For more information
About the threat of biological and chemical warfare:
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Among weapons of mass destruction, biological weapons are more destructive than
chemical weapons, including nerve gas. In certain circumstances, biological weapons can be
as devastating as nuclear onesa few kilograms of anthrax can kill as many people as
a Hiroshima-size nuclear weapon. The United States is unprepared to deal with a biological
attack. Over the past several years, preparedness strides have been made, especially in
the largest cities. However, much of the needed equipment is not available. Pathogen
sensors are not in place to detect that a biological attack has taken place. New medicines
are needed. In combating terrorist attacks, treatment is a more practical approach than
prevention; yet many biological agents are extremely difficult to treat with existing
medicines once the symptoms appear. In addition, many of the most important prophylactic
drugs have limited shelf lives and cannot be stockpiled. Moreover, their effectiveness
could be compromised by a sophisticated attacker.
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The Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Project Report
Ataxia is a comprehensive research report that examines the many facets of the
unconventional terrorism issue in the United States. The first sections examine the actual
threat of terrorism involving chemical and biological weapons, including technical
feasibility, statistical trends, and a re-examination of the 1995 Aum Shinrikyo sarin
attack in the Tokyo subway system. From there, Ataxia inventories the various federal
response assets and training and equipment programs, and airs widespread feedback from the
front lines on these federal efforts. Chapter 6, "Metropolis, USA," offers
chronological descriptions of local responses that would follow a chemical or biological
terrorist attack and shares innovative ideas from local emergency personnel on
coordination, plans, tactics, and capabilities for dealing with these type of incidents.
Finally, the report concludes with an extensive series of observations and recommendations
for policy makers in Washington and beyond...
PBS Special Report
Emergency rescue crews in cities across the U.S. are accustomed to handling hurricanes,
hazardous spills and fires. But what about clouds of poisonous gases or air-borne spores
of deadly germs? What once seemed like an exotic threat is now a terrible reality in some
parts of the world. In 1995, the Japanese cult Aum Shinrikyo attacked the Tokyo subway
system with sarin gas, killing 12 people and injuring about 5,500. The TV pictures of the
incident begged a grim question: Could such an attack happen in the U.S.?
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