Found a good "Biological Terrorism" link? Let Us Know!

For more detailed information on individual disease characteristics, visit our Pestilence & Plague page.

A safe room is an ultra-secure location within a residence. The concept of a safe room is simple…prepare a room within the interior of the home where the family can safely retreat during a home invasion or other terrorist threat and summon help.

Treatment of Biological Warfare Agent Casualties PDF File courtesy of Survival Primer website. Thanks, Paul! The daddy of all BioWarfare manuals. 

Diseases | Emergency Preparedness & Response CDC Information site.

Invasive Threats to the American Homeland by ROBERT J. PRATT; From Parameters, Spring 2004, pp. 44-61.: Before 11 September 2001, when American leaders prepared for war they envisioned enemies using bombs, tanks, guns, military force, and other traditional armaments. The attacks on that fateful day forever changed the way the United States and the world would view the nature of war. Using four hijacked commercial jetliners, terrorists attacked the United States, killing some 3,000 men and women. This surprise attack was not a symmetric attack, but an asymmetric one. Furthermore, a non-state entity conducted this attack at a relatively low cost of under $500,000.1 However, that may have been just the beginning. The success of the attack, and the devastation inflicted on the nation at a relatively low cost, will doubtless inspire our adversaries to continue to employ asymmetric methods to threaten and weaken the United States. Among those methods may be the introduction of an invasive species, a disease pathogen, or some other biological threat.

Bioterrorism : Secrets for Survival By Duncan Long (co-authored by S. Spencer Jones) Today American citizens are in grave danger. The danger comes from hi-tech terrorists who may soon claim the lives of not hundreds or even thousands but millions of innocent men, women and children in the US and elsewhere around the world.

Bioterrorism : Secrets for Surviving the Coming Terrorist Germ Warfare Attacks on U.S. Cities By Duncan Long (co-authored by S. Spencer Jones) A Frightening Interview With Former CIA Microbiologist Larry Harris - "In the very near future we can almost certainly expect biological weapons to be used by various terrorist organizations. This makes it imperative that the citizens of North America obtain the necessary knowledge and skills to protect themselves against this emerging threat."

Ataxia: The Chemical and Biological Terrorism Threat and the US Response. Stimson Center Report No. 35. A comprehensive study that examines the many facets of the unconventional terrorism issue in the United States.

Personal Protection and Chemical or Biological Terrorism

Keeping UAVs Out Of Terrorists' Hands: Success for a Ploughshares Fund grantee working to tighten controls over access to pilotless aircraft capable of delivering nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. After 9/11 it became clear that the easy availability of unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) and cruise missiles represents one of the greatest risks of terrorist attack on the U.S. homeland. UAVs can fly low to the ground and evade detection by radar; they can be armed with nuclear, biological or chemical weapons; they are relatively inexpensive to purchase; and kits available on the market can readily convert small private aircraft into pilotless, remote-controlled vehicles.

NBC Survival tips: the use of activated charcoal - A brief explanation about the use of activated charcoal filters.

Combat survival tips: devastating warfare - Keep an eye on chemical and biological warfare.

Making an "At Home" Shelter: There are many things a person can do at home, in the event of a nuclear or Biological attack on the United States. One of the best things is to just stay at home, for at least a month.

Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 [PDF]

The Dark Winter exercise portrayed a FICTIONAL scenario depicting a covert smallpox attack on US citizens. The scenario is set in three successive National Security Council (NSC) meetings (Segments 1,2 and 3) which take place over a period of 14 days. Former senior government officials played the roles of NSC members responding to the evolving epidemic; representatives from the media were among the observers of these mock NSC meetings and played journalists during the scenario's press conferences (see Participant List). The exercise itself was held at Andrews Air Force Base, Washington, D.C. on June 22-23, 2001. The Dark Winter exercise was the collaborative effort of four organizations. John Hamre of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) initiated and conceived of an exercise wherein senior former officials would respond to a bioterrorist induced national security crisis. Tara O'Toole and Tom Inglesby of the Johns Hopkins Center for Civilian Biodefense Studies and Randy Larsen and Mark DeMier of Analytic Services Inc. (ANSER) were the principal designers, authors and controllers of Dark Winter. Sue Reingold of CSIS managed administrative and logistical arrangements. General Dennis Reimer of the Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism (MIPT) provided funding for Dark Winter.

