Here is a continuation of notes from my CERT training discussing terrorism and what we as CERT do about it or rather not do about it. The following notes are directly from the CERT book. Any inaccuracies are the fault of the note taker.

Biological weapons:

 Biological agents are found in nature and can also be manufactured. It is possible to weaponize biological agents so they can be assimilated to effect broad segments of the population, animal population or crops.

Some biological agent or contagious but many are not. Routes of exposure for biological weapons are

• Inhalation
• Ingestion
• Absorption

Many biological agents take days or weeks for their symptoms to appear. It is possible for an attack to occur and remain unnoticed for some time. Some people may be affected before it’s clear that the attack has occurred.

It is also possible contagious biological agents to spread far beyond their initial point of contamination by the daily rounds of affected people broaden the reach of the agent for beyond the initial contamination. Those biological weapons are considered high risk.

Radio-logical weapons:

 Radiation is energy in the form of waves or particles given off during radioactive decay or as consequence of certain physical processes that we can control. Examples or x-ray machines particle accelerators. Radiation cannot be seen, smelled otherwise detected by normal senses. High doses or prolonged exposure to radiation can cause radiation sickness and possibly death.

Radiation dispersal devices (RDDs) may be revised explosive devices, also called dirty bombs. They can include non—explosive devices that could be used to spread radioactive materials as well. A bomb is not necessary to disperse radioactive materials; they can come in solids, liquids or powdered forms which can spread conveniently. Major impact of a dirty bomb is produced by the blast. RDDs are considered to be much higher threat because radio-logical materials are much easier to obtain than enriched nuclear materials. The technology required to detonate an RDD is similar to have involved in detonating conventional explosives.

Radio-logical materials are readily available in hospitals and other medical facilities, University science laboratories, and many products with commercial uses. Terrorists who would attack using RDD would need relatively small amounts of radioactive material to make an effective device. As such, radiological weapons are considered a moderate to high risk.

Nuclear weapons:

 A Nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reaction. All nuclear devices cause deadly effects plant exploded, including blinding light, intense heat, initial nuclear radiation, blast, fires started by the heat pulse, secondary fires caused by the destruction, and widespread radioactive material that can contaminate the air, water and ground services for miles around.

A nuclear device can range from a weapon carried by an intercontinental missile launch by a hostile nation or terrorist organization, to a small portable nuclear device transported by an individual. Terrorists seeking to use nuclear weapons may try to obtain nuclear warhead from within a country known to possess nuclear weapons or they may acquire fissile material in order to make a much smaller nuclear bomb, known as improvised nuclear device.

A terrorist attack with a nuclear weapon would be much different from attack with a conventional explosive device.

• The affected area would be much larger than any conventional explosion, and debris and other usually harmless items would be contaminated.
• Due to radioactive contamination, there would be potential for physical injury and death to persons who are not injured during the initial attack. People may also become injured in the resulting damaged environment.
• Long-term health effects would be more difficult to ascertain and manage.
• Experts believe that the complexities of terrorist groups obtaining a nuclear to and maintaining the tolerances that required for the weapon to function make the use of nuclear weapons by terrorists a low risk.