A look at the risk of chemical, biological and nuclear threats

While traditional public health duties have consisted of education, surveillance, reporting and controlling communicable diseases, September 11 and other global terrorism events have pointed out the need for emergency preparedness for chemical, biological and nuclear threats as well.

The U.S. Post Office in

La Crosse conducted a training exercise last week simulating an anthrax scare. During that exercise, the Onalaska Fire Department, the hazardous materials team of the La Crosse Fire Department, the county health department, the county emergency management office and others were involved in the training.

The U.S. Post Office must annually check their anthrax detection systems. According to Keith Butler with the Office of Emergency Management for La Crosse County, one of the most important activities during an anthrax attack at the post office would be the decontamination of postal workers.

“We send ‘hazmat’ and Onalaska decontamination support teams from the Onalaska Fire Department to do the decontamination,” Butler said. “This frees up hazmat to do the clean-up portion. To do both would take hazmat a longer time.”

In its support of the training exercise, the Onalaska decontamination team focused on exposed postal workers.

“Last year we evacuated the second floor,” said Carol Bliven, U.S. postmaster for La Crosse. “This year, just the mail processing and delivery departments were evacuated. We did not do the employee wash this time.”

Instead of going through an actual decontamination where employees exposed to anthrax would have been washed down, they went to the decontamination tent and were then taken to the health department on a bus.

“We wrap up exposed persons with a blanket and take them to the health department where nurses are trained to give them information on precautions (and) medications and start any medical treatments,” Butler said.

While the likelihood is slim that a chemical, biological or nuclear terrorism event would occur, according to Doug Mormann, director of the La Crosse County Health Department, citizens are exposed to smaller chemical accidents every day. From chemical spills on farms to accidents involving vehicles carrying hazardous materials to discarded radioactive medicines in hypodermic needles or containers, the potential for exposure to harmful substances is greater than the potential for a hostile act.

Chemical exposure

Chemical threats can originate from leaks of toxic gas, liquids or solids that can poison people and the environment. Evidence of a chemical threat includes people suffering from watery eyes, twitching, choking, having trouble breathing or losing coordination. Another sign of a chemical threat is the presence of sick or dead birds, fish or small animals.

Emergency officials recommend that if signs of a chemical threat are evident, define the area it’s coming from, find clean air without passing through the affected area and get as far away as possible. If the chemical threat is inside a building, people should evacuate the building. It is possible that sheltering in place will be necessary, which means finding a safe place right where you are. If the contamination is airborne, shut windows and turn off ventilation systems.

Watering eyes, stinging skin and breathing problems are signs of chemical exposure. Exposed persons should strip immediately and wash. Look for a hose, fountain or any source of water and wash with soap if possible. Be sure to avoid scrubbing the chemical into the skin. Seek emergency medical attention.

Biological threats

Some biological threats, like a smallpox virus or bird flu, can be contagious. Others, such as an anthrax or sarin exposure, are not contagious. However, they all require medical attention.

In the event of a biological attack, public health officials might not immediately provide information on what to do. They have to determine the agent causing the problem, what the illness is, how it should be treated and who is in danger.

Expect media outlets to announce official news about who might be in danger, the signs of exposure, what medications or vaccinations are available, who should get them and where.

People with symptoms matching those described in announcements should seek immediate medical attention. But don’t rush to the hospital. Follow instructions of doctors and other public health officials. Quarantine might be necessary for contagious diseases.

Nuclear threats

Contamination by radioactive materials is highly unlikely, but it happens in small doses almost every day. Health care workers might be exposed to medications and vaccinations that are radioactive and take precautions.

“(It is) not often we go out for incidents. They are fairly rare,” said Ron Berg, a member of the statewide nuclear response team who is also the environmental health and lab manager for the La Crosse County Health Department. Berg, a resident of Onalaska, gave examples of how radioactive exposure could occur.

A number of years ago, reinforcing rods for concrete made from steel imported from Mexico contained radioactive materials. Some of those rods ended up being built into table legs for restaurant tables. One of the semi-trailers carrying the steel traveled close enough to a nuclear lab and set off detectors. Tracking systems turned cameras onto the truck and tracked it back to the business in Mexico. Local officials became concerned when they were notified some of the table legs ended up in a La Crosse restaurant. None had, but the local response team had to investigate the incident.

Another example of how radioactive materials comes under scrutiny by Berg’s team had to do with a rock collection. Someone who had a rock collection passed away. According to Berg, some of the rocks had a low level of radioactivity.

Many devices in our homes can be radioactive. For example, smoke alarms also have low levels of radioactivity.

“I’m fairly comfortable with radioactivity,” Berg said. “Propane and ammonia tankers create much greater risk for exposures.”

Berg went on to describe a picture of a large mushroom cloud over a town in Illinois. It was due to an overturned tanker carrying natural gas, not a nuclear bomb.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency reports three factors for protecting oneself from radiation and fallout are distance, shielding and time. According to FEMA:

n Distance: the more distance between you and the fallout particles, the better. An underground area such as a home or office building basement offers more protection than the first floor of a building. A floor near the middle of a high-rise may be better than top floors because roofs, especially flat ones, collect fallout particles. The floor adjacent to a flat roof is not safe either.

n Shielding: the heavier and denser the materials — thick walls, concrete, bricks, books and earth — between you and the fallout particles, the better.

n Time: fallout radiation loses its intensity fairly rapidly. In time, you will be able to leave the shelter. Radioactive fallout poses the greatest threat to people during the first two weeks, by which time it has declined to 1 percent of its initial radiation level.

Avoiding contaminated areas, if possible, and paying close attention to the media during times of environmental crises are the first steps to staying safe. Watch television, listen to the radio or check the Internet for news and information, including signs and symptoms of infections, if vaccinations are being distributed and where to go for medical treatment if you are sick.
source:www.holmencourier.com