chemical disaster & Terrorism preparedness news archives

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San Mateo County Times (9/12/2007)

Are We Really Safer Here?

The San Mateo County Times explores the measures that have been taken by local authorities in San Mateo County, CA to make sure we are safer and more prepared should another terrorist attack occur. Some of the measures include increased revenue for the SWAT team and bomb squad, who are now trained and equipped to enter "poisonous" environments in which toxic chemicals are present.

The Kansas City Star (9/11/07)
Giuliani's team fails to inspire confidence

J.R. Labbe of the Kansas City Star criticizes the 15-man team Giuliani has chosen as his "disaster preparedness team." He says that although members of the team are well educated, the team is mostly comprised of white men from the northeast, not a single person with direct experience dealing with the natural disasters that occur on the west and south coasts of the country, such as hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes and wildfires.

Associated Press (9/11/07)

Intelligence Chief Details Threats to U.S.

AP reports that top U.S. security officials told Congress that the country is much better prepared to face terror threats than it was, but that terrorists' desire to attack the United States remains strong. While it is important to keep nuclear weapons from entering the country, the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) is also focusing on how it would respond should an explosion occur.

Daily Telegraph (08/29/2007)
Explosive plot: blow up ATMs - deadly chemicals seized
This article reports that Sydney (Australia) police arrested five men allegedly plotting to blow open bank safes and ATMs using a deadly cocktail of explosives, including nitroglycerine and other chemicals. Police claim that its bomb-making database played a crucial role in identifying the men, with officers able to quickly determine that the chemicals the men had ordered could make a bomb.

Time (08/29/2007), Mr. Tough Talk
This article explores how well former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani is prepared to play a leadership role in helping to prevent terrorist incidences in the United States. The article notes that Giuliani dealt with two terrorist incidents during his tenure as mayor, including the destruction of the World Trade Center in 2001 and a homemade bomb explosion on the New York City subway in 1994.

Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week (08/29/2007)
Emergency Preparedness; Ad-hoc-Announcement according to 15 WpHG Sanochemia Pharmazeutika AG - WKN 919963
This article reports that Countervail Corp. (Marlton, NJ) has announced the acquisition of exclusive development and marketing rights for the chemical galantamine, a treatment for Alzheimer's disease that is seen has having the potential for treating nerve gas poisoning as the result of chemical warfare or terrorist attacks.

The Washington Post (08/28/2007)
Lugar, Nunn Push Arms Security Program
This article reports that U.S. Senator Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.) and former senator Sam Nunn (D-Ga.) have launched a new effort to expand the reach and strength of legislation to secure nuclear, chemical and biological weapons around the globe. The article states that the legislation has been used to clean up 16 tons of chemical weapons discovered in Albania in 2002.

Life Science Weekly (8/14/2007)
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, U.S. Researchers from Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, U.S., describe new findings
Researchers from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry U.S. released findings from a study that indicates that acts of terrorism using priority 1 chemicals on the Chemical Terrorism Listing of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention increase the risks for death and injuries. Study authors advise that industry, responders, and hospitals should consider these results in preparing for and responding to acute chemical releases. In the study, priority 1 chemicals were cross referenced with data for 1993-2002 from the Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance system.

The Virginian-Pilot (8/3/2007)
Railroads asked to detour toxic loads around cities
Freight trains passing through Virginia while carrying hazardous materials may have to bypass urban centers under a provision in the Homeland Security legislation approved by Congress last week. The legislation addresses a worry that terrorists might rupture a railcar loaded with poisonous gas in a major city, causing widespread injury and death. A similar article was published by The Ledger Star.

Pacific Daily News (8/2/2007)
Homeland Security seminar set for August 9
This article reports that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Aug. 9 will host its third local seminar, "Top Officials 4 Series: Guam Venue Seminar on Federal Response Plans" at the Guam Hilton Resort & Spa in Tumon. The seminar aims to educate those involved in the large-scale terrorism preparedness exercise set for October on the response plans available in dealing with a weapons of mass destruction attack. A total of 15,000 people in Guam will take part in the national, biennial exercise series.

The Associated Press (8/2/2007)
Suicide belts, cyanide, explosives recovered from
rebel hideout in Sri Lanka, military says
This article reports that Sri Lankan soldiers discovered five suicide bomb belts and several cyanide capsules among a haul of arms and explosives found in a Tamil Tiger rebel hide-out in northern Sri Lanka.

Pacific Daily News (8/1/2007)
Terrorism drill set for October
This article repots that the nation's "premier terrorism preparedness exercise" is set to take place on Guam in October. T4 is the fourth exercise of the congressionally mandated Top Officials (TOPOFF) series, which provides an assessment of the nation's capability to prevent, respond to, and recover from realistic and threat-based acts of terrorism during a national, biennial exercise series. Though figures for Guam are not yet known, a total of 15,000 people will take part in the exercises.

