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Some General measures to take when exposed to chemical attack
Some General measures to take when exposed to
chemical attack
Biological and Chemical weapons may be the most devastating and uncontrollable
weapons ever rendered by man. Biological weapons are any man made weapon caused to
disperse viruses, bacteria, or toxins derived from living organisms to cause death or
disease within humans. Bio-chemical attacks are not unsurvivable, with proper knowledge
and readiness one can overcome its effects and damage scale!
Anthrax
Know the facts
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Organism accountable (Type): Bacillus anthracis (Bacteria)
Method of Infection: Inhalation, Intestinal, Cutaneous (through the skin)
Incubation Period
o Inhalation: 1-60 days
o Intestinal: 3-7 days
o Cutaneous: 1-2 days
Lethality
o Inhalation: 90-100% untreated, 30-50% treated (this percentage rises the
longer it takes to receive antibiotics.)
o Intestinal: 50% untreated, 10-15% treated
o Cutaneous: 20% untreated.
Treatment and Vaccine: Antibiotics such as Ciproflaxacin and Doxycyline are
available through the centers for disease control, the sooner one receives
treatments the higher the chance that they will survive.
Know the symptoms:
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Inhalation: Initial Flu like symptoms such as; fever, headaches, abdominal pain,
chest pain, vomiting, and coughing, but with no nasal congestion. Eventually it will
lead up to severe respiratory problems, where the victims will die of asphyxiation
from the lungs filling up with blood and fluids.
Intestinal: Begins with abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fever,
sore throat and a painful ulcer at the base of the tongue.
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Cutaneous: At first red itchy bumps begin to form all over the body, then they
collapse into painful ulcers which later scab over.
If an attack occurs, react.
1. Cover your nose and mouth with fabric, wet fabric if possible, this will filter out a
portion of the deadly spores.
2. Leave area of attack immediately.
3. Take shallow breaths or if possible, hold your breath until you leave the area of
attack.
4. Limit your movement from a contaminated area to a secure area. Constant
movement will spread the deadly spores. Once you reach a safe area remove your
exposed clothing and place them in sealed plastic bags.
5. Take a cold (hot or warm water may open pores) shower as soon as possible with
copious amounts of soap. Wash your eyes with a saline solution or just warm water.
6. Await antibiotic treatment. The key to survival is early antibiotic treatment.
Glanders
Know the facts
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Organism Responsible (Type): Burkholderia mallei (Bacteria)
Method of Infection: Inhalation, Cutaneous/Mucous membranes
Incubation Period
o Inhalation: 10-15 days
o Cutaneous/Mucous membrane: 1-5 days
Lethality: Nearly 100% within 1 month, without any treatment. Rapid medical
attention would likely decrease the chances, however little or no medical data is
available.
Treatment and Vaccine: No vaccine available. Antibiotics like, combined Amoxicillin
and Clavulanate, Bactrim, Ceftazidime, or Tetracyline must be consumed for 50-150
days to effectively purge the toxin.
Know the symptoms:
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Inhalation: Begins with fevers, chills, sweating, headaches, body aches, chest pain
and congestion. Later the neck glands begin to swell and pneumonia will develop.
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Painful open sores start to develop along the internal organs and mucous
membranes. Dark pus-filled rashes may also form.
Cutaneous/Mucous membranes: Painful ulcers along the point of entry, and swollen
lymph nodes start to form. Increased mucous production from the nose and mouth.
If an attack occurs, react.
1. Cover your nose and mouth with fabric, wet fabric if possible, this will filter out a
portion of the deadly spores.
2. Leave area of attack immediately.
3. Take shallow breaths or if possible, hold your breath until you leave the area of
attack.
4. Wash skin with soap and water.
5. Run your eyes through warm running water for 10-15 minutes.
6. Await medical treatment from response teams. If you begin developing a fever, seek
medical attention immediately.