Chemical-Biological Terrorism and Its Impact on Children: A Subject Review. Committee on Environmental Health and Committee on Infectious Diseases PEDIATRICS Vol. 105 No. 3 March 2000, pp. 662-670. This statement reviews key aspects of chemical-biological agents, the consequences of their use, the potential impact of a chemical-biological attack on children, and issues to consider in disaster planning and management for pediatric patients.

Chem/Bio Terrorism Provides information and resources regarding the weapons associated with WMD terrorism, and the measures the US government is taking to prepare and defend against it

Gas Mask recommendations On October 4, 2001 Joel was interviewed the Coast to Coast AM radio show. He was asked about preparing for Biological Terrorist Attacks. Here he summarizes his responses.

Buying A Gas Mask, and Other Considerations Several years ago, the U.S. government published a list of the top 120 cities most at risk for terrorism. While this Domestic Preparedness web site is still active, it is now closed off to the public, accessible only by password. This list might help you decide how much preparedness you feel is necessary. Excellent article (as usual) from Noah's Ark website.

Words of Wisdom About Gas, Germs, and Nukes By SFC Red Thomas, Armor Master Gunner - U.S. Army (Ret) 10.19.01. Since the media have decided to scare everyone with predictions of chemical, biological, or nuclear warfare on our turf I decided to write a paper and keep things in their proper perspective. I am a retired military weapons, munitions, and training expert.

Interim Recommendations for Selection/Use of Protective Clothing - CDC.gov The approach to any potentially hazardous atmosphere, including biological hazards, must be made with a plan that includes an assessment of hazard and exposure potential, respiratory protection needs, entry conditions, exit routes, and decontamination strategies. Any plan involving a biological hazard should be based on relevant infectious disease or biological safety recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other expert bodies including emergency first responders, law enforcement, and public health officials. The need for decontamination and for treatment of all first responders with antibiotics or other medications should be decided in consultation with local public health authorities.

How Gas Masks Work Any time there is a threat of biological or chemical attack, the first thing you hear about is gas masks. In this edition of HowStuffWorks, we will look at the technology behind gas masks so you can understand how they work, and when they won't. (Watch out for POP UPS)

Health Service Support in an NBC Environment The purpose of this manual is to provide doctrine and tactics, techniques, and procedures for medical units and personnel operating in a nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) environment. This manual is intended for all echelons of health service support (HSS). It discusses the operational aspects of the following HSS activities: Medical treatment, medical evacuation, health service logistics, combat stress control, and preventive medicine, veterinary, dental, and medical laboratory services. FM 8-10-7. HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY. Washington, DC, 22 April 1993

Video: "The History of Bioterrorism" Describes the role of Category A agents—such as plague —as weapons of bioterrorism

Bio-Terror Survival Pretty good article centering on anthrax and small pox. Cheesy site, too much advertising, but no pop-ups.

United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID):

U.S. Department of State Fact Sheets on Chemical-Biological Warfare

Nunn-Lugar-Domenici Domestic Preparedness & WMD Civil Support Teams The Nunn-Lugar-Domenici Domestic Preparedness Program began in FY97 to train first responders -- fire, police, and emergency medical technicians -- in 120 of the largest cities in the country. Recently, the 120 cities that were designated recipients of Nunn-Lugar-Domenici Domestic Preparedness Program have been expanded and amended to a mixture of 157 cities and counties to replace the original 120 cities.

USFA - HAZMAT Guide for First Responders, 1999 The resources on this page will assist First Responders in safely responding to a hazardous materials incident. Resources are also provided for personnel who will assume the Incident Commander role in hazardous materials emergencies above the initial response.

