a bioterrorist attack than we are about the use of chemical weapons," Staten said in an interview over the weekend. "A chemical attack is more finite and similar to hazardous materials incidents that are managed everyday by America's Fire/EMS/Police forces...a Biological release incident will be far more insidious and difficult to detect," Staten added.
Staten says that a chemical release, for instance a nerve gas attack, will almost immediately affect the exposed population and that we have drugs that can be given to treat those stricken by it. "The affects of a chemical attack could be dramatic and perhaps overwhelming, but at least we know what drugs can counter-act these agents and we are probably more prepared to manage the consequences," the veteran counter-terrorist analyst continued. "A biological release, on the other hand, might not be discovered for several days, until the first patients begin to enter into the emergency medical care system," he added.
"And then," Staten continued, "the symptoms may not be readily identifiable as those of a bio-agent...the patients may present with what appears to be a typical 'flu syndrome' that would not draw immediate attention from EMS/medical professionals." "The greatest danger is that of a contagious/infectious disease, with a high mortality rate, that could be spread from person to person, through the air," Staten said. "If the danger is not recognized early, such an attack could also quickly infect and debilitate the EMS/Medical community, who would then not be able to assist others," Staten added.
ERRI analysts, who have been researching and writing about the threat of chemical and biological attack since 1987, conclude that America is becoming more aware of the potential for a terrorist attack involving Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). They point to a variety of training programs that are being conducted by the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Justice as a good first step in becoming better prepared. But, they also believe that America is far from being adequately trained or equipped for the necessary counter-measures that might be needed to effectively assure American security.
"The truth is...only a very small percentage of America's emergency responders have, to date, received the necessary training or equipment to deal with a major chemical or biological release within CONUS (Continental United States)," the retired emergency service chief said. "We've come a long way in regard to our collective knowledge of this issue in the past couple of years, but we still got a ways to go before we can, in reality, call ourselves prepared," Staten said. "If this threat is a reality, it must become a priority...we must expand our education and training efforts and develop the needed testing equipment that can detect chemical or biological agents rapidly and right there, in the field," he added.
