Off Thread Topic:
http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1259790815577.shtm
“Secretary Napolitano Announces New Study to Protect Against Chemical Attacks and Bolster Emergency Planning Efforts”
(December 2, 2009)
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http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1259764574405.shtm
“Remarks by Secretary Napolitano at the Interagency Council for Applied Homeland Security Technology’s Counter-IED Symposium”
(December 1, 2009)
I have been worrying about this scenario for years. But the high point climactically speaking is the spring and summer months in areas that are subject to humidity. Areas of low humidity or with lots of sandy regions aren't really good subjects for a chemical attack anyway. But say, SOUTH FLORIDA (in caps because I live in Miami, FL) or Los Angeles or even New York and those muggy humid summers allow any chemical agent to raise it's levels of persistency. This is the length of time the agent will adhere to surfaces and remain lethal. Many of these agents absorb through the skin so it's not really necessary to inhale them to die.
In a real nerve agent attack, thousands could die and the first responders would die too, until they realized that the only way in is in full haz-mat suits. Even then DECON efforts would be limited to people and small vehicles. Have to wait for a really rainy day to DECON the buildings and that raises a whole new set of dangers in the water runoff. South Florida gets it's drinking water from the Everglades aquifer. A toxic chemical like VX Nerve Agent or GD Soman could contaminate that drinking water. All it would take is to have a state like Iran pressurize propane tanks like those used for barbeques around the world or in industrial grade fire extinguishers and get some Jihadi to open the pressure valves on those tanks on the roof of a tall downtown office building and take a deep breath. He's the first casualty and therefore unlikely to name his sponsors if he were to be captured.
In a town like Miami, with the gentle sea breezes in a steady and constant direction the effective downwind drift would encompass an ever widening swath that would spread far outside the initial target zone further complicating efforts to DECON and initiate life saving measures. It'd be a nightmare. I wrote all of this up and gave it to the Miami Dade County EOC after I published an article on the issue in a survival magazine in 1991 (my first paid gig as a writer). I'll bet they trashed it, too.