Responding To Terrorist Incidents

f Responding To Terrorist Incidents - A Primer

Lt. Steve Weliver
Waterloo Fire Rescue
From A Presentation To
The Iowa Fire Chiefs Association
November 7, 1998

The following text is from a 1 hour 45 minute presentation to the Iowa Fire Chiefs Association that included slides and a brief video segment. It is not meant to be a comprehensive response plan for terrorist incidents. Contact your State Fire School/Academy or State Emergency Management Division for more information on Emergency Response To Terrorism training.

    Whether the terrorists are domestic or foreign their cowardly goals are the same, to create as much fear and destruction as they possibly can to further their perverse cause. Their weapons are becoming more lethal and they'll indiscriminately bomb, poison or infect as many innocent people as they possible can.
    While some are refusing to believe that terrorism is a potential threat, especially on U.S. soil, terrorists are researching and developing their methods and honing their strategies. Has complacency dulled our memories of the most recent attacks or is it that we just don't think it can happen in our communities?
    Doomsaying? Creating panic and hysteria? No, I'm trying to prepare our Responders for the possibility. Hardening potential targets in your community, making it difficult for the terrorist to strike unnoticed, being able to respond effectively can all have a positive impact and may even avert a terrorist incident. If nothing else, the event won't generate the psychological impact the terrorist was looking for.
    Larry Wayne Harris, who most recently was investigated for possessing Anthrax, was arrested in 1995 for possessing Bubonic Plague. He recounts in his Civil Defense Manual a conversation he supposedly had with an Iranian National. He claims she told him how Iranians were producing, smuggling and planning to deploy Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) in this country. She stated that Plague and Anthrax were their bacteria of choice. While the validity of this conversation is questionable, the weapons and their delivery methods mentioned are viable. As mobile as our society is, even though a biological attack with the Plague occurs half way across the country it could easily spread to your community with disastrous results.
     In the early 80's I recall how Emergency Care Providers (ECP) disregarded the emerging news concerning communicable diseases. AIDS & HIV were speculations and the disease was called the "gay man's cancer". The whole notion of Universal Precautions for Blood Borne Pathogens was considered by most to be over-reaction on the CDC's part. Now we have 100's of health care workers sick or dead from contracting diseases as common as Hepatitis, HIV and TB from exposure to blood and body fluids. These diseases are taken serious now, the vast majority of ECP's gladly wear gloves, masks, eye protection etc as appropriate for the degree of exposure.
    Are you going to scoff at the emerging warnings about terrorism? Is it going to take Fire, EMS, Law Enforcement and LEPC personnel another 10 years before they take the potential threat of terrorism serious? If we don't get serious now, we'll experience incidents in this county that dwarf the Oklahoma City Bombing by comparison. The U.S. Government has the wheels in motion, all we have to do is ask.
    Whoever the terrorists are, the outcome is the same…horrendous destruction with maximum death. Be they radical elements of anti-abortion groups, extremists from Animal and Earth Liberation Fronts, religious fanatics/revivalists, Hamas, Hizballah, Phineas Priests, the Christian Identity, Patriots, Militia, Tax Protestors, White Supremecists, KKK, ad nauseum, "...they all share the same enemies. Militia types are showing more interest in the abortion issue, while anti-abortionists are becoming more and more militant and allying themselves with the militia movement." 1
    In July of 1997, a Risk Assessment by the Emergency Response & Research Institute stated that Osama bin Laden had the capital, ingenuity and resources to strike almost anywhere. He did, August 7, 1998 by bombing U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania killing 257 and injuring 5,500.
    As the United States develops a stronger investigative and prosecutorial response to international terrorism, we may witness more attempts at reprisal both at home and abroad. The attack on foreign tourists in Luxor, Egypt, in 1997 was apparently carried out in an attempt to pressure the U.S. in releasing Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman who is serving a life sentence in federal prison for his part in the plot to assassinate the President of Egypt and bomb several sites in New York City in 1994. In 1997 a series of 12 letter bombs addressed to Al-Hayat newspaper offices in both Washington DC and New York and to a parole officer at the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, KS in 1996 appear to be part of an effort to coerce the U.S. Government to release imprisoned fundamentalist terrorists.2
    By enhancing its response to terrorism among agencies such as the FBI, Secret Service, Defense Intelligence Agency, CIA, ATF, CDC & FEMA in addition to developing a network with other Law Enforcement Agencies both domestic and abroad, the U.S. Government has successfully foiled terrorists like Rahman and those responsible for the letter bombs mentioned above.

