Weapons of Mass Destruction: Nuclear

Robert C. Ricks, Ph.D.

Director, REAC/TS

Director, World Health Organization Collaborating Center for

Radiation Emergency Assistance

 

  1. Introduction: Over the past decade the United States has experienced a heightened concern regarding acts of terrorism and capabilities for emergency response. The bombings of the New York World Trade Center and the Federal Building in Oklahoma City demonstrated the US was not immune to major acts of terrorism. Congressional legislation led to the development of training materials addressing terrorism using weapons of mass destruction (WMD). For the past three years courses of instruction have been taught in major cities to educate and train-the-trainer for response to chemical, biological, or nuclear terrorism utilizing WMD. While a limited number of terrorist events, or presumed terrorist events, have occurred, there has not yet been a nuclear event leading to mass casualties in the US. Thus, inference must be drawn from medical management of major worldwide radiation accidents.
  2. Learning Objectives: This presentation will present an overview of the medical management problems associated with nuclear WMD. At the conclusion, individuals will understand the types of radiological devices associated with nuclear terrorism and acute health effects associated with exposure and contamination; become familiar with principles of diagnosis; treatment and management of radiation casualties; and basic radiation principles.
  3. Presentation Outline (Discussion):
    1. Radiological/nuclear devices used in terrorist events
    1. Simple radiological device
    2. Radiological dispersal device (RDD)
    3. Reactor
    4. Improvised nuclear device (IND)
    5. Nuclear weapon
    1. Ionizing radiation and overview of radiobiology
    1. Ionization
    2. Basics of radiation effects
    1. Types of radiation exposure
    1. External irradiation
    2. Contamination by radioactive material
    3. Incorporation of radioactive material
    4. Combined injury
    1. Radiation protection principles
    1. Time
    2. Distance
    3. Shielding
    4. Quantity
    5. Universal precaution and radiation protection
    1. Acute radiation injury
    1. Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS)
    2. Acute skin injury
    3. ARS & trauma
    4. Internal contamination and treatment
    1. Summary