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An expanded Web version of segments seen on CNN
In this new age of warfare ...
Chemical and biological agents can look innocuous, but -- in the wrong hands -- can be deadly weapons U.S. cities gird for possible chemical attacks
February 20, 1998
Web posted at: 11:08 a.m. EST (1608 GMT)INDIANAPOLIS (CNN) -- Bottled in a Mason jar, the oily, volatile liquid used as mustard gas can look almost like soda pop. Looks are deceiving. As a wartime weapon, mustard gas has extremely irritating, blistering and disabling effects.
The gas is cheap and doesn't require much skill to make. But the crucial job of counteracting the harm done by the innocuous-looking fluid takes specialized training that many emergency personnel don't have.
CNN's Lisa Price reports on the readiness of U.S. cities to deal with chemical weapons
VXtreme streaming video (2:26)
Prompted in part by the Oklahoma City bombing and the nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway system in Japan, U.S. authorities last year launched a federal interagency program to prepare for possible chemical terrorism.
The program, called Domestic Preparedness, aims to teach personnel in 120 cities over the next three years how to respond to nuclear, chemical and biological attacks.
"I don't think there's anything anyone can do" to prevent injury in an attack, firefighter Die Passon said as he underwent the training. "But it's always good to be aware of what can happen to you."
In this public service announcement from the 1950s, Americans are advised to "duck and cover" in case of a nuclear attack Unlike the simplistic "duck and cover" advice given to the public in the 1950s, when there was a Cold War threat of a Soviet attack, the job of safeguarding against a threat today is far more complicated.
It's also more difficult, explained Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Indiana, because so few people even understand how chemical and biological weapons affect the human body.
Vaccines can neutralize the effects of some chemical and biological weapons, but their effectiveness and safety is a matter of debate. According to U.S. Department of Defense documents, the anthrax vaccine only works if it is given 18 months before exposure.
Meanwhile, the weapons are becoming more of a threat.
There even are recipes for chemical and biological weapons on the Internet. "There are a number of countries that have them," notes instructor Dr. Madison Patrick as he trains medical-response teams for attacks they hope never come.
Related story:
- Chemical weapons detection devices get smaller - January 1, 1997
Related sites:
Note: Pages will open in a new browser window
- Official Domestic Preparedness web site - U.S. Army Chemical and Biological Defense Command
- DefenseLINK - official site of the U.S. Department of Defense
- Chemical Weapons Convention homepage
External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.
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