HazMat/WMD Awareness Unit 2 slide 1

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UNIT TWO

• Understanding Hazardous Materials

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Potential OutcomesTRACEM

• Thermal (Fire and/or Explosion)
• Radiological
• Asphyxiation (Oxygen Deficiency)
• Chemical exposure
• Etiological (Biological Hazards)
• Mechanical

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Thermal (Fire and/or Explosion)

• Heat from a fire or the heat released by a
  chemical reaction
• Extreme cold, such as liquefied gas or cryogenic
  liquids

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Radiological
Alpha - Most damaging, but least
penetrating Hazard Internal Shielding Paper,
dead layer of skin, travels 1 to 2 cm in air
Beta - Small particle low penetration Hazard -
Primarily external, but also internal Shielding -
Plastic, safety glasses, travels several feet in
air
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Gamma / X - Highly penetratingHazard - External
- most external dose due to gammaShielding -
Lead, steel, concrete, thick layers of water
Radiological (cont.)
?

• Neutron - Highly penetrating
• Hazard - External - most external dose due to
  gamma
• Shielding plastic, water

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Characteristics of Radiation
Example of the penetrating power of the various
types of ionizing radiation
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Asphyxiation

• Oxygen Deficiency
• Chemical Reaction  THE RELEASE OF CERTAIN
  PRODUCTS (I.E. NITROGEN) CAN DEPLETE THE OXYGEN
  LEVEL BELOW SURVIVAL LIMITS.

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Chemical

• Toxic or poisonous effects
• Destructive effects from the exposure of the
  chemical on human tissue

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Etiological

• Bacteria
• Viruses

Bacillus anthracis
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Mechanical

• Debris
• Excessive percussion (Noise)

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Routes of exposure

• Inhalation
• Ingestion
• Absorption
• Injection

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Inhalation

• Nose
• Throat
• Trachea
• Lungs

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Ingestion

• Mouth
• Throat
• Esophagus
• Stomach
• Intestines

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Absorption

• Eyes
• Skin

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Injection

• Needles
• Projectiles
• Shards
• Nails

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Exposure to Hazards

• Acute
• Chronic
• Both types of exposures can have acute
  (immediate) and/or chronic (long term) effects.

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Terrorist Events

• Intentional release
• Secondary devices
• Inflict mass casualties

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Terrorist Chemical Agents

• Choking Agents
• Blood Agents
• Blister Agents
• Nerve Agents

The symptoms of these exposures can range from a
runny nose to rapid death and are considered to
be available to terrorist groups worldwide.
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Emergency Medical Care

• Treatment only after emergency decon
• Safety First

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Emergency Decon

• If a rescue is attempted and is successful
• the victim and the rescuer should be flushed
• with copious amounts of water
• Strip their outer level of clothing
• await hazardous materials operations level
• responders to arrive
• THE RESCUER NOW BECOMES A VICTIM BECAUSE OF
  UNKNOWN HAZARD EXPOSURE!!!

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UNIT TWO TEST