Healthcare actions in terrorist attacks chemical war fare agents: more than 10 years after the attacks sarin in Japan (Part 1)

Pita R, Ishimatsu S, Robles R

After the September 11 (2001) terrorist attacks in the USA and

the subsequent mailing of letters contaminated with B. anthracis

spores, a high perception of risk has become noticeable regarding

the possibility of attacks with weapons of mass desctruction, particularly

by groups associated to the Al Qaeda terror network. For this

reason, the medical personnel –both extra- and intrahospitalary– has

become concerned about how to act and perform in this type of events.

In the case of chemical warfare agents, the guiding principles of medical

support are based on the experiences and on the lessons learned

by the personnel that dealt with the sarin terrorist attacks in Japan in

1994 and 1995. The present paper aims at delving deeper into these

lessons and findings of over ten years ago, bearing in mind that any

and every medical service and organisation should adapt them to their

particular environment, situation and characteristics.

Ishimatsu S, Pita R, Robles R