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Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP)

Integrated Response Course

Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP)

Integrated Response Course

March 9, 2011

Readiness, Response, and Recovery

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Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program

• Initiated in 1988• Joint FEMA - Army program• Implemented in 10 states & 41 counties• Current agents include GB (sarin), VX

(nerve agent) & (HD) Mustard• Goal of “maximum public protection” as

mandated by Congress• Disposal completed at Aberdeen, MD Newport, IN Pine Bluff, AR

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CSEPP Training

• Initiated in 1990 at CSEPP National Meeting• Comprehensive needs assessment

– by job function– by location

• Training Management Plan developed in 1992 and last revised in 2005

• Training divided into 3 development paths– Technical, Public affairs, and Medical

• Use variety of delivery techniques– http://emc.ornl.gov/CSEPPweb/FEMACSEPPHome.html

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Purpose of This Course

To present an integrated version of– Chem Awareness– ACT FAST (Agent Characteristics,Toxicology,

First Aid, and Special Treatment )– Personal Protective Equipment – Decontamination– Use of Auto Injector– CSEPP Multi-Hazard Medical Course

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Course Objectives

• Understand the potential hazards of nerve and mustard agents

• Understand the signs and symptoms of nerve and mustard agent exposure

• Understand the use of personal protective equipment (PPE)

• Understand the process of decontaminating exposed personnel

• Understand the medical treatment of nerve and mustard agent exposure

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Chemical Stockpile

• Comprised of chemicals designed and produced for the sole purpose of warfare

• Nerve agents and blister agents

Deseret Chemical Disposal Facility

7Storage Facilities States with Storage Facilities Impacted States

CHEMICAL STOCKPILE LOCATIONS

Anniston Chemical Activity (ANCA)Anniston, AL

Blue Grass ChemicalActivity (BGCA)Richmond, KY

Deseret ChemicalDepot (DCD)Tooele, UT

Edgewood ChemicalActivity (ECA)Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD(Stockpile Destroyed)

Newport Chemical Depot (NECD)Newport, IN

Pine Bluff ChemicalActivity (PBCA)Pine Bluff, AR

Pueblo Chemical Depot (PUCD)Pueblo, CO

Umatilla Chemical Depot (UMCD)Hermiston, OR

WA

IL

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Various Munitions Types

Bulk Containers 500 lb Bomb

Land MineProjectileCartridge

M-55 Rocket

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CA20

TYPES OF AGENTS

TYPES OF AGENTS

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GAGA GBGB VXVX

Nerve Agents

HH HDHD HTHT LL

Blister Agents

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• Attack body’s nervous system• Scientific classification:

Organophosphate– organophosphates also include agricultural

insecticides such as malathion and parathion

CA22

Nerve Agents

GAGA GBGB VXVX

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GB

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VX

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Specific Names

Symbol Common name Referred to as

VX VX VX

GB Sarin GB or G-agent

GA* Tabun GA or G-agent

*Small amount was stored at Deseret Chemical Depot and now destroyed

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• Usually liquid in normal state• Becomes volatile and generates vapors if

heated• Potential for release if in vapor or aerosol

form• All nerve agents currently in liquid form• Most distinguishable factors are physical

consistency and color

Nerve AgentPhysical Properties

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VXVXPhysical PropertiesPhysical Properties

• Oily liquid; resembles light weight oil• Usually a pale amber color (colorless in pure

form)• Odorless• Tasteless• Persistent; designed to cling to whatever it

splatters on– persistence is weather-dependent

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G-AgentsPhysical Properties

• GB is usually colorless, watery in pure form

• GA may be pale to dark amber• GB has almost no odor• GB is tasteless• GB volatilizes at lower temperature than

VX• GB evaporates more rapidly than VX but

less than water

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HH HDHD HTHT LL

Blister Agents (Vesicants)

• Poisons that destroy individual cells

• Blisters most noticeable effect from exposure

• Includes sulfur mustard and Lewisite

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Symbol Common name Referred to as

H, HD, HT Sulfur mustard H, HD, HT

L* Lewisite Lewisite

*Small amount was stored at Deseret Chemical Depot and now destroyed

Specific Names

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HD

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L

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• Mustard-garlic-like smell• Liquid or solid form in normal

state• Melting point about 57oF• Becomes volatile and generates

vapors if heated– burns well once ignited

• Pale amber brown color in liquid form

• Colorless gas when vaporized

Sulfur MustardPhysical Properties

Laboratory bottle of sulfur mustard

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Lewisite Physical Properties

• Amber to brown liquid– colorless when pure

• About 10 times more volatile than sulfur mustard

• Irritating, fruity or geranium-like odor– little odor when pure

• Persistent• More dangerous as liquid than as vapor

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Non-Stockpile Agents

• Cyanide (i.e., CK)

• Pulmonary agents (i.e., Phosgene)

• Riot Control agents (i.e., Mace)

• Incapacitating agents (i.e., BZ)

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Example of CSEPP Planning Zones

• Immediate Response Zone

• Protective Action Zone

• PrecautionaryZone

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Potential Types of Release and Associated Hazards

• If a release is large enough to pose threat to public, the dominant hazard is from breathing air in which agent exists as vapor

• Paths for liquid chemical warfare agent to travel from release point to off-site are limited and relatively easy to block; therefore people off-site unlikely to encounter liquid agent

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Four Basic Typesof Potential Releases

• Spill• Fire• Explosion• Complex

Simulated Chemical Explosion at Deseret, UT

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Spill

• On to the ground or other surfaces

• Resulting puddle of agent (liquid deposition) can evaporate into vapor and drift downwind

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Explosion

• Causes droplets of agent to be formed• Larger, heavier droplets quickly fall to

ground (deposition)• Releases vapors and aerosols (smaller

droplets and particles) that can travel greater distances

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Fire• Both aerosols and vapors are formed• Vapors and aerosols lifted higher into air

because of heat from fire• Hazard similar to those of an explosion

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Difference BetweenAerosols and Vapors

• Think of a chemical agent release in terms of hair spray coming from a spray can– when spray is release, it is an

aerosol– larger particles and/or droplets

are deposited near point of release

– particles quickly fall out of air onto hair and skin

– person across room can smell hair spray from breathing vapors released

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• It is very unlikely the public would be exposed to droplets and aerosols

• Particles will mostly fall out of plume (via deposition) by time plume reaches installation boundary

• Coordinated response system implemented

What If a Release Occurs?

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Vapor Hazard

• For most releases, the primary health hazard comes from vapors when they are inhaled or come in contact with skin or eyes

• Agent vapors pose greatest hazard when inhaled because they are rapidly absorbed by lung tissues

• Skin exposure to agent vapors can be hazardous, but seldom life-threatening

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Federal Response

• NIMS - will require integration of Incident Command System (ICS) as off-post event would likely be of National Interest

• DoD may send team to help communities with detection

• FBI would likely respond to civilian terrorist event - change of custody of samples then would be needed