Annual Review :
Prepare Your Family and Home For a
Bioterrorist Attack
Nursing Center for Bioterrorism and Infectious
Disease Preparedness
College of Nursing
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
This module is funded in part by USDHHS, HRSA Grant No.
TO1HP01407.
How Can You Help Stop Terrorists?
LOOK AND LISTEN.
Here are some things to watch for:

Bags left unattended
in public places
 People checking
areas or buildings

People trying to
enter secure areas
 People at events
wearing too much
clothing
IF YOU SEE ANY SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY, CALL
1-866-4-SAFE-NJ
The Homeland Security Advisory
System
Provides warnings of
risk of terrorist
activity through a set
of five color-coded
“threat conditions”.
Below are steps you
need to take to
protect your family
and home at each
threat level.
The Homeland Security Advisory
System - “Threat Conditions”

SEVERE RISK
Obey directions by authorities and prepare to evacuate, if instructed. Be alert for
emergency messages

HIGH RISK
Review communication plan with family and monitor the news for further directions

ELEVATED
Develop other travel routes between home, work and school. Prepare to assist
elderly and those with special needs

GUARDED
Be alert for and report suspicious activity. Review your disaster supply kit and
replace outdated items.

LOW
Develop a family emergency communications plan and stock a disaster supplies
kit.
Create A Family Emergency
Communications Plan

Local phone lines may not be working, so choose an out-oftown person your family can call to check on each other – be
sure everyone knows the contact number(s) to call – for kids
how to call collect

Set a meeting place away from home if your home is in
disaster area or if the area is being evacuated

Know your children’s school emergency plan and coordinate
with it. Make sure school has your emergency contact
information.
Post a copy of this information next to your telephone, in your
kitchen or some other obvious place in your home.
Collect Contents For A Disaster
Supplies Kit
3 day water supply – 1 gallon per person per day
 3 day food supply per person that won’t spoil. Examples canned meats, protein or fruit bars, dry cereal or granola, dried
fruit, nuts. crackers, canned juice, non-perishable pasteurized
milk
 Food and water for pets
 Hand can opener, knives, forks, spoons
 Prescriptions, first aid kit include: 2 pair latex or other sterile
gloves if allergic to latex, sterile dressings to stop bleeding,
antibiotic ointment, burn ointment, eye wash solution,
thermometer, prescription medication, non-prescription
medication such as aspirin, non-aspirin pain reliever, anti-diarrhea
medication, antacid, and a laxative, prescribed medical supplies
such as glucose monitor, blood pressure kit and a first aid manual
KEEP DISASTER KIT IN LARGE PLASTIC BARREL WITH COVER

Collect Contents For A Disaster
Supplies Kit

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Paper towels, diapers, toilet paper, garbage bags
Personal care: soap, shampoo, toothpaste, disinfectant (bleach)
One blanket, clothing change, footwear per person
Extra pairs of glasses and/or contact lenses
Extra set of keys, a credit card, cash or traveler’s checks
Flashlight and extra batteries
Battery-powered radio and extra batteries
Matches in a waterproof container
Important papers like birth certificates in waterproof wrap,
insurance policies, identification, bank accounts
KEEP DISASTER KIT IN LARGE PLASTIC BARREL WITH COVER
Collect Contents For A Disaster
Supplies Kit
Other necessary supplies: Whistle- to call for help, dust mask or
cotton tee-shirt to filter the air, moist towelettes, wrench or pliers
to turn off utilities, garbage bags for personal sanitation, bleach
as a disinfectant (dilute nine parts water to one part bleach)
 In an emergency use bleach to purify water Use 16 drops of
regular household bleach per gallon of water. DO NOT USE
SCENTED,COLOR SAFE OR BLEACHERS WITH ADDED
CLEANERS.
Special family needs:
Babies : Formula,- Diapers, Bottles, Powdered milk,
medications, moist towelletes, Diaper rash ointment.
 Adults and Seniors: Denture needs, -Extra batteries for hearing
aid, a list of the style and serial numbers of medical devices such
as pacemakers, a l ist of doctors and emergency contacts.
Collect Contents For A Disaster
Supplies Kit
People with Disabilities : Create a support network and give one
member a key to your home.

