Unit 3 - Environmental and Disaster

Question 1

What is a disaster?

Answer 1

A serious disruption of the funcitoning of a community or society causing widespread human, material, economic, or environmental losses which exceed the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources

Question 2

What are the types of disasters?

Answer 2

Natural - weather related, earthquake, fires, volcanic activit y

Man facilitated - algal blooms, botulism

Man-made - spills, nuclear incidents, fires, explosions

Question 3

What harmful events are caused by tornadoes?

Answer 3

Blunt force trauma, few common toxicological issues, molds

Question 4

What harmful events are caused by hurricanes?

Answer 4

Flooding/drowning

Contamination of drinking water

Localized chemical spills

Question 5

What harmful events are caused by floods?

Answer 5

Similar to hurricanes

Contamination of drinking water - chemicals, heavy metals, bacteria, mycotoxins

Question 6

What harmful events are associated with droughts?

Answer 6

Increased risk of toxic plant ingestion

Stress on grain resulting in an increased mycotoxin risk

Question 7

What harmful events are caused by blizzards?

Answer 7

The normal feed isn’t available so there is an increased risk of toxic plant ingestion

Question 8

What is eutrophication?

Answer 8

The excessive concentration of nitrates and phosphates due to runoff from land

Question 9

Why is eutrophication bad?

Answer 9

It increases algae growth/blooms

Question 10

How has the zebra mussel introduction resulted in an animal welfare issue?

Answer 10

The mussel increased Cladophora growth resulting in the release of toxin and its enterance into the food chain. Birds get toxin and get botulism

Question 11

T/F: Chemical spills are only harmful to animals.

Answer 11

False - there are human and animal concerns

Question 12

What species are commonly affected by crude oil spills?

Answer 12

Invertebrates, fish, reptiles

Question 13

What do crude oil spills do to reptiles?

Answer 13

Epidermal injury and respiration

Question 14

What do crude oil spills do to birds and mammals?

Answer 14

Loss of thermoregulation and buoyancy

Alimentary tract irritation

Hypoglycemia

Aspiration

Hemolysis (birds only)

Question 15

How do crude oil spills affect bird/reptile eggs?

Answer 15

Reduced hatching success

Teratogenic effects

Question 16

How do you stabilize animals affected by crude oil spills?

Answer 16

correct hypothermia, correct nutritional & hydration imbalances, acclimate

Question 17

How do you decontaminate animals after crude oil spills?

Answer 17

liquid dish detergent, minimize stress, avoid hypothermia

Question 18

What is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in burn patients?

Answer 18

Smoke inhalation

Question 19

What asphyxiant gases can be present in fires? What do they do?

Answer 19

CO2 and methane

Displace O2

Question 20

What corrosive gases can be present in fires? What do they do?

Answer 20

NH3 and HCl

Proximal airway damage and oxidant injury in lung

Question 21

What systemically toxic gases can be present in fires?

Answer 21

CO and cyanide

Question 22

What size particulates are cleared by the nasopharynx?

Answer 22

> 5 micrometers

Question 23

What does smoke inhalaiton do to the upper airway (MOA)?

Answer 23

Primarily thermal injury
Heat destroys epithelium - denatures proteins & activates complement
Production of ROS - inflammation, edema, further injury
Loss of cilia - infections

Question 24

What clinical signs are associated with upper airway smoke inhalation? When?

Answer 24

Stridor, dyspnea

Can be delayed up to 18 hours

Question 25

What lesions are associated with smoke inhalation of the upper airway?

Answer 25

Thermal injury of airways

Chemical irritation of RT

Systemic toxicosis

Question 26

What does smoke inhalation do to the tracheobronchial tree?

Answer 26

Mostly chemical injury

Bronchoconstriction

Question 27

What clinical signs are associated with smoke inhalation at the tracheobronchial tree?

Answer 27

Cough, wheezing, sooty secretions, dyspnea

Question 28

What lesions are associated with smoke inhalation at the tracheobronchial tree?

Answer 28

High protein transudate

Airway casts

Question 29

What clinical signs are associated with smoke inhalation at the lung level?

Answer 29

Delayed onset of dyspnea

Question 30

What lesions does smoke inhalation cause in the lungs?

Answer 30

Alveolar collapse, edema, surfactant loss, fibrin deposition

Neutrophil activation results in further injury and neutrophil depletion (more infection)

Question 31

What is the systemic response to smoke inhalation?

Answer 31

Onset - 24-48 hours
Hypermetabolic state from burns
Vascular leakage
Decreased O2 to GIT
Myocardial depression
Pro-inflammatory mediators
Antioxidant depression

Question 32

What causes delayed posthypoxic leukoencephalopathy? When does it occur? What lesions are associated?

Can you tell I am getting tired of writing flashcards?

Answer 32

Smoke inhalation (CO)
Onset - 1-3 weeks post ‘recovery’
Die off of neurons - laminar cortical necrosis, reactive gliosis

Question 33

What are the risk factors for working dogs?

Answer 33

Exposure to hazardous substances - illicit drugs, accelerants, contaminants

Environmental hazards - zootoxins, plant toxins

Question 34

What are the risk factors for dogs at urban diseaster sites?

Answer 34

Low to ground

Lack of protective gear

Confined spaces

Highly contaminated environment

Question 35

What are the sources of oral exposures in the environment?

Answer 35

Puddles, deposits, and inhaled particulates

Question 36

Oral exposures can result in what?

Answer 36

Local injury and systemic absorption

Question 37

What are the possible respiratory exposure methods that are of significant concern at urban disaster sites?

Answer 37

Dust, ash, gases, toxic fumes

Question 38

What are the solid and liquid tox hazards at disaster sites?

Answer 38

Toxic metals

Soaps and detergents

Hydrocarbons

Glycols

Phenols

Alcohols

Drugs and medications

Question 39

What are the particulate hazards at urban disaster sites?

Answer 39

Asbestos

Heavy metals

Mold spores

Hydrocarbons

Glycols and solvents

Nontoxic dust

Question 40

What is key to reducing the exposure to toxic gases?

Answer 40

Ventilation

Question 41

What are the sources of polychlorinated biphenyls?

Answer 41

Coolants for transformers

Extenders in paints and pesticides

Lubricants

Question 42

What type of compounds are polychlorinated biphenyls?

Answer 42

Synthetic chlorinated organic compounds

Question 43

What on site management needs to occur in disaster situations?

Answer 43

Know the expected toxicants

Frequent decontamination

Allow for downtime

Question 44

I feel like everything else in this ppt is common sense….

Answer 44

I stopped on the ‘on-site’ management slide