FAMILY PREPAREDNESS PART 2

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All rescue workers, myself included, had to suffer through the dust which contaminated the air at WTC "Ground Zero" for several days

PART 2: KEEPING YOUR FAMILY SAFE FROM TERRORISM

This should be read after reading my

"FAMILY PREPAREDNESS"-Part One website.

First Responder WTC 9/11 "Ground Zero", ex-OES,AEC

email: Bob Hejl

TERRORISM: WHAT IT IS - WHAT IT DOES

The object of terrorism is to frighten people by initiating "constant chaos" thereby drastically changing their way of life. It is defeated only when people are prepared enough that they no longer fear. Terrorism rears it's ugly head in many forms. One can be terrorized by a next door neighbor or by radicals from the other side of the globe. How we deal with each act is more important than what triggered it. Armed with enough information, basic necessities and confidence there is no reason why we can't survive almost any situation. The only exception, of course, is a direct, deadly assault on ourselves.

Terrorists mean to strip away our cloak of confidence thereby empowering them with changing how we live. The key is not to allow them this power. During the dark days just following the World Trade Center and Pentagon disasters there were many who believed that there would be more attacks and this belief was just what the terrorists wanted. In making us believe this, they assumed a position of power because we allowed it. The power, though imaginary, felt very real. There were, however, people who didn't allow this assumed power to take hold. When the World Trade Center buildings fell I, and many others, were charged with the responsibility of rescue down at the area termed "Ground Zero". Not one of us were so worried about another attack that it affected our job at hand. Rather than have a fearful effect, it forced us to become focused at what we needed to do. You and your family, during a time of terrorism, must remain just as focused. Not at any rescue efforts, but at daily living in a way that will least affect you. A prime example are the people in Israel. They are constantly surrounded by the specter of terrorism, yet they have learned to live, laugh, love and prosper amid this almost daily threat. To be sure, they have had to make some adjustments in their lives, but it hasn't prevented them from basically living the way they wish and where they want. You and your family should adopt that same philosophy.

EMPOWERING YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY

There is a saying that "Information is power". This is very true. The more proper information we have available the better equipped we will be to handle any threat to us and our families. Some of the information I will present comes from my own experiences in emergency situations, including that most devastating terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. During my work at "Ground Zero" I spoke to many people involved in that effort including police, firefighters, military, search and rescue crews, Red Cross personnel (some of whom have been involved in disasters all over the world) and other people who assisted in the relief efforts and in doing so have exchanged ideas, emotions and facts. By giving you my, and their, observations and advice it is hoped that you and your family will be better equipped to ride out any terrorist event with little effect on your daily life and with confidence in both yourselves and your country.

BEFORE YOU START ON THIS JOURNEY

OF EDUCATION AND INFORMATION

The term "Family Preparedness" encompasses many things. Before I delve into the subject of preparedness for terrorism, I'd like you first to read about family preparedness concerning another very important matter. This involves the preparing of your family for something which has a much greater chance of occurring than terrorism. It is about preparing and protecting both you and your family during severe weather and other natural disasters such as floods and wildfires. Please take a few moments to visit the website which precedes this one by clicking on this title: W2IK'S "FAMILY PREPAREDNESS"-Part One. These two websites need to be read in tandem for full informational effect. By reading this companion website first, you will become better acquainted with important basic details on family preparedness. Some of this information will have a direct bearing on preparing for any terrorist threat. The first section of the other website is extremely important concerning developing a "HOME BAG", because this home bag will contain many of the items needed to assist you in coping during any terrorist event. I will be building on the information already presented in the first website rather than repeat things, such as basic home bag development and what to do/say (and what not to say) if your family has to evacuate to a shelter.

AFTER READING THE COMPANION WEBSITE

Hopefully, after reading the companion website, you have learned that by properly preparing for an event it will lessen the impact it has upon you. If you are thinking that there is no need to develop a "home bag" for your family because your area is never visited by hurricanes then you are quite mistaken. There are other "like events" that can become just as threatening no matter where you live. A freak snowstorm could block the path from your home to the closest town. A mudslide might cut off your family from the rest of civilization. Tornadoes? Wildfires? Earthquakes? Spring thaw floods? Toxic chemical spills that happen on almost a weekly basis? As you can see, there are many threats above and beyond hurricanes or terrorist events that make it important that you build your family a home bag and keep it up to date. There will be other items that I will suggest you assemble within your home bag if you are in a "high target" area or very concerned about terrorism. I will explain about what they are, and what a "high target" area is, later in this webpage. Along with this website there is a smaller "resource website" that I have created. Please visit it when instructed to do so. (it's highlighted in green) READ IT as it is very important.