Ricin
Know the facts
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Organism Responsible (Type): Ricinus communis (Plant derived toxin)
Method of Infection: Inhalation, Intestinal, Injection
Incubation Period
o Inhalation/Intestinal/Injection: 2-8 hours
Lethality: With a standard high dose, lethality becomes a devastating 97%. Most
victims will die within 24-72 hours after the initial symptoms.
Treatment and Vaccine: No treatment available except activated charcoal for
ingested Ricin. Vaccine is experimental at the moment.
Know the symptoms:
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Inhalation: Sudden onset of fever, cough, chest pain, and nausea. Then one begins
to feel joint pain and a shortness of breath. Respiratory problems begin to get more
severe as time passes.
Ingestion/Injection: Abdominal pain, nausea, bloody diarrhea, and vomiting.
If an attack occurs, react.
1. Cover your nose and mouth with fabric, wet fabric if possible, this will filter out a
portion of the deadly spores.
2. Leave area of attack immediately.
3. Take shallow breaths or, if possible, hold your breath until you leave the area of
attack.
4. Wash your body, clothes and contaminated surfaces with soap and water, or a mild
bleach solution if you have become directly exposed.
5. Await instructions from medical response teams.
GAS ATTACK
Gas attacks have been around since the 5th century BC, when they were used as chemical
warfare. While you should hope that you never have to experience this, knowing how to
recognize and respond to such a threat could save your life.
Chlorine Gas
1. Be aware of any yellow-green gas floating around with the strong smell of
bleach. Some soldiers in WWI described it as pepper and pineapple. If you are
exposed to chlorine gas, you may have trouble breathing or seeing and will feel a
burning sensation.
2. Move quickly into an area with clean air in order to minimize exposure to the gas.
o If indoors, exit the building as quickly as possible.
o If outdoors, move to the highest ground. Since chlorine gas is more
dense than air, it will sink to the ground.
3. Grab a cotton pad or any fabric and soak it in urine. Hold it up to your nose as a
mask. The Canadian military survived the first large-scale chlorine gas attack in
WWI by using urine instead of water, under the presumption that the urine
crystallizes the gas
4. Remove all clothing that may have been exposed to the gas, being sure not to let the
clothes touch your face or head. Cut the clothes off so that they don't need to make
additional contact with your skin as they're peeled off. Seal the clothes in plastic
bags.
5. Clean your body thoroughly with a lot of soap and water. Rinse your eyes with water
if your vision is blurred or your eyes burn; if you wear contact lenses, throw them
away. However, water mixed with Chlorine gas can turn into Hydrochloric acid, so
be careful.
6. Call emergency services and wait for help to arrive.
Mustard Gas
1. Be aware of a usually colorless gas that smells like mustard, garlic, or onions--but
note it doesn't always have an odor. If you are exposed to mustard gas, you may
notice the following symptoms but they may not appear until 2 to 24 hours after
exposure:
o redness and itching of skin, eventually changes to yellow blistering
o irritation of eyes; if exposure is severe, there may be light sensitivity,
severe pain, or temporary blindness
o irritation of respiratory tract (runny nose, sneezing, hoarseness,
bloody nose, sinus pain, shortness of breath, and cough)
2. Move from the area from where it was released onto higher ground, as mustard gas
is heaver than air.
3. Remove all clothing that may have been exposed to the gas, being sure not to let the
clothes touch your face or head. Cut the clothes off so that they don't need to make
additional contact with your skin as they're peeled off. Seal the clothes in plastic
bags.
4. Rinse any exposed parts of your body with plain water. Eyes should be flushed for
10-15 minutes. Don't cover them with bandages; however, sunglasses or goggles
are fine.
5. Call emergency services and wait for help to arrive.
__________________
... ‫ الحمد هلل‬...
"O you who believe! Whoever from among you turns back from his religion,
Allah will bring a people whom He will love and they will love Him; humble
towards the believers, stern towards the disbelievers, fighting in the Way of
Allah, and never afraid of the blame of the blamers. That is the Grace of Allah
which He bestows on whom He wills. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His
creatures' needs, All-Knowing."
Surah 5 Al-Ma'ida, ayah 54