Contact your city or county government’s emergency
information management office. (Many local offices keep lists of
people with disabilities so they can be located quickly.)

Wear medical a alert tag or bracelet to identify your
disability.

If dependant on dialysis or other life sustaining treatment,
know where there is more than one facility in your area that can
provide treatment.

Teach the other members how to operate your wheelchair
and know the size and weight of your wheelchair collapsible or
not.
Biological, Chemical Or Nuclear
Attacks
In case of an attack :

Listen to the radio or TV for instructions on
how you should respond

You may be told to leave the area, to seek
shelter in a specific location or to take
shelter where you are and seal the
premises
Decontamination
If you are exposed to contamination seek professional help if it is
available. If help is not available, decontaminate yourself by following
these rules:
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Remove all clothing and items in contact with the body.
Cut clothing off – do not pull clothing over head.
Place removed clothing in a plastic bag and seal tightly.
Remove eyeglasses. Place in a solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts
water for 5 minutes. Rinse with clear water. Dispose of contact lenses.
Flush eyes with lots of water.
Gently wash face and hair with soap and rinse thoroughly.
Gently wash other parts of body that have been exposed in
soapy water. Do not scrub or scrape harshly. Rinse with
clear water.
Change into clean clothes that have been in a drawer/closet
and not been exposed to contamination.
Biological and Chemical Attacks

Biological weapons, like anthrax or smallpox, can cause illness or death.
If you become aware of an unusual or suspicious substances nearby:
 Quickly move away
 Protect yourself cover mouth and nose with layers if fabric that can
filter the air but still allow breathing.
 If your symptoms match those described and you are in the group
considered at risk immediately seek emergency medical attention. If you
become aware of an unusual or suspicious substances nearby:
Chemical agents are poisonous and have deadly effects on people.
 Possible signs of Chemical Attack:
 Many people suffering from watery eyes, twitching ,choking, having
trouble breathing or losing coordination

Many sick or dead birds, fish or small animals are also cause for
suspicion
Biological and Chemical Attacks
In case of an attack you should:

If caught outside, get indoors as quickly as possible.
Try to get up wind of the polluted area so that the wind
is blowing the pollution away from you.

If told to stay indoors where you are, go to an internal
room without windows if possible. Shut off ventilation
including furnace, air conditioners and fans. Remain in
room and listen to the radio
or TV for further instructions.
Radioactive And Nuclear Terrorism

An attack on a nuclear power plant or the use of a small nuclear weapon
is possible.
 Terrorists may set off a “dirty bomb” that contains radioactive material.
 All of these produce dangerous contaminated fallout.
Three principles to protect yourself:
1.
Shielding – put heavy dense material between you and the fallout, for
example, thick walls, bricks, earth. A basement is better protection that
an upper floor area.
2.
Distance – get as far away from the blast as quickly as possible.
3.
Time – radiation fallout is the greatest threat the first two weeks after the
attack. After that, the threat is greatly reduced.
Radioactive And Nuclear Terrorism
Additional Information:
 close windows and doors, turn off air conditioners, heaters or other
ventilation systems.
 If there is a significant radiation threat, health care authorities may or
may not advise you to take potassium iodide. Potassium iodide is the
ingredient added to table salt to make it iodized. It may or may not
protect your thyroid gland, which is vulnerable, from radioactive iodine
exposure. Plan to speak with your health care provider in advance about
what makes sense to your family.
Radiation Threat or “ Dirty Bomb”
 If you have been exposed to radiation, take off your clothes and wash as
soon as possible.
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READY.GOVINFO.