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Chemical Weapons Fact Sheet

Release Date: 02/10/03 00:00:00

U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Office of the Press Secretary
February 10, 2003
For Immediate Release

Chemical warfare agents are poisonous vapors, aerosols, liquids or solids that have toxic effects on people, animals or plants.  They can be released by bombs, sprayed from aircraft, boats or vehicles, or used as a liquid to create a hazard to people and the environment.  Some chemical agents may be odorless and tasteless.  They can have an immediate effect (a few seconds to a few minutes) or a delayed effect (several hours to several days).  While potentially lethal, chemical agents are difficult to deliver in lethal concentrations.  Outdoors, the agents often dissipate rapidly.  Chemical agents are also difficult to produce.  There are six types of agents:

  • Lung-damaging (pulmonary) agents
  • Cyanide
  • Vesicants or blister agents
  • Nerve agents
  • Incapacitating agents
  • Riot-control agents

How To Prepare For a Chemical Attack

  • Assemble a disaster supply kit, including:
  • Battery-powered commercial radio with extra batteries
  • Non-perishable food and drinking water
  • Roll of duct tape and scissors
  • Plastic for doors, windows, and vents for the room in which you will shelter in place.  To save time during an emergency, sheeting should be pre-measured and cut for each opening
  • First aid kit
  • Sanitation supplies, including soap, water and bleach

What To Do During a Chemical Attack

  • Listen to your radio for instructions
  • If you are instructed to remain indoors, you should:
  • Turn off all ventilation
  • Seek shelter in an internal room, preferably one without windows
  • Remain in protected areas, and keep your battery-powered radio with you
  • If you are caught in an unprotected area, you should:
  • Attempt to get up-wind of the contaminated area
  • Attempt to find shelter as quickly as possible
  • Listen to your radio for official instructions

What To Do After a Chemical Attack

A person affected by a chemical or biological agent requires immediate and professional medical attention.  If medical help is not immediately available, decontaminate yourself and assist in decontaminating others within minutes of exposure.

  • Remove all clothing and other items in contact with the body.  Cut off clothing that is normally removed over the head, and put into a plastic bag if possible.  
  • Flush eyes with large quantities of water.  Remove eyeglasses or contact lenses, and place glasses in a pan of household bleach to decontaminate.
  • Decontaminate hands using soap or water.  Gently wash face and hair with soap and water.
  • Decontaminate other body areas likely to have been contaminated.  Blot (do not swab or scrape) with a cloth soaked in soapy water and rinse with clean water.
  • Change into uncontaminated clothes.
  • If possible, proceed to a medical facility for screening.

For more information, go to the FEMA web site.

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This page was last reviewed/modified on 02/10/03 00:00:00.