Mar 23, 2003 By Patty Shultz 4 min read

A terrorist attack could come in a variety of forms and cause widespread casualties or be limited in the number of victims, according to health officials. Because of the unknowns, those who would be responsible for caring for the victims have had to become knowledgeable of the wide range of weapons that could be in the hands of terrorists and what their respective consequences would be if used.

According to Guy Napolillo, director of the county’s 911 emergency services, the weaponry could be biological, chemical or nuclear in nature.

“We’re not going to have material safety data sheets and shipping papers and placards (to detail the type of chemicals released), so we’re only going to be able to look at the symptoms to make a determination as to what the material is that has been released,” he said.

A chemical attack is the release of a toxic gas, liquid or solid that could poison people or the environment.

The release of nerve gas, chlorine or other poisons immediately could cause watery eyes, twitching, choking, difficulty breathing or loss of coordination.

Birds, fish and small animals are affected rapidly if within the area of the release.

A biological attack, however, could take days to discover, according to health authorities. Until a pattern of contamination is determined, many may continue to come into contact with the disease or agent.

Likely biological agents include anthrax and small pox.

Smallpox generally is spread through personal contact, while anthrax is not contagious and is more likely to be spread through airborne dispersal, with symptoms in both cases taking days to develop and may not be readily distinguishable in the early stages, according to authorities.

Smallpox also can be transmitted through contact with contaminated objects and be carried in the air in enclosed settings, such as buildings, trains and buses.

Anthrax can be deadly to those who come in contact with certain strains of the disease and do not seek prompt medical attention.

“Unfortunately, there will be symptoms with both (smallpox and anthrax), but until blood work is done, you won’t know if you have contracted either,” said Napolillo.

The county does have some equipment to assist in the assessment of the type of agent, but generally, said Napolillo, the emergency personnel will rely on what symptoms are detected within the victims to make decisions as to how to respond to the incident.

“There are some very expensive pieces of equipment out there that would be able to tell us what the agent is, but how do you justify the expenditure for that here in Fayette County?” he said.

The county and its emergency personnel, however, do have access to the technology through Region 13 Working Group, an emergency response coalition composed of the 13 counties in southwestern Pennsylvania and the City of Pittsburgh.

“We could take samples to them or bring one of the devices here, if necessary,” said Napolillo. “We do have certain types of meters and detector tubes here (within the county) that will pick up certain types of gases and flammable materials. We also have some military detection equipment that has been made available to us.”

Another weapon that could cause mass destruction is the “dirty bomb,” a conventional or explosive device with nuclear waste materials attached to it that could spread radiation.

“On a domestic level, we are not that concerned about the use of a nuclear bomb,” said Napolillo. “We have a greater concern for the use of a radiological dispersion device (dirty bomb).”

While a nuclear blast would cause massive destruction at the site of impact, along with the spread of radiation, the basic idea of a “dirty bomb” is to propel radioactive material over a wide area, according to officials.

The use of a “dirty bomb” would boost levels of radiation and increase the risk of cancer and radiation sickness.

“We have some monitoring equipment available to us to allow us to detect lower (radiation) levels,” said Napolillo. “And (Region 13) is in the process of acquiring additional detection devices for use throughout the area.”

Overall, he said, preparations have been made and are in place should the region suffer a terrorist attack.

“The likelihood is minimal, but we are as prepared as we can be,” said Napolillo