Dear Reader,
Recently, U.S. and European counterterrorism experts attended chemical and bioterrorism preparedness training. The training took place in Europe because intelligence suggests terrorists are exploring ways to carry out biological attacks targeting different countries in Europe.
This shouldn’t come as a shock — terrorist groups have been trying for years to develop ways to execute chemical and biological attacks. One of the only obstacles stopping them is the difficulty obtaining the necessary agents.
Beware the Salad Bar
Of course, there are examples of this type of attack throughout history, including a bioterror strike in 1984 right here in the U.S. Hundreds of people were poisoned with salmonella at 10 restaurants in Oregon by a group of commune members who were trying to sway local county elections.
In order to gain political control in Wasco County, Oregon, members of the Rajneeshee commune used salmonella to sicken the voting public in an attempt to dissuade them from showing up at local polling stations. The perpetrators singled out restaurants in The Dalles, Oregon, the county seat where most of the voters resided.
Members of the commune went to the target restaurants with small bags of liquid that looked like salsa but were actually contaminated with salmonella. Then they spiked salad dressings or spread it on the items at the salad bars.
As a result, over 750 people became ill and approximately 45 people required hospitalization. Luckily, no one died from the poisoning, but there’s no doubt that it caused widespread fear among residents — which is exactly what a terror attack aims to do.
At first, investigators believed the outbreak was caused by poor food handling by restaurants workers. But over time, a law enforcement task force was created, and their investigation led to the discovery of salmonella in a laboratory located on property owned by the commune.
Eventually, two members of the group were found guilty of the deliberate poisoning and sentenced to prison time.
How You Should Prepare
The scary thing is scientists can predict and plan for the effects of a nuclear attack, but when it comes to biological agents, no one can predict the extent of the damage because these agents can spread so quickly and are difficult to contain. Not only that, but symptoms will vary depending on the agent used.
A nuclear attack could certainly affect millions of people, but a smallpox attack, for example, could be even more devastating because there’s no 100% effective way to stop the spread of such a contagious disease.
With this in mind, here are a three simple things you should do to prepare for a potential bioterror attack to increase your chances of survival:
- Proper clothing and cleaning. In the event of a bioterror attack, one of the most critical things you can do to prevent contamination is to avoid contact with the biological agent. If you want to be extremely prepared, I recommend storing a gas mask, protective clothing and cleaning supplies with your survival gear. When it comes to cleaning supplies, you should have the following: bleach, hand sanitizer and other disinfectants that will limit the chances of coming into contact with the pathogen.
- Antibiotics. Even though there is no guarantee that antibiotics will be effective, if you begin to show signs of illness after a bioterror attack, you should consider immediately taking antibiotics. Of course, it’s not easy to stockpile antibiotics, but you can legally purchase “fish antibiotics,” which are safe for human consumption and can be effective in fighting biological agents. Here’s some additional advice about fish antibiotics from our resident special operations physician Omar Hamada: “One veterinary alternative that seems to be all the rage is ‘fish mox.’ Just remember, if you are allergic to the human form of amoxicillin (which is a semisynthetic form of penicillin), you will be allergic to the fish form of amoxicillin — it’s the same drug!”
- Vaccinations. Vaccines help protect you from bacterial and viral infections. I realize some people feel that injecting your body with vaccines does more harm than good, but I believe they’re absolutely wrong. I personally believe vaccines help you stay healthy by protecting you from some of the more dangerous diseases. Also, if you work in a career such as law enforcement or the medical profession, I would ask your employer to see what vaccines they offer for adults in your field who may be more at risk of exposure.
The bottom line is the best ways to survive a bioterror attack are by having an overall healthy body and limiting exposure after such an attack. I have no doubt that terrorist groups will continue attempting to use chemical and biological weapons to harm innocent people, so it’s important that you do everything you can to protect yourself when that time comes.
Stay safe,
Jason Hanson