THE ODDS ARE

Let's talk about your chances of being harmed by a terrorist attack. Forget about what the naysayers try to tell you. They are "media terrorists" trying to scare you and your family into buying their newspapers or listening to their television station and hiding or drastically changing your way of life. Often, they theorize the news rather than report the right conditions and facts. If it were up them, with all the baloney spewed by their so-called experts, there wouldn't be enough caves for us to hide in. The fact is that for any event that could take place our government is the best resource to stop any spread and to keep our country on an even keel. By government I am not just talking about the Federal government, but every official down to your local fire department. They ALL play critical roles in protecting us and containing any problem.

Forget all the theories and look at some facts. Things that really did happen. During the "cold war days" there was an accident at a bioweapons plant in a place called Sverdlovsk (since re-named Ekaterinburg) in 1979. This represented a release of hundreds of millions of anthrax spores into the air. Even though the local population was not notified, out of a city of over ONE MILLION only 66 people died. And this was at a location that made the stuff, no where near a place where most of us live. Many studies show that large amounts of anthrax must be inhaled for someone to become infected. Once the anthrax spores have been released into the air they do become a threat, especially if they are in a building with a closed ventilation system. Out in the open air they follow a very narrow path in the direction the wind is blowing. Once they hit the ground they usually stay there and are no longer a threat to being inhaled. So as a wide-scale terror weapon they fall far short of actually infecting a large population. The only risk is if you are downwind to a very large anthrax release or happen to be located in a "high profile" building with a closed ventilation system (such as a federal government structure) that becomes infected. Does that mean you shouldn't be concerned? No. But the odds of this happening are very remote. Remote enough that you don't need to run out and buy an expensive gas mask. The use of gas masks require training and a proper fit to be effective. You must also know when to put one on. Anthrax is colorless, tasteless and odorless so in the time you locate your gas mask and put it on, it probably would be too late.

The THREAT of Anthrax is much greater than the actual spores themselves. This is what terrorists want. Threat. Fear. Disruption. Look at how much disruption there was when those envelopes were found that contained anthrax? It was a limited event that caused all of us concern and changed how we lived.

Detach the anthrax events that took place following the 9/11 disasters from the WTC and Pentagon disasters because the anthrax letter attacks were committed by other people who found it convenient to enhance our fears. These sick people, in effect, came out of the woodworks to prey upon our newly affixed fears. They went away just as quickly. This is what terrorists do. They seize an opportunity to cause us anguish and spread fear. When armed with facts, we fear less. As you can see, the anthrax threat is less than that of being struck by lightening on a cloudy day. Can you get struck by lightening on a cloudy day.. yes. Does this prevent you from going out of your home on a cloudy day... no.

Another threat you might be concerned about is that of smallpox. Again, it is a small threat. Most of us, before 1970, were given shots against smallpox. Even though these shots have lost some of their effectiveness they still offer some protection. If you and your family are concerned about this threat, you should know that the government has stockpiled enough vaccine to treat the entire population of this country. If a nation-wide plan to vaccinate were to be implemented it would cause undue panic with mis-reporting and false conjectures by the media. Instead, the government's plan is not to use it on a massive level but rather to use special drop teams that will go into an area to contain any outbreak and vaccinate within the infected area. There is a limited amount of actual live smallpox virus stored worldwide so this also limits the terrorist access to it. Again, it is a minor threat that is given all too much press. Both anthrax and smallpox threats make too much front page news by too many irresponsible reporters and news agencies.