Dr. Kanatjan Alibekov (Ken Alibek) "Plague War" on PBS's Frontline, aired October 13, 1998

The Wonderful World of Diseases website is about more than just diseases: it covers many other "human conditions" that plague and intrigue us.

Identifying Chemical and Biological Agents Learn the characteristics of these substances and their effects. Chemical/biological agents are defined as toxic substances, pathogens or toxins that are used to kill or incapacitate people, animals or plants, or to damage equipment. The use of these agents dates as far back as 429 B.C. when the Spartans ignited pitch and sulphur creating toxic vapors in the Peloponnesian War. This article discusses the types of chemical and biological agents and their effects. See also: Chemical Agents Chart (.pdf) requires Adobe Acrobat.

#227- Tutorial: Chemical and Biological Agents Chemical and biological (CB) agents pose a threat to U.S. and allied military forces. Unfortunately, what strictly used to be a military risk has now become a concern to the civilian population—brought about by terrorist groups and other factions with developed CB capabilities. As a result, national, state and local authorities have initiated domestic preparedness against CB terrorism. Although the probability of a terrorist CB attack is low, it’s important to have an understanding of the potentially devastating and far-reaching effects of these agents.

Positive test for terror toxins in Iraq SARGAT, Iraq, April 4 — MSNBC.com tests reveal evidence of the deadly toxins ricin and botulinum at a laboratory in a remote mountain region of northern Iraq allegedly used as a terrorist training camp by Islamic militants with ties to the al-Qaida terrorist network. The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency is conducting its own tests at the same area, but has not yet released the results, according to officials in northern Iraq.

Is nation ready for botulinum attack? Experts fear trouble ahead (CNN.com) WASHINGTON (AP) -- Easy to find and easy to produce, botulinum toxin is the most poisonous natural substance on Earth. In the hands of a bioterrorist, a single gram -- the weight of a paper clip -- could kill more than 1 million people.

Botulinum Toxin as a Biological Weapon: Medical & Public Health Management An aerosolized or foodborne botulinum toxin weapon would cause acute symmetric, descending flaccid paralysis with prominent bulbar palsies such as diplopia, dysarthria, dysphonia, and dysphagia that would typically present 12 to 72 hours after exposure. Effective response to a deliberate release of botulinum toxin will depend on timely clinical diagnosis, case reporting, and epidemiological investigation. Persons potentially exposed to botulinum toxin should be closely observed, and those with signs of botulism require prompt treatment with antitoxin and supportive care that may include assisted ventilation for weeks or months. Treatment with antitoxin should not be delayed for microbiological testing.

Consensus Statement: Plague as a Biological Weapon: Medical & Public Health Management JAMA 2000;283(17):2281-2290.

Recognition of Illness Associated with the Intentional Release of a Biologic Agent MMWR 2001 Oct 19;50(41):893-897.

Smallpox as a Biological Weapon: Medical & Public Health Management
[JAMA 281(22),1999]

Smallpox: An Attack Scenario by Tara O'Toole Emerging Infectious Diseases. Jul-Aug 1999; (5)4 Scenario conducted at the First National Symposium on the Medical and Public Health Response to Bioterrorism, convened by the Center for Civilian Biodefense Studies in Crystal City, Virginia on February 16-17, 1999.

Smallpox as a Biological Weapon: Medical & Public Health Management by Donald A. Henderson, Thomas V. Inglesby, John G. Bartlett, Michael S. Ascher, Edward Eitzen, Peter B. Jahrling, Jerome Hauer, Marcelle Layton, Joseph McDade, Michael T. Osterholm, Tara O'Toole, Gerald Parker, Trish M. Perl, Philip K. Russell, Kevin Tonat for the Working Group on Civilian Biodefense JAMA. June 9, 1999; 281(22) Consensus recommendations from the Working Group on Civilian Biodefense outline protocols for dealing with a deliberate release of smallpox.

