NBC incidents: Know these terms
NBC stands for nuclear, biological, and chemical incidents, which are all considered weapons of mass destruction. Here are key differences between each type of incident, according to Robert Suter, DO, MHA, FACEP, medical director for the North Texas region at Questcare Emergency Services in Plano. Suter also serves on the faculty of the department of military and emergency medicine at the Uniform Services University of Health Sciences, in Bethesda, MD.
• Nuclear. This type of incident ranges from detonation of nuclear devices to contamination of food or other products with highly radioactive materials. Accidental exposures to highly radioactive plutonium pellets occurred in South America, when a gamma accelerator used for cancer treatment was sold as scrap metal, says Suter. "This particular incident was accidental, but could be done purposely, too."
• Biological. This term refers to any living organism such as virus or bacteria, or any spores of those agents.
"This is the type of incident which is most likely to occur and can have a wide range of impact," says Suter. For example, a 1986 incident involved a cult in Oregon that sprayed salmonella bacteria on salad bars so people would get sick with gastroenteritis.
• Chemical. This term includes any chemical compound used to harm others, such as the nerve gas that cultists in Japan used to injure 5,000 people in the 1995 Tokyo subway attack. Chemical weapons could kill hundreds or even thousands of people, stresses Suter. "It’s relatively easy to disperse a chemical agent."
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