WMD Response Guidelines
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- Inhalation Route: Chest Cold Symptoms, Fever, Non-Productive Cough, Shortness of Breath, Shock, Cyanosis, Death
- Ingestion Route: Intense Stomach Pain, Bowel Obstruction, Diarrhea, Fever, Dehydration, Death
- Skin Route: Sores or Blisters on Exposed Skin
- Incubation Period: 1-7 days (Usually within 48 hours)
- Inhalational Anthrax has a 90-95% fatality rate if therapy is not initiated early
- Untreated Cutaneous Anthrax has a fatality rate of 5-20%
- Non-Contagious, Except for Cutaneous
- Treatment Available
- Focused Response
- Public Health Emergency
- Verbal or Written Threats or Claims of Responsibility
- Unusual Number of Sick or Dying People or Animals
- Suspicious Bombing Incident with Little Blast or Fire Damage
- Unscheduled or Unusual Spray Being or Having Been Disseminated
- Abandoned Spray or Dispersion Devices
- Laboratory Containers
- Biohazard Cultures or Culture Media Labels
- Casualty Distribution Aligned with Wind Direction
- Inhalation
- Absorption
- Ingestion
- Approach from Upwind, Uphill, or Upstream
- Isolate Immediate Area for at Least 300 Feet in all Directions
- Keep Unauthorized Persons Away (Crowd Control)
- Stay Upwind
- Make Notifications
- Decon with 5% bleach solution (for surface contamination if present) or soap and water (for personal contamination)
- Obtain immediate medical attention
- Time: Keep Exposure and Product Contact to Minimum
- Distance: Stay at least 300 feet away on Upwind Side Until Agent is Identified
- Shielding: Chemical Protective Clothing
Content reproduced for WISER with permission from the Louisiana State University and A&M College, National Center for Biomedical Research and Training, Academy of Counter-Terrorist Education. WMD Response Guidebook ©. Further reproduction prohibited.