Tularemia as a Biological Weapon: Medical & Public Health Management [JAMA 285(21),2001]

Francisella tularensisis considered a potential bioterrorism agent. An aerosol release would be the most likely method and would result in a large number of pneumonia cases several weeks after exposure.

Why is there concern about tularemia as a bioweapon? Tularemia, in aerosol form, is considered a possible bioterrorist agent. Persons who inhale an infectious aerosol would likely experience severe respiratory illness. Any suspected cases of tularemia inhalation should be immediately reported to local and state health departments.

Vaccines in Civilian Defense Against Bioterrorism Philip K. Russell, Journal of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Vol. 5, No. 4, July - August 1999

Desk Reference on Vaccines & Immunity (Emphasizing Military Vaccination Programs), Office of the Secretary of Defense, U.S. Dept. of Defense, November 12, 1999

Anthrax Vaccine: Safety and Efficacy Issues, GAO Testimony GAO/T-NSIAD-00-48, October 12, 1999

Chemical and Biological Defense: DOD's Evaluation of Improved Garment Materials (GAO/NSIAD-98-214) August 18, 1998

Gas Mask recommendations On October 4, 2001 Joel was interviewed the Coast to Coast AM radio show. He was asked about preparing for Biological Terrorist Attacks. Here he summarizes his responses.

Buying A Gas Mask, and Other Considerations Several years ago, the U.S. government published a list of the top 120 cities most at risk for terrorism. While this Domestic Preparedness web site is still active, it is now closed off to the public, accessible only by password. This list might help you decide how much preparedness you feel is necessary. Excellent article (as usual) from Noah's Ark website.

Interim Recommendations for Selection/Use of Protective Clothing - CDC.gov The approach to any potentially hazardous atmosphere, including biological hazards, must be made with a plan that includes an assessment of hazard and exposure potential, respiratory protection needs, entry conditions, exit routes, and decontamination strategies. Any plan involving a biological hazard should be based on relevant infectious disease or biological safety recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other expert bodies including emergency first responders, law enforcement, and public health officials. The need for decontamination and for treatment of all first responders with antibiotics or other medications should be decided in consultation with local public health authorities.

How Gas Masks Work Any time there is a threat of biological or chemical attack, the first thing you hear about is gas masks. In this edition of HowStuffWorks, we will look at the technology behind gas masks so you can understand how they work, and when they won't. (Watch out for POP UPS)

Anthrax Exposure with Personal Protective Equipment On October 31, 2001 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its October 24th official health advisory for mail handlers. This revision, entitled “CDC Interim Recommendations for Protecting Workers from Exposure to Bacillus anthracis in Work Sites Where Mail Is Handled or Processed,” along with the CDC’s “Interim Recommendations for Firefighters and Other First Responders for the Selection and Use of Protective Clothing and Respirators Against Biological Agents,” released on October 25, 2001, represents the most recent information available on appropriate PPE for Anthrax. This article summarizes these two recent CDC advisories and contains other PPE related information and links on Anthrax that Lab Safety Supply’s Technical Services Department has discovered.

Interim Recommendations for the Selection and Use of Protective Clothing and Respirators Against Biological Agents The approach to any potentially hazardous atmosphere, including biological hazards, must be made with a plan that includes an assessment of hazard and exposure potential, respiratory protection needs, entry conditions, exit routes, and decontamination strategies. Any plan involving a biological hazard should be based on relevant infectious disease or biological safety recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other expert bodies including emergency first responders, law enforcement, and public health officials. The need for decontamination and for treatment of all first responders with antibiotics or other medications should be decided in consultation with local public health authorities. This INTERIM STATEMENT is based on current understanding of the potential threats and existing recommendations issued for biological aerosols.

Potential Biological Weapons Threats Mark G. Kortepeter and Gerald W. Parker. U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Maryland, USA. The list of agents that could pose the greatest public health risk in the event of a bioterrorist attack is short. However, although short, the list includes agents that, if acquired and properly disseminated, could cause a difficult public health challenge in terms of our ability to limit the numbers of casualties and control the damage to our cities and nation.

