Excellent Conditions For Bio Agents example essay topic

PREDEPLOYMENTWhen preparing the unit's mobilization plan and TSOP include the supplies and equipment that will be required for the unit to operate in an NBC environment. DO NOT wait until ordered to mobilize to begin preparation for the mission. A well prepared and trained unit stands a much better chance of surviving and accomplishing their mission! ACTIONS BEFORE A BIOLOGICAL ATTACK. Assemble and brief the NBC monitoring and decontamination teams. Treat all cuts, wounds, or other areas of the body susceptible to infection or infectious diseases.

Cover all food and water. Increase vector control programs. Assign member to shut off ECU and "button down" section. Up to date immunizations. Maintain good hygiene.

Area sanitation-follow field / san guidelines. Physical conditioning-physical fitness, maintain proper weight. Train on individual and collective NBC defense tasks. Ensure that patients have mask readily available and cover. Obtain materials for covering supplies and equipment (such as plastic sheeting, tape, tarpaulins). Obtain materials for preparing improvised protection in shelters (such as plastic sheeting, tarpaulins, tape, sandbags).

Biological agent treatment readily available (based on suspect threat agent in AO). Be prepared to isolate bio agent patients Operations in Special Environments Cold Weather: Harder to aerosolized live bio agents, but bio cloud may be prolonged. Cover attack most likely-watch for sabotage! Troops more vulnerable-diseases spread in warm, crowded conditions. Nutrition, water, rest and cleanliness harder to maintain. Desert: Aerosolized bio agents ineffective due to low humidity and UV radiation of sun-exception being spore-forming agents.

Night conditions favor aero bio attack. Toxins (ric in) are resistant and can be employed just like chem. agents. Jungle: Excellent conditions for bio agents / toxins (warm temp, high humidity, low sunlight). Downwind hazards less (low wind speed, jungle growth). Follow strict field / san and vector / rodent control.

Urban: Buildings provide cover but may increase persistency of bio agents-toxins very effective. Covert ops likely-sanitary and personal hygiene measures, imps must be enforced. Never assume hydrant water is safe! Biological Attack Indicators If threat forces attack with bio agents, there may be little or no warning. Soldiers need to automatically mask when attack indicators are high. Some of th ses indicators are the same that could be found after a chem. attack but with one critical difference: after taking immediate action to protect themselves, soldiers will be unable to detect and identify chem. agent vapors / liquids.

.. Mysterious illness (large # of soldiers). Large # of insects or unusual insects not normally in area. Large # of sick or dead animals (domestic and wild).

Artillery shells with less powerful explosions than HE rounds. Aerial bombs that pop rather than explode. Mist or fog sprayed by an slow moving aircraft or helicopter. Mysterious illness in both the soldier and civilian population which approaches epidemic #'s. Casualty distribution aligned with wind direction. High # of resp. involvement, when that disease in nature is usually non-respiratory...

Illness type unusual for geographic area... Low attack rate among those working indoors. There are no indications of chem. attack, but no immediate effects... A presumed chem. attack has occurred but the agent has not been identified... Unusual odor. Witness to an attack-obviously!

Remember: A Bio attack is considered suspected until confirmed laboratory analysis!! !