OTHER THREATS

Most terrorists are either cowards, who do their dirty deeds from the shadows, or sick people who would even sacrifice themselves to harm others. With these two classifications come two methods of terrorism. The subversive and the blatant. Subversive requires opportunity. We all can be a part in reducing the opportunity for terrorism by being observant. It doesn't require special training, just common sense and a keen eye to the unusual. The public eye has been very successful in preventing crime and helping recover kidnapped children. The photos on milk cartons and the very successful "Amber Alert System" have been two very powerful tools in capturing criminals and reuniting loved ones. The same observational powers need to be used to prevent terrorism. Be wary of the actions of anyone doing something which might appear strange. For example, if you are vacationing at a state park that also has a reservoir and you note someone in a boat or at the shoreline dumping something in the water instead of fishing, report the observation to the state police or park officials as soon as possible. This might be a person with a valid reason for "chumming" the water to attract fish or he might be attempting to infect the public drinking water system. The possibility of a water supply becoming infected makes it very important that you have your "home bag" with that bottled water. One of the problems with the water supply system in our country is that there are thousands of separate systems covering millions of acres so it is difficult to "police" all of them. The good thing is that by their sheer number it also makes it impossible for terrorists to taint them all. This makes water supply systems a "high target" area. Fortunately, we have the ways and means to supply water to areas that might become tainted. However, to activate this delivery system, either by tanker trucks or interconnection of a safe system to a purged system, does take time. This makes your home bag water supply doubly valuable. If you fear terrorism, add an additional two or three days supply of bottled water to your home bag. Doing this NOW will also lessen the stress if there is a scare and people are scrambling to get bottled water.

High Target Areas: A Short Explanation

High target sites for terrorism are those high profile places that the most physical and psychological damage can be done using the least amount of destructive energy. Using a few pounds of explosive to destroy a roadway in the desert and hardly a soul will know, nor will it attain any media attention. Our lives will not feel threatened nor will we alter our lifestyles. Take that same amount of explosive to destroy a railway bridge, which may go unnoticed until a train crashes killing many people, and the media will descend on the site like locusts, developing wild stories when they drag in "would-be experts" and create confusion and fear among the public. In doing so, it will strip away some of our inner feelings of security. The more media attention an event gets, the more fear will be induced and encourage additional terrorist actions by either the original group or by "copycat" people, who use the opportunity as a means of becoming noticed and usually are not part of any "cause".

High target sites may include, but are not limited to:

Any military base or installation

Major bridges and tunnels linking larger cities (such as The Golden Gate Bridge or The Lincoln Tunnel) IF THERE IS A "NEXT TARGET", IT WILL PROBABLY BE ONE OF THESE SINCE "CAR BOMBS" ARE CHEAP YET EFFECTIVE.

Any utility plant, especially electrical with interconnections to inter-state power grids (since we always equate darkness with fear)

Public water supplies

Any type of chemical plant or any manufacturing plant that uses large amounts of chemicals such as a fertilizer company

Any Federal Government building

Any tall structures (such as the "Space Needle" in Seattle)

National and State Monuments (such as The Statue Of Liberty, The Washington Monument or The Alamo)

Professional sports stadiums (such as Yankee Stadium)

Large "national type" amusement parks or zoos (such as Disney World or Sea World)

Major transportation hubs (such as Grand Central Station)

Major Airports

Toxic Waste Handling Plants and Containment Areas

Nuclear power plants and processing facilities (within 50 miles)

Transcontinental Railway lines

Any jetliner flight

Down river from any dam

Any subway system (underground systems for their sheer terror potential)

Any vacation-type cruise ship

Terrorists wish to instill as much fear as possible. By damaging those things we hold as symbols of our country and our way of life they hope to shatter our ideals, dreams and security. There are sites in every state that they'd wish to destroy, not so much for the loss of life, but for the loss of our dignity and faith in who we are. Here, in Texas, one of the most venerated places is the Alamo in San Antonio. It represents our resolve in the face of insurmountable odds. The Alamo stands as a monument as revered in Texas as the Statue Of Liberty is to most of America. If either were destroyed, or even seriously damaged by a terrorist attack, it could cripple our spirit. There are many such high target places in our country that even though they can be rebuilt they can never be replaced. There are many people charged with the security of these places and they have our respect for the work they do. You can help them by being observant to anyone who exhibits strange behavior. If you see someone acting odd, do not turn and walk away. Be part of that great caring that is America and report anything you see or hear to the proper authorities. This also holds true when you are on vacation. What greater damage to the spirit of America than if a place such as "Disney World" were damaged by a terrorist? What fright would be created if we felt that even an amusement park wasn't safe. To be sure, places like this have remarkable security forces that are trained in counter-terrorism, but extra sets of eyes couldn't hurt.