WMD Capabilities Overview If the United States starts military actions against either Afghanistan or Iraq, its forces will be operating in a region of the world where many countries have weapons of mass destruction (WMD), or are seeking to develop them. This section provides an overview of the WMD capabilities of key countries in these regions. For details on Iraqi WMD capabilities and the capabilities of other Middle Eastern states please see the Weapons of Mass Destruction in the Middle East section.

Emerging Infectious Diseases, Special Issue on Bioterrorism Vol. 5, No. 4 (July-Aug. 1999)

Agro Terrorism - Chronology of Attacks & Incidents This list includes allegations and threats, along with confirmed incidents of deliberate use of chemical/biological weapons to destroy pre-harvest crops or livestock, in order to cause economic damage. See also: State Programs The chart includes states that have developed or are suspected of developing biological agents with anti-livestock or anti-crop properties and Resources Links to Agro-terror related resources.

Epidemiology of Bioterrorism Julie A. Pavlin, Journal of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Vol. 5, No. 4 (July-Aug. 1999)

Treatment of Biological Warfare Agent Casualties The daddy of all BioWarfare manuals from the Virtual Naval Hospital.

Keeping the Lid on Germ Warfare Jane's Defense Weekly, May 1, 1998

Large-Scale Quarantine Following Biological Terrorism in the United States: Scientific Examination, Logistic and Legal Limits, and Possible Consequences by Joseph Barbera, Anthony Macintyre, Larry Gostin, Thomas V. Inglesby, Tara O'Toole, Craig DeAtley, Kevin Tonat, Marci Layton JAMA. Dec 5, 2001; 286(21) Argues that large-scale quarantine should not be considered a primary public health strategy and examines the logistical and legal challenges posed by such measures.

LANX Fabric Systems is currently accepting orders from military organizations, law enforcement, EMS, hospital caregivers, fire departments and any federal, state, or local governments, emergency agencies or first responders. In addition, we accept orders from certain businesses, news agencies and public utilities personnel tasked with maintaining critical infrastructure facilities and services. SSRsi is not affiliated with this company and receives no remuneration in any form for listing this link, nor do we provide any endorsement for their product(s). Link is provided as a public service only. Please REPORT positive or negative experiences with this company and we will share them with our viewers here.

Here at Approved Gas Masks (AGM), we offer only the best, next generation protection at wholesale prices direct to your door. Since our establishment in 1989, we've grown to become a large manufacturing & distribution company with more than a quarter-million satisfied customers. We specialize in sales of APPROVED and effective gas masks & protective gear. SSRsi is not affiliated with this company and receives no remuneration in any form for listing this link, nor do we provide any endorsement for their product(s). Link is provided as a public service only. Please REPORT positive or negative experiences with this company and we will share them with our viewers here.

US Military Chemical Suits, Children's And Adult Sizes. Frank Bee's "School Uniforms" site. U.S. Military Chemical Suits, Childrens and Adult sizes. These are new US Military Chemical Suits. Sizes XXXS-19" Waist, XXS-23" Waist, XS-27" Waist, S-31" Waist, M-35" Waist, L-39" Waist, XL-43" Waist, XXL-46" Waist. These are New In Bags. Chem Suit InfoNBC Chemical protective Suit SSRsi is not affiliated with this company and receives no remuneration in any form for listing this link, nor do we provide any endorsement for their product(s). Link is provided as a public service only. Please REPORT positive or negative experiences with this company and we will share them with our viewers here.

Gas Masks & NBC Protective Equipment From "Survive America" website. Huge list of masks and equipment for babies to adults. SSRsi is not affiliated with this company and receives no remuneration in any form for listing this link, nor do we provide any endorsement for their product(s). Link is provided as a public service only. Please REPORT positive or negative experiences with this company and we will share them with our viewers here.