PREPARATION
    The time for local First Responders to begin preparing has long past, especially since funds have been made available for training.3 In the near future, local Fire, EMS and Law Enforcement may also see funds available for equipment purchases.
    In the meantime what can YOU, the First Responders, the ones most likely to arrive first at a terrorist incident do to prepare?
    While WMD's are at the terrorist's disposal, statistics prove that bombs and incendiaries are still the #1 choice for a terrorist. They are cheap (free if you steal the materials), easy to build, easy to conceal and deliver to a target. WMD's include chemical agents, biological agents and nuclear devices that will be discussed later.
     In preparing for any type of incident each community should identify the most likely targets such as: places for public assemblies, court houses, IRS offices, the Post Office, Fire/EMS/ Police departments, military establishments, schools/universities, family planning & abortion clinics, power plants, laboratories, furriers etc.
    Workers at these facilities should be acutely aware of anything or anyone appearing suspicious and report it to the local Law Enforcement. They should also request an inservice from the Law Enforcement on how to handle suspicious incidents and threats.
    Have an expert suggest ways to make your likely targets less vulnerable to attack. It is better not to mention them in a public forum. Remember, as we "harden" certain targets the terrorists will seek out "softer" ones. They don't want to expose themselves.
    Communicate with Law Enforcement. Ask to be notified when they receive reports via the National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System of suspected terrorist activity.
    Terrorists are likely not to give any warning before they strike. First Responders must stay vigilant and as soon as they suspect something is out of the ordinary, especially at infrastructure targets and controversial businesses, use extreme caution.

NOTE: No attempt will be made in this work to outline step-by-step Incident Management procedures. The Local Emergency Planning Commissions in each community should establish comprehensive response guidelines including resource lists for suspected terrorist incidents. Once the "paper plan" is drafted, a "disaster drill" should be conducted to evaluate capabilities and debug the plan.

Bombs/Incendiaries:
Terrorists want to create panic and mayhem. A popular method of doing so is with a secondary device. A secondary device is placed where responders and the "ooohhh & aaahhhh crowd" are likely to assemble then set to detonate so it will maim or kill unsuspecting bystanders and response personnel reacting to the primary device. A threat may even be received stating the bomb is in a specific location when in fact it is located where people are most likely to congregate.
In any case the following steps should be taken in bombing incidents or threats:

Evacuate to a distance of at least 1,000-ft (use the NAERG) from the scene and set up an exclusionary zone even further out. Prohibit the use of radios, cell phones, pagers etc. any closer than 450 feet from the bomb.
First Responders must be acutely aware of their surroundings and have a high degree of suspicion as secondary devices, unexploded ordinance and or the terrorists may be present.
Incident Commanders must TAKE TOTAL CONTROL of the scene. Consideration for life safety issues, evidence preservation, exclusionary zones to keep unnecessary individuals out. Screen those being evacuated for possible contamination, injuries, eyewitness reports and identities. Law Enforcement personnel must be heavily involved with these tasks. A representative from all of the Public Agencies involved should be present in the command center. Whether you call it a "Unified Command" or not, proper communication, coordination and implementation of all resources involved must occur for a positive outcome.
Areas for emergency mass casualty decontamination, responder decontamination and emergency evacuation should be established prior to patient contact & treatment. Large numbers of victims self-triaging themselves will quickly overwhelm responders and hospitals. The "hot zone" may have to be widened as the incident progresses.
For safety & security reasons Fire & EMS personnel on the scene must be kept to a minimum with strict accountability for everyone on scene. If entry must be made for rescue or extinguishment it should be done in no less than full structural protective clothing and SCBA with time in the blast zone kept to an absolute minimum. The "Swoop & Scoop" method should be used to retrieve live victims and the "Hit & Run" method of fire fighting should be employed until an expert has declared the blast zone free of live ordinance. Trying to render normal patient care or fire fighting tactics will put the responders and victims in mortal danger. Keep in mind that an explosive device could have been used to disperse a chemical, biological or nuclear material and normal fire fighting gear will be virtually useless for these. Respiratory protection is vitally important.
Document everything, take as many pictures and as much video as possible and have everyone prepare a detailed statement of what they saw and did.
Use the proper chain of command in your community to report suspected terrorist incidents. This usually progresses from local agencies to County EMD to State EMD or the Governor who in turn calls the FBI and FEMA.

Chemical & Biological Agents
    Large numbers of casualties when there are no injuries or physical signs of destruction which may or may not be accompanied by victim reports of peculiar odors, tastes & sensations suggest chemical or biological agents. Clues at the scene may also include containers with bio-hazard or poison labels, spray equipment and laboratory equipment that doesn't belong.
    Chemicals such and nerve agents, blister agents, cyanides, chlorine, phosgene and riot control agents as well as certain biological toxins will have immediate affects. Clues at the scene, signs and symptoms and victim reports may lead the responders to suspect a chemical or biological agent is involved and allow one to institute timely precautions.
    If a biological agent such as Chlostridium Botulinum, Anthrax, Plague, Salmonella, Small Pox, or any host of viruses are used without warning, the community won't know until it has potentially reached epidemic proportions. With Anthrax and Pneumonic Plague, once the symptoms have appeared death is usually inevitable. With an epidemic, local supplies of antibiotics and antidotes will be in short supply and local treatment centers will be overwhelmed until regional and federal assistance is available.
    Most agencies do not possess the proper personal protective gear or the detection equipment for chemical and biological agents. When chemical or biological agents are suspected, the scene must not be entered until it is rendered safe by qualified personnel. Haz-mat teams may have the proper detection and monitoring equipment and PPE to define the hazard. Otherwise it may be necessary to await the arrival of specialized teams. If an entry is absolutely necessary, it is essential to use the highest level of PPE available.10
    Any response to a chemical or biological attack will require the decontamination of equipment, entry personnel and casualties. This may be the single most important task facing the responders. The emergency decon of victims and survivors of a large chem/bio attack will tax the abilities of any locality or state. Preplanning for mass decon needs to be accomplished as part of our preparation for terrorist attacks.10

Evacuate & isolate 1,500 ft in all directions (use the NAERG).
First Responders must be acutely aware of their surroundings and have a high degree of suspicion as secondary devices, unexploded ordinance and or the terrorists may be present.
Incident Commanders must TAKE TOTAL CONTROL of the scene. Consideration for life safety issues, evidence preservation, exclusionary zones to keep unnecessary individuals out. Screen those being evacuated for possible contamination, injuries, eyewitness reports and identities. Attempt to identify the agent. Law Enforcement personnel must be heavily involved with these tasks. A representative from all of the Public Agencies involved should be present in the command center. Whether you call it a "Unified Command" or not, proper communication, coordination and implementation of all resources involved must occur for a positive outcome.
Areas for emergency mass casualty decontamination, responder decontamination and emergency evacuation should be established prior to patient contact & treatment. Large numbers of victims self-triaging themselves will quickly overwhelm responders and hospitals. The "hot zone" may have to be widened as the incident progresses. Anyone contaminated must not be allowed to leave the hot zone until the agent is identified and thoroughly decontaminated. Hospital medical staff should be brought to the scene to aid in triage and treatment.
Decon solution: For nerve and blister agents a .5% (10:1) water:bleach solution can be used on victims (do not rinse the eyes or open body cavity injuries with this solution). For equipment use 5% bleach then wash with soapy water.11 12 For acute exposure to biologicals, decon by scrubbing with soap and water, quarantine the victim(s) & give appropriate medical care.12 With irritants, scrub with soap & water & give appropriate medical care. For Cyanide, Phosgene, Chlorine etc. see "Managing Hazardous Materials Incidents, Medical Management Guidelines for Acute Chemical Exposures", U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Use the highest level of PPE available until the proper resources are available.
If an entry is absolutely necessary, it is essential to use the highest level of PPE available.10
Use the proper chain of command in your community to report suspected terrorist incidents. This usually progresses from local agencies to County EMD to State EMD or the Governor who in turn calls the FBI and FEMA.

Nuclear:
While it is possible for a terrorist to acquire and detonate a nuclear device, it is highly unlikely, especially in the United States.10 We would be more likely to encounter a device to disperse radioactive materials. This could be done by incorporating the materials into the bomb, bombing a shipment of radioactive materials or a nuclear facility.
Our response to any bombing then should include a radiological monitoring device in addition to the other response issues outlined previously. This is not to say one would enter the hot zone but merely monitor the perimeters to establish the correct isolation distance.

SELECTED INCIDENTS OF RECENT DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN TERRORISM:

The FBI which just before the Oklahoma City bombing had about 100 open domestic terrorism cases, is now working more than 900. They have been investigating a rising number of suspected biological, chemical or nuclear-radiological incidents…68 in 1997 and 86 in 1998.4 9

