Ronald R. Blanck, D.O.Ronald R. Blanck, D.O.LTG, USA (Retired)LTG, USA (Retired)

PresidentPresidentUniversity of North Texas Health Science University of North Texas Health Science

CenterCenter

Weapons of Mass Weapons of Mass Destruction Destruction

&& Bioterrorism Bioterrorism

WMD & BIOTERRORISMWMD & BIOTERRORISM

DUCT TAPEDUCT TAPE

STOCKPILINGSTOCKPILINGANTIBIOTICSANTIBIOTICS

GAS MASKSGAS MASKS

MAJOR BEHAVIOR CHANGEMAJOR BEHAVIOR CHANGE

“…any weapon or device that is intended, or has the capability, to cause death or serious bodily injury…through the release of…poisonous chemicals…disease…or radiation….”

“…any explosive, incendiary, or poison gas, bomb, grenade, rocket having propellant charge more than four ounces, missile having an explosive charge of more than one quarter ounce, mine or device similar to the above…poison gas…disease organism…radiation.”

WMD WMD ::

Significant casualties from terrorist use of:

Chemical Device ● ● Tabun (GA)Tabun (GA) ● ● Sarin (GB)Sarin (GB) ● ● Soman (GD)Soman (GD)

Biological Device ● ● Botulism ToxinBotulism Toxin ● ● AnthraxAnthrax ● ● PlaguePlague ● ● RicinRicin Large Conventional

Explosive Device

Nuclear Device

Terrorism Is…Terrorism Is…

“Warfare deliberately waged against civilians with the

purpose of destroying their will to support either

leaders or policies that the agents of such violence find

objectionable.”

Lessons of Lessons of TerrorTerror - Caleb - Caleb CobbCobb

FRIGHTEN 10,000FRIGHTEN 10,000

-- Tom ClancyThe Sum of All Fears

KILL ONEKILL ONE

Presidential Decision Presidential Decision Directive 39Directive 39U.S. Policy on U.S. Policy on

CounterterrorismCounterterrorism

June 21, 1995 June 21, 1995 PRESIDENT

NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCILCoordination of Federal Agencies

FBI

FEMA

FEDERAL

RESPONSE PLAN

INCIDENT

CONTINGENCY PLANS

Crisis Management Consequence Management

HOMELAND DEFENSEGovernor Tom Ridge

DefinitionsDefinitions● Crisis Management

- Measures to anticipate, prevent, and/or resolve a terrorist threat or incident

● Primary Responsibility: Federal Government ● Lead Federal Agency: FBI

● Consequence Management- Measures to alleviate the damage, loss, hardship, or suffering caused by incident

● Primary Responsibility: State/Local Government ● Lead Federal Agency: FEMA, coordinating Federal ● Consequence Management support to the state

ProgramsPrograms

● Domestic Preparedness - Interagency effort directed by Congress - AKA: Nunn-Lugar Domenici City Training

● Consequence Management Program - DoD efforts directed by SECDEF (DRID #25) - Improve DoD support for response to WMD attacks - Integrate National Guard and Reserve components

Purpose of Nunn-Purpose of Nunn-Lugar-DomeniciLugar-Domenici

● To enhance the capability of the Federal Government to prevent and respond to terrorist incidents involving weapons of mass destruction

● To provide enhanced support to improve the capabilities of state and local emergency

response agencies to prevent and respond to such incidents at both the national and local levels

Domestic Emergency Domestic Emergency ContinuumContinuum

Most LikelyMost Likely Least LikelyLeast Likely

GreatestGreatest

LeastLeast

ProbabilityProbability

-- Aircraft Accident

HAZMAT --

MAJOR FLOODIN

G

IED --

STATE & LOCALSTATE & LOCAL FEDERALFEDERAL

HURRICANE

-- IND

WMDWMD

ICD --IBD --

Civil Demo --

Severe T-Storm --

Civil Disturbance --

ImpactImpact

Tiered Disaster/Emergency Tiered Disaster/Emergency ResponseResponse

Local ResponseIncident Commander

Federal Response

State Response

● Full response requires local, state, and federal assets● State response includes National Guard● Military support requires Total Force involvement

Info

rmati

on

* Bottom Line - we are not ready!

Scenario Com

man

d

Com

m.

Equ

ipm

en

t

Logis

tics

Pla

ns

Ove

rall

Radiological Threat

(Plutonium)

Nuclear Explosion Threat

(Uranium)

Biological Agent Threat

(Anthrax)

Chemical Nerve Agent

Threat (GB)

Chemical Nerve Agent

Threat (VX) (Persistent)

Summary: Terrorists place a radiation Dispersal Device which distributes plutonium over a populated area.

