Jack Pittman

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Bioterror Threat
Jack Pittman Director, Public Health
Preparedness Leon CHD and NFRDSTF Heather
Lake Division of Environmental Health
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Bioterror Threat

• Why Bioterror is an attractive option?
• Spectrum of effects
• Dial an outcome mild to lethal
• Contagion vs. contamination
• Covert Ops
• Extremely high terror and psychological
  consequences

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Bioterror Threat
Emerging Diseases

• Is mother nature the ultimate bioterrorist?
• HIV/AIDS
• WNV
• EEE
• SARS
• Monkeypox
• Malaria
• Antibiotic resistance
• Pandemic Flu
• Unknown unknowns

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Bioterror Threat
Bioterror Defense

• Education and training
• Intelligence
• Surveillance
• Vaccination
• Isolation and quarantine
• Stockpile
• Responsive logistics
• Research

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Bioterror Threat
Questions? Issues? Discussion?
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Radiological and Nuclear Threats
Radiological Dispersal Devices (Dirty
Bombs) Other Radiological Threats Nuclear
Detonation
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Radiological and Nuclear Threats
Nuclear Physics 101
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Radiological and Nuclear Threats
Nuclear Physics 101 Radioactivity

• Gamma Radiation
• High Energy Energy
• Alpha Particles
• He Nucleus 2n and 2p
• Beta Particles
• Energetic Electrons

Rate Half Life
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Radiological and Nuclear Threats
Nuclear Physics 101
Penetration Risk
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Radiological and Nuclear Threats
Nuclear Physics 101
Ionizing Radiation Health Effects
Dose Dependent Symptoms Nausea, Vomiting,
Malaise Apparent recovery bone marrow
depression, major organ failure, death.
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Radiological and Nuclear Threats
Nuclear Physics 101
Measuring Radiation Total Dose rads, rems, and
roentgens 5 rem - No detectable injuries or
symptoms 25 rem Slight decrease in white blood
cell count and in blood platelets 100
rem Nausea and Vomiting. Temporary
drop in new blood cell production
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Radiological and Nuclear Threats
Nuclear Physics 101

• Measuring Radiation
• Total Dose rads, rems, and roentgens
• 350 rem - Nausea and Vomiting. Apparent
  recovery. At 3-4 weeks, grave
  potential for infections and bleeding
• 650 rem Severe symptoms. Increased risk of
  death.
• gt1,000 rem Survivability improbable

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Radiological and Nuclear Threats
Nuclear Physics 101
Measuring Radiation Dose Rate Dose over time
usually hours 2 mr/hr Public exposure dose
rate 5 r/yr Occupational dose rate 5 r/hr
Emergency response turn back dose rate Ref
10CFR Part 20
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Radiological and Nuclear Threats
Nuclear Physics 101
Reducing Risk Time - Radiation diminishes over
time (1/2 life). Also, decreasing time
near the source decreases dose. Distance
Range of particle radiation very
limited. Increasing distance decreases dose
Shielding Dense materials (e.g., steel and
concrete) will reduce radiation
penetration (1/2 thickness)
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Radiological and Nuclear Threats
Radiation Dispersal Devices (RDDs) Dirty
Bombs Explosives used to scatter radioactive
material over a wide area. Primary risk
Emergency responders and victims in the immediate
vicinity of the blast. Weapon of Mass Disruption
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Radiological and Nuclear Threats
Radiation Dispersal Devices (RDDs)
Potential Radioactive Components Iodine
131 Component of Nuclear Waste and Medical Uses ½
Life 8.04 Days Primary Activity
Beta Treatment KI (Potassium Iodide)
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Radiological and Nuclear Threats
Radiation Dispersal Devices (RDDs)
Potential Radioactive Components Cobalt
60 Medical and Industrial Uses ½ Life 5.27
Years Primary Activity Gamma
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Radiological and Nuclear Threats
Radiation Dispersal Devices (RDDs)
Potential Radioactive Components Cesium
137 Medical and Industrial Uses ½ Life 30.17
Years Primary Activity Beta and
Gamma Experimental Treatment Prussian Blue
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Radiological and Nuclear Threats
Other Radiological Threats
Non-explosive Stealth Devices Contamination
of Food or Water
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Radiological and Nuclear Threats
Nuclear Detonation
Low Probability/Disastrous Consequences

• Mass casualties from
• Blast
• Thermal Radiation
• Nuclear Radiation
• Mass destruction of infrastructure

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Radiological and Nuclear Threats
Nuclear Detonation
Fission
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Radiological and Nuclear Threats
Nuclear Detonation
Fusion
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Radiological and Nuclear Threats
Nuclear Detonation
Mechanics
Gun Assembly
Implosion
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Radiological and Nuclear Threats
Nuclear Detonation
50 Mortality Ranges from a 1 KT Nuke
Blast injuries 900 ft (.2 miles) Thermal burns
-- 2,000 ft (.4 miles) Nuclear Radiation
Initial 2,590 ft (.5 miles) Fallout, first
hour 18,045 ft (3.4 miles)
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Radiological and Nuclear Threats
Who ya gonna call?
For Radiological Assistance
Department of Health Bureau of Radiation 24/7
Hotline [phone]
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Radiological and Nuclear Threats
Rad and Nuke Threats
Questions? Issues? Discussion?
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Exercise What Weve Learned
TABLETOPS
Food and Water Contamination Chemical
Threat Radiological Threat
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Preparedness Environmental Hazards
THANK YOU!
Questions? Issues? Discussion?