ISA Consulting (7/25/2007)
Italy arrests terror suspects
This article reports on the evidence found during the raid of the home of three Moroccans arrested for running a "terror school” in Perugia, Italy last week. Anti-terror police reported they found dozens of bottles of highly toxic chemicals in the basement, including acids and cyanide, which could be used in bomb-making experiments. Security forces also discovered Internet instructions on using chemical weapons, instructions on flying an airplane, and photos of Rome's Fiumicino airport and other Italian monuments.

Irish Times (7/23/2007)
Terrorist threat raises fears in Italy
This article reports that Italy and Germany experienced fresh concerns about Islamic terrorist activity over the weekend as three Moroccans accused of running a "terror school" were arrested near Perugia, central Italy, last Saturday. Anti-terror police reported they had found evidence of training in explosives and poisons, chemical supplies including cyanide and acids, and instructions on how to fly a Boeing 747. A similar story was published by the Jerusalem Times.

US Fed News (7/20/2007)
Rep. Matheson secures funding for community health centers, kids ER care
This article reports that Congressman Jim Matheson stated that projects benefiting Utah's Community Health Centers receive funding in the annual Labor, Health and Human Services (HR 3043) spending measure that is scheduled to pass the House Thursday. That funding total includes $1.6 billion for terrorism preparedness and response.

Bridgeton News (7/19/2007)
Garden state to get extra $30.8M anti-terrorism funding
This article reports that New Jersey will receive an increase in federal homeland security funding, providing individual counties with extra money to safeguard against potential terrorist attacks. $60 million in federal grants will go toward anti-terrorism efforts and an additional, one-time, $30.8 million grant was announced for communication enhancements for emergency responders.

The Australian (7/13/2007)
Security review launched
Following terror attacks abroad and in Brisbane, the Queensland government will be reviewing counter-terrorism plans at five major transport hubs. The government gave a private briefing on counter-terrorism preparedness last week, asking for private sector help in reviewing plans for "soft-targets" in Queensland. Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson recently said that officials were constantly reviewing counter-terrorism plans.

Product News Network (7/11/2007)
Breathing Hood saves lives in a fire and biological attack
This article provides information on the Breath of Life Breathing Hood kit with light stick and details that most fire deaths are from smoke inhalation. The Breathing Hood gives 20 minutes of breathing time; filters out toxic smoke; and blocks Ebola, Botulism, Anthrax or other biological agents from terrorism or terrorist attack. The three-in-one product is the only low cost product on the market that is compact enough to slip into a pocket or purse, and is accepted by airlines to bring on board.

The Tennessean (7/11/2007)
Anti-terrorism dollars should be better accounted for
This article reports that almost one-third of the billions of dollars approved by Congress to fight terrorism in states and cities nationwide is sitting unused in federal coffers. The recent report regarding unused funds posed the question of whether emergency responders are receiving the resources they need, and if all of the funds allocated prove necessary. The grant programs supplying the funds began after the Sept. 11 attacks to equip and train emergency agencies nationwide against future terrorism.

Government Publications and Press Releases (7/6/2007)
Proposed data collections submitted for
public health comment and recommendations
This article solicits public comment on the Center's for Disease Control's (CDC) proposal to evaluate the extent to which authorized users of the CDC's "Epidemic Information Exchange (Epi-X)" system are able to utilize alert notifications to minimize or prevent unnecessary injury or disease-related morbidity and mortality through the use of secure communications and rapid notification systems. Epi-X provides CDC and its state and local partners with a secure public health communications network to be used for routine and emergent information exchange. The project also proposes improving Epi-X so that partners can exchange information regarding bioterrorism-related events.

Newindpress.com (7/7/2007)
Disaster management: Onus on State Governments
This article reports that state governments in India are responsible for implementing disaster management guidelines and principles developed by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The NDMA is currently focusing its resources on identifying best practices for managing man-made disasters, especially chemical disasters. The article reports that an NDMA meeting was held in March to address terrorist chemical and biological disasters.

Times Online (7/6/2007)
Terror links man jailed for nine years
This article reports on the conviction of Omar Altimimi, who hoarded manuals on his PC on how to carry out bombings. Nightclubs and airports were among the "suitable targets" identified in the vast library of terror material found on his home computer. The information detailed ways to make explosives, including a recipe for creating poisonous cyanide gas using tablet capsules. This article was also picked up by ABC Online (Australia) and Times Online (UK).

Holmen Courier (WI) (6/22/07)
Are We Ready? A Look At The Risk Of Chemical, Biological And Nuclear Threats
This article discusses Wisconsin's terrorism preparedness plans and highlights training scenarios that state workers have been required to participate in, including a mock anthrax attack. The article provides detailed information about emergency protocol in the case of exposure to toxic chemicals, as well as nuclear and biological threats.

Salem-News (Salem, OR) (6/19/07)
Oregon to Participate in "Dirty Bomb" Response Drill
The Oregon Public Health Division will participate next week with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Idaho Bureau of Laboratories in a full-scale public health preparedness exercise to evaluate the region's response should an actual terrorism event occur. According to the article, other states involved in the drill include Idaho, Washington, Alