Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Warfare Flashcards
What is chemical warfare?
The employment of chemical agents that are intended for use in military operations to kill, seriously injure, or incapacitate personnel due to their physiological effect.
What are the 4 types of chemical agents?
- Nerve agents, liquid casualty agents that disrupt nerve impulses to the body while damaging body functions rather than tissue
- Blister agents, liquid or solid casualty agents that can cause inflammation, blisters, and general destruction of tissues which often results in temporary blindness and/or death
- Blood agents, gaseous casualty agents that attack the enzymes carrying oxygen in the blood stream. Rapid breathing or choking may occur due to lack of oxygen in the blood
- Choking agents, gaseous or liquid casualty agents with initial symptoms that include; tears, dry throat, nausea, vomiting, and headache. The lungs can become filled with fluid, making the victim feel as if they are drowning, causing breathing to become rapid and shallow
Examples of nerve agents?
Sarin, Tabun, SOMAN, and VX
Examples of blister agents?
Distilled mustard, Lewisite, Phosgene Oxime, and Levinstein Mustard
Examples of blood agents?
Hydrogen Cyanide, Cyanogen Chloride, and Arsine
Examples of choking agents?
Phosgene and Diphosgene
What does M9 Chemical Agent Detector Paper do?
Detects the presence of liquid chemical agents by turning a red or reddish color, it does not detect chemical agent vapors
What does Atropine/2-PAM-chloride Auto Injector do?
Used as specific therapy for nerve agent casualties, they are issues for intramuscular injection, self-aid, or first aid
What is biological warfare?
The use of agents to cause disease, sickness, or death to reduce the effectiveness of opposing combatant forces.
What are pathogens?
Bacteria, rickettsia, viruses, fungi, protozoa, and prions
What are toxins?
Categorization is based on the organisms that produce them and the physiological affects they cause in humans.
Major: mycotoxins, bacterial toxins, algal toxins, animal venoms, and plant toxins
Primary: neurotoxins, cytotoxins, enterotoxins, and dermatoxins
What is a chemical/biological IPE?
Individual Protective Equipment:
- Protective mask MCU-2P with C-2 canister filter
- Advanced chemical protective garment ACPG
- Chemical protective gloves and liners
- Chemical protective overboots and laces
- Skin decontamination kit
What is radiological warfare?
The deliberate use of radiological weapons to produce widespread injury and death of all life (nuclear explosions)
What are the 5 types of nuclear explosions?
- High altitude air burst >100,000ft, with ionosphere disruptions and EMP
- Air burst where fireball does not reach surface. The vacuum created collects debris caused by the severe blast damage resulting in radiation fallout
- Surface burst has the worst fallout due to the fireball touching the surface which results in massive radioactive fallout
- Shallow underwater burst has a small fireball and blast wave, however, it causes large waves and water contamination
- Deep underwater burst is similar to the shallow underwater burst but with less visual effect and yields greater contaminated water
What is ready-shelter?
Just inside weather envelope w/ access to deep-shelter. Minimum shielding from nuclear radiation and allow crew to remain close to battle stations