Oil and gas depots, refineries, major ports, and places of commerce and industry are also high risk areas. The risk level varies depending upon if an area or building were crippled or destroyed in an attack what damage would be done to our psyche and our economy. When the World Trade Centers fell, besides the saddening loss of so many innocent lives, there was a profound effect on our economy. Most of the banks and financial institutions have learned a hard lesson and now backup their records to low-target areas. In 2001, lost records created financial shockwaves that took many months to recover. The ensuing ripple effect also meant loss of jobs and further fear.

SO WHAT SHOULD CONCERN US?

Aside from the natural threats coming from mother nature, we do need to be concerned, but not overwhelmed, about other threats, some of which can be initiated by terrorists, carelessness or just plain stupidity. Threats involving chemicals are one of these incidents that need consideration. Every day there are thousands of gallons of chemicals being transported throughout the country by rail or tanker truck. Some of these chemicals are relatively harmless in nature. There are many, however, that are extremely toxic. In most cases the liquid chemical spills which might occur during accidents can be quickly contained. It is the gaseous variety that need more attention by the public. There may be a point in time when a spill due to a tanker truck accident will release fumes or gas.

Depending upon the gas, it might either quickly raise above ground level and be quickly dissipated OR it might remain ground level as it spreads. This last type is the most dangerous as it can spread to a neighborhood and engulf it in a deadly plume. The public has been told during certain emergencies to seal all your windows and air conditioners. Read: (W2IK's "Sealing Your Home"-click here) This may hold true when there are just irritants and particulates in the air, but since houses were built to "breathe", it offers little protection against poison gas. (If you live out in the country you'll agree that homes breathe if you've ever smelled the caustic odor of a road-killed skunk from miles away even when every window and door in your home is shut.) The best way of surviving a poison gas event is to get out of the area as fast as possible while remaining upwind of the spill. During an event like this it might be life-or-death if you fail to listen to your local news and follow the directions of local government officials. Pay special attention to what the police and fire departments have to say as they are trained in this type of spill. There are special hazardous material "HAZMAT" teams that are both equipped and trained to deal with containment. Listen to them. Do exactly what they say as you may not get a second chance. If you live in an area where there is a chemical plant, you can consider yourself in a high target area. You don't need to become overly worried, but you need to be alert. With deliveries and shipments via trucks or rail there remains a higher risk that an accident or terrorist event might take place. With this in mind, make plans for several evacuation routes away from the plant (based upon wind direction) in the event that your family has to leave. If you are in such an area, consult with your local police and fire departments about any alert system they have in place. If there is no alert plan, get your community together by discussing the development of a plan at a town meeting. A good alert plan might be the same as those developed in areas which have a nuclear power plants. (This is another high target area. The only proper response to a problem at a nuclear power plant is to evacuate WITH your home bag.) These nuclear power plant alert systems usually involve a series of powerful signaling horns or sirens that ONLY signal in the event of a problem. An alternative alert system might involve a special series of blasts from the fire department horns. The only drawback to this second choice is that we have become acclimated to it's sound so many might ignore it or confuse it's signal with that of a fire call out. A re-education of the public and a few test drills would be needed. Either way, make sure your community has an alert system in place if you reside in an area that has a chemical plant. Also check to see that your fire department and police department have the proper training and plans to cope with a chemical HAZMAT emergency. If you see a chemical spill remain as far away from it as possible and report it to the proper authorities. Armed with this additional planning, you become better prepared in the event such an occurrence takes place.

