Terrorism and WMDs: Awareness and Response
Features
- Provides a non-technical approach to technical concepts
- Presents boxed sections for focused explanations
- Covers a variety of threat modalities
- Contains end-of-chapter questions to test comprehension
- Includes more than 170 figures and illustrations
Instructor’s guide with test bank available with qualifying course adoption
Summary
Terrorists continue to enhance their technical sophistication in constructing weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) with devastating effects. Chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) weapons now pose a greater threat than ever before. Emphasizing basic chemistry and biology, including microbiology and human health, Terrorism and WMDs: Awareness and Response is an introductory manual on CBRNE weapons that helps prepare emergency response, counterterrorism, and security professionals to respond to a WMD attack quickly and effectively.
Examines different threats and the best response
Taking a non-technical approach to technical concepts, the book begins with an overview of the historical and ideological context of modern terrorism and CBRNE weapons. Specific CBRNE weapons are discussed, and each section provides a history of the particular type of weapon as well as details on the design, structure, properties, and behavior of the weapon. The book examines the impacts of CBRNE weapons on human health and recommends safety precautions for both emergency responders and the public. The final section of the book addresses specific responder issues, particularly the Incident Command System, as well as personal protective equipment (PPE), decontamination, and site remediation.
Learning tools to aid comprehension
More than 170 photos and illustrations supplement the text, questions at the end of each chapter test comprehension, and a glossary provides clear definitions to better understand complex terminology. Intended as a starting point for understanding CBRNE weapons and their grave potential for destruction, the book offers practical instruction on how to respond to intentional and accidental releases.
Table of Contents
Terrorism and WMDs
Origins of Terrorism
Terrorist Classifications
Potential Terrorist Targets
Weapons of Mass Destruction
The Trend of CBRNE Terrorism
Limitations to Terrorists in Use of CBRNE Materials
Fallacies Associated with Terrorist Attacks
Chemical Agents
History of Chemical Weapons
Chemical Weapons Types
Toxic Industrial Chemicals (TICs)
Recent History of TICs as a Weapon
The DOT Hazardous Materials Classes
Selected TICs and Relevant Properties
Flammable Liquids
Corrosive Materials
Biological Agents
Categories of Bioterrorism Agents
History of Biological Weapons
Bacterial Diseases
Viral Diseases
Biological Toxins
Agroterrorism
Nuclear and Radiological Hazards
Nuclear Weapons
History of Nuclear and Radiological Weapons
Properties of the Atom
Radioactivity
Ionization: When Radiation Interacts with Matter
Forms of Radiation
Measurement of Radiation
Nuclear Reactions
Nuclear Weapon Designs
Effects of Nuclear Detonations
Timeline of a Nuclear Detonation
Emergency Response to a Nuclear Detonation
Terrorism and Nuclear Devices
Terrorism and Radiological Dispersal Devices
Explosives Hazards
Definition of Explosives
Types of Explosions
History of Explosives Development
Characteristics of Explosives
Classification of Explosives
Commercial and Military Explosives
Use Forms of Explosives
Effects of an Explosion
Explosives and Terrorism: Improvised Explosive Devices
Recent Use of Improvised Explosive Devices
Directed-Energy Weapons (DEWs)
History of Use of DEWs
Modern DEWs
Criminal and Terrorist Use of DEWs
NIMS and the Incident Command System
National Incident Management System (NIMS)
The Incident Command System
Setup of the ICS
ICS Principles
Application of the ICS: Oklahoma City, OK
Personal Protective Equipment for Emergency Response, Decontamination, and Remediation
Personal Protective Equipment
Respiratory Protection Systems
Decontamination
Decontamination Media
The Decontamination Corridor
Disposal of Contaminated Material
Site Remediation
Appendices
Index
Author Bio(s)
John Pichtel is a professor of Natural Resources and Environmental Management at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, where he has been a faculty member since 1987. His primary research and professional activities have been in management of hazardous materials, remediation of contaminated sites, and environmental chemistry.
Editorial Reviews
" ... includes excellent tables, photos, and diagrams that are loaded with useful details about the properties, capabilities, sources and effects of various materials that would make it useful as a field guide."
—Security Management Magazine