REMPLOY TEXTILE UNIT - NBC PROTECTIVE CLOTHING Remploy NBC Protection is part of the Remploy Textile Group who have been manufacturing protective clothing since 1945 and NBC protective clothing since the 1960s. The UK MOD has been the major customer of Remploy together with many defense organizations, both civil and military, throughout the world. SSRsi is not affiliated with this company and receives no remuneration in any form for listing this link, nor do we provide any endorsement for their product(s). Link is provided as a public service only. Please REPORT positive or negative experiences with this company and we will share them with our viewers here.

NBC (Nuclear, Chemical and Biological) Protective outerwear suits from Safe Central. New NBC suit in original vacuum sealed bag. Our NBC suits are in New unopened condition with no warranties given. SSRsi is not affiliated with this company and receives no remuneration in any form for listing this link, nor do we provide any endorsement for their product(s). Link is provided as a public service only. Please REPORT positive or negative experiences with this company and we will share them with our viewers here.

ProtectiveSuits.com offers First Responder protective gear which includes: Protective Suits, Gas Masks, and a variety of equipment used for protection against Chemical, Biological, and Nuclear threats. US government agencies, Police and Fire First responders, companies, and individuals rely on protectivesuits.com to provide the leading products to protect against potential chemical warfare agents, biological warfare, and terrorist threats such as Anthrax, Smallpox, and Nerve Gas. They even have protective suits for your pets!! SSRsi is not affiliated with this company and receives no remuneration in any form for listing this link, nor do we provide any endorsement for their product(s). Link is provided as a public service only. Please REPORT positive or negative experiences with this company and we will share them with our viewers here.

CIVILIAN GAS MASK.com Carries a variety of masks and suits. Seem a little pricey. SSRsi is not affiliated with this company and receives no remuneration in any form for listing this link, nor do we provide any endorsement for their product(s). Link is provided as a public service only. Please REPORT positive or negative experiences with this company and we will share them with our viewers here.

MASK: Russian/German M-10-M Protective Mask
STATUS: INEFFECTIVE 100% obsolete
DETAILS: Very old model. This type of protective mask should NEVER be used for protecting against any NBC warfare agents.
USAGE: Designed ONLY for protection against tear-gas.
(These will most likely not provide this protection as they
are ALL more than 20 years expired)

MASK: Russian M41 Aardvark Protective Mask
STATUS: INEFFECTIVE 100% obsolete
DETAILS: Complete waste of money. These Russian masks are a triumph in the world of completely useless gas masks, possibly the worst mask still being sold by unscrupulous surplus stores & internet vendors.
USAGE: Russian / Outdated (over 20-30 years old) could be used as a Halloween costume or conversation piece but it will provide 0% protection.

MASK: Russian SMS Snorkel Protective Mask
STATUS: INEFFECTIVE 100% obsolete
DETAILS: Complete waste of money. These Russian masks are another triumph in the world of completely useless gas masks, possibly the worst mask still being sold by unscrupulous surplus stores & Internet vendors.
USAGE: Russian/ Outdated (over 20-30 years old) could be used as a Halloween costume or conversation piece but it will provide 0% protection.

MASK: M9 or M9A1 Protective Masks
STATUS: OBSOLETE/ineffective (made in the 50's)
Details: Uses a 60 mm threaded filter which is very hard to find with a modern & effective filter.
USAGE: Tear Gas, Not used since 1960’s, these will provide NO protection, as they are 40+ years

Biological Diseases & Chemical Agents - CDC.gov
Biological Warfare Agents (Partial List) - fas.org
Terrorism Awareness: Weapons Of Mass Destruction - ispub.com
Examples for potential bioweapon agents - sunshine-project.org
Biological Agents - wmdfirstresponders.com
History of Biological Weapons - wmdfirstresponders.com
Anthrax General Information - CDC.gov
Anthrax info - BT.CDC.gov
Anthrax Vaccine Imunization Program - Offical DoD Anthrax Information
Smallpox:Homepage - seercom.com
Smallpox: Clinical and Epidemiologic Features - CDC.gov
The Quick-Ref Table of Bio-Chem Warfare - pipeline.com
The Quick-Ref Table of Bio-Chem Warfare

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