Summary: An improvised nuclear device (1.5KT) is exploded at midday in the vicinity of a state capitol building.

Summary: 100 grams of anthrax released into the air distribution system at a major airport.

Summary: 10 Gallons of Sarin is released on a busy morning in trash canisters at 5 Subway stations in a major city.

Summary: M23 Land mines (.8lb) placed in suitcases at major airport and exploded at midday

Capacit

y

Federal WMD Response Federal WMD Response AssessmentAssessment

It’s not IF, It’s WHEN and WHERE?

Biological WarfareBiological Warfare

The intentional use of microorganisms or toxins derived from living organisms to

produce death or disease in humans, animals, or

plants

Biological Warfare Biological Warfare HistoryHistory

● 14th Century: plague at Kaffa

● 18th Century: smallpox blankets

● 1943: USA program established

● 1953: Defensive program established

● 1969: Offensive program disestablished

● 1979: Sverdlovsk Anthrax incident

● SE Asia: Yellow Rain

● London, Virginia: Ricin

BW AgreementsBW Agreements

● 1925 Geneva Protocol

● 1969 Nixon renounces BW

● 1972 Biological Weapons Convention

● 1975 Geneva Conventions Ratified

Biological Weapons Biological Weapons PolicyPolicy

● No use under any circumstance

● Research limited to defensive measures

● We possess NO weaponized biologicals

● Previous weapons stocks destroyed

● Destruction supervised:- USDA- DNR of AR, CO, MD- Dept of HEW

Destroyed U.S. Biological Destroyed U.S. Biological

Warfare AgentsWarfare Agents● Incapacitating

- Brucella suis - Vee virus - SEB - Q fever agent

● Lethal

- B. anthracis

- Botulinum toxins

- F. tularensis

● Anticrop

- wheat stem rust

- rye stem rust

- rice blast

The Sverdlovsk The Sverdlovsk IncidentIncident

● April-May 1979 - 66 Anthrax fatalities

● 1988- Soviets present data:

● 96 cases● 79 gastrointestinal

● May 1992- Yeltsin admits “military developments”

Soviet BW PrioritiesSoviet BW Priorities“Agents Likely to be “Agents Likely to be

Used”Used”● Plaque● Anthrax● Botulism● VEE● Tularemia● Q Fever● Marburg● Influenza● Melioidosis● Trphus

““There were more There were more INSTITUTES working on INSTITUTES working on Plague in the USSR than Plague in the USSR than PERSONNEL working on PERSONNEL working on

Plague in the USA”Plague in the USA”

-- Dr Ken Alibek-- Dr Ken Alibek

Advantages of BW:Advantages of BW:Are Biologicals the Ultimate Are Biologicals the Ultimate

Weapon?Weapon?● Agents easy to procure● Inexpensive to produce● Can disseminate at great distance● Agent clouds invisible● Detection quite difficult● First sign is illness● Overwhelms medical capabilities● Simple threat creates panic● Perpetrators escape before effects● Ideal terrorist weapon

Acquisition of Etiologic Acquisition of Etiologic AgentsAgents

● Multiple Culture Collections

● Universities

● Commercial Supply Houses

● Foreign Laboratories

● Field Samples or Clinical Specimens

Hazardous Biologic Hazardous Biologic MaterialMaterial

● Letters

● Packages

● Cultures

● Person – to – Person

● Airborne Distribution

ResponseResponse● Not Typical First Responders

● BIO First Responders- Health Providers- Public Health

● All Organizations Involved

IssuesIssues

● Rapid Detection

● Public Health

● Hospital Capacity

● Stockpiling

● Vaccine Production

Health Providers’ Health Providers’ ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

● Awareness● Presumptive Diagnosis● Reporting● Epidemiology● Response

-Triage -Prophylaxis -Immunizations -Treatment

● Risk Communications

RECOMMENDATIONSRECOMMENDATIONS1. Be aware

2. Do not over – react

3. Listen to authorities

4. Take common sense precautions

- radio and batteries

- 3 - 5 day supply of food and water

- full tank of gas

- location of shelters

5. Participate in planning

6. Continue usual behavior

19 April 1995, Oklahoma City19 April 1995, Oklahoma City

26 February 1993, New York26 February 1993, New York

20 March 1995, Tokyo20 March 1995, Tokyo

It’s not a question of It’s not a question of if...if...

11 September 2001, New York11 September 2001, New York

It’s not even a question of It’s not even a question of when…when…It’s a question of when It’s a question of when next…next…