Remember that a "one-point" terrorist act might also evolve into a "multidimensional event". These are disasters that trigger or combine with weaknesses within an area that will result in a "super event". An example of a super event that might occur is if due to a terrorist attack a plane crashes during an emergency landing at San Antonio Airport.�Depending upon it's direction and altitude, during such a crash it might clip or hit the chemical tanker cars that Union Pacific routinely has parked on it's tracks that parallel along Wetmore Avenue and are adjacent to the airport. I have read some of the contents of these tankers... very scary. Let's say the plane attempts a landing but crashes into these tankers releasing their contents.�The plane, as it crashes, continues another 300 feet. At that point it might hit the aviation fuel stored in large tanks at the outer perimeter of the airport where other planes (delivery services, etc.) are also parked. So, in this one crash event the plane ruptures dangerous chemicals from the tanker cars, hits the volatile aviation fuel and sparks a tremendous fireball that ejects toxic fumes from the chemicals into the air. This "super event" would mean the evacuation of tens of thousands of nearby residents and businesses. Since the major wind direction in this area of Texas can change on an hourly basis, coming from the Gulf, Mexico or from the North, as a precaution the evacuation would have to cover all residences/businesses within a 360 degree area for many miles. This would also force the closings�of two very major highways: Rt 410 and 281. �If you are in the emergency "business", you'd better plan for this type of thing to happen. This is why you need to make several evacuation routes from your home or business and several other places to shelter. Planning is very important. Take the time. Make plans. Discuss these plans with family members and neighbors.

Shortly after the World Trade Center Disaster, I began thinking that terrorists would be seeking other "cost effective" and "simplistic" methods to strike at the core of America. One of the most chilling plans that I came up with would be if they were to encapsulate, in wax, ebloa or anthrax spores. This encapsulation is the same method for time-releasing certain medications. They could then sprinkle this "death deployment" on animals at petting zoos or places that supply these animals to petting zoos. When children visit the zoos and pet the animals the spores are released and passed from child to child to adult. Thousands could be infected. If you've heard on the news, this type of event, on a lower scale, just took place with E.Coli. Was this an accident or a testing of this form of delivery system? This I cannot answer, nor should you be alarmed and hide in a cave. It's just another example of how, using simple yet effective methods, a terrorist can cause havoc.

Our government is doing what it can to protect us. Even down to the local level there has been increased training and drills. Some you may know about. Other training and preparedness are kept secret for a good reason. The less the terrorists know, the less they can circumvent systems in place to protect us. The more we train and know about them, the less of an impact they will have in our daily life. Our country is not as fragile as "sensational news sources" would lead you to believe.

One of the things you can do is to examine where you live. Your community and town. What would be the worst thing a terrorist could do to disrupt your life? One of the most high target areas might be your utility company.

Nothing strikes more fear than being plummeted into darkness.

People feel the most vulnerable when there is a sudden loss of power, even though probably nothing further will happen. The terrorist has disrupted lives. And that is his purpose. (but if you have that "home bag" with it's lights and candles the temporary loss of power is just an inconvenience) Make a list of what you would consider to be "high target" areas that surround your home, workplace and school. If, by reading the "high target" resource website you diagnose yourself as living in such an area, plan alternate travel routes should the need arise for evacuation from any one of these places. Have alternate places to "shelter in". Make sure each member of your family has some simple training in the event they are separated from each other and need to stay elsewhere. This includes a list of phone numbers and safe places to stay. Keep that home bag as complete and as up to date as possible.

I hope that by reading this, and the companion website: "W2IK's Family Preparedness" Part One - click here, you will make the effort to become better prepared and have developed your family plans so in the event that another terrorist strike takes place on our soil your family will remain safe and less fearful. Think of terrorism as one man, with a sick mind, who has only 2 bullets in his gun. Would he actually use one on you? The answer is: No. With his limited resources, he must make those few bullets count. But by shooting a person of stature, and making a display of it, he will create fear in all of us. Unless we understand his limits and are educated in a way that offers us the best protection, we will wear that fear like a heavy chain around our necks. But, if we understand the odds and limits and are prepared and observant, that man with the 2 bullets is reduced to that of a mosquito buzzing around with very little sting.

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Feel free to copy this webpage, with PART ONE and along with their companion "resource pages", to share with your friends and neighbors as long as they are copied complete with title and author name intact.

You also have my permission to list these two sites on any links pages

NONE OF MY WEBSITES, EITHER IN PART OR WHOLE, ARE TO BE PUBLISHED WITHOUT MY WRITTEN PERMISSION

BOB HEJL W2IK

PO BOX 6731

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 78209

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