October 30 & 31, 1998: Letters claiming to contain Anthrax are sent to 7 abortion clinics in Kentucky, Tennessee, Kansas and Indiana. As of 10-31, the FBI said 4 did not contain Anthrax.
October 23, 1998: Buffalo, NY - A doctor who performs abortions is fatally shot in the back in his home by a sniper.
October 19, 1998: The Earth Liberation Front "on behalf of the lynx" claims to have set the fires that caused an estimated $12 million damage to a Vail ski resort.
August 7, 1998: bombs killed 257 and injure 5,500 at U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.5
August 2, 1998: The driver of a stolen pickup truck carrying a homemade bomb crashed through the doors of the county courthouse and ignited an accelerent causing a fire that heavily damaged the building. Police won't elaborate on the bomb but say if it went off damage would have been substantial.5
February 23, 1998: Three men with KKK links are arrested near East St. Louis, Ill on weapons charges. They allegedly plotted to assassinate a federal judge and civil rights lawyer Morris Dees and blow up the SPLC.4
January 29, 1998: Birmingham, Ala., an explosion outside an abortion clinic kills an off-duty police officer and critically injuring a nurse. The Army of God takes credit.
April 22, 1997: Three KKK members are arrested in a plot to blow up a natural gas refinery which would have resulted in hundreds of deaths including children in a nearby school as a diversion for an armored car robbery. 4
February 1997: Atlanta, GA, bomb explodes outside of a lesbian bar. Army of God takes credit.
January 16, 1997: Sandy Springs, GA, A primary, then secondary explosive detonates outside an abortion clinic injuring seven. The Army of God claims responsibility.
July 27, 1996: Atlanta, GA, a nail-bomb kills one and injures over 100 at Centennial Park during the Olympic games.
May 6, 1995: Tokyo, Japan, Guards discover and defuse a cyanide-containing device in Tokyo's largest subway.7
April 21, 1995: Yokohama, Japan, Poison gas attack sends 25 to hospital.7
April 19, 1995: Oklahoma City, OK - The Murrah Federal Building is destroyed by a truck bomb containing 4,800 lbs. of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil killing 168 and injuring hundreds.
April 19, 1995: Yokohama, Japan, Nearly 400 people rushed to hospitals…after a World War I style gas was released into a railroad system.7
March, 1995: Microbiologist Larry Wayne Harris, member of the Aryan Nations, used a forged letterhead to order Yersinia petstis (Bubonic Plague) from a supply house in Maryland. Bioterrorism Special Report: "A Fall Down" by Robert Taylor, New Scientist: Planet Science.8
March 20, 1995: Five makeshift chemical devices were placed on "three subway lines… Subway passengers reported seeing people leaving packages or noticed unaccompanied packages spilling oily substances on the floor… As of noon March 21, 5510 people had reported to medical facilities...948 in the mild category (miosis and other eye signs only), 37 in the moderate category (miosis plus other signs/symptoms such as dyspnea or nausea), and 17 in the severe category (requiring ventilatory assistance). Eight people died on the first day... four others died in the following month. Over 4000 had no signs or symptoms.6
1995: A Harrisonburg, VA neurologist is charged with possession of ricin with the intent to kill his former boss.
June of 1994: Sarin was released from a van traveling through a residential neighborhood in Matsumoto, Japan causing 600 casualties and 7 fatalities.6
February 1993: World Trade Center damaged by a 1,200-lb urea nitrate bomb killing 6 people. The use of Sodium Cyanide is suspected and was not known for some time after the emergency phase.
September 1984: Dalles, Oregon: The Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh cult in an attempt to sway a public vote, intentionally contaminates the salad bars in 10 restaurants ultimately infecting 751 people with Salmonella gastroenteritis. JAMA Abstract - August 6, 1997 http://www.ama-assn.org

References:

"Anti-abortion extremism - Extremists, 'Patriots' and racists Converge" by Frederick Clarkson, SPLC Intelligence Report - Summer 1998 http://www.splcenter.org/klanwatch/kw-4gl.html
"Hearing on Threats to U.S. National Security" by Louis J. Freeh, Director, FBI before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Jan. 28, 1998 http://www.fbi.gov/congress/threats.htm
Contact your State Emergency Management Division
"Bomb, Bullets and Bodies - Terrorism on the rise since Oklahoma City" SPLC: Intelligence Report - Spring 1998
http://www.splcenter.org/klanwatch/kw-4f2.html
IAFC Weekly Information Report
http://www.nbc-med.org/csjapan.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/cult/aum/main.html
http://www.newscientist.com/nsplus/insight/bioterrorism/allfall.html
Bob Blitzer, Chief, FBI Domestic Terrorism Unit
"First Responders Training For Terrorist Incidents",
Virginia Department of Emergency Services
"Emergency Response to Incidents Involving Chemical & Biological Warfare Agents" Virginia Department of Emergency Services
Decontamination methods listed are intended only as a guide. Additional research for the specific material and situation will be necessary.

Steve Weliver is an Engine Company Officer, Paramedic and 19 year veteran of Waterloo Fire Rescue. He instructs Emergency Response to Terrorism courses for Waterloo's Hazardous Materials Regional Training Center, the Iowa Fire Service Institute and the Iowa Emergency Management Division. He's the Training Coordinator for Waterloo's Hazardous Materials Team and former Coordinator of their Technical Rescue Team.

Email him at sweliver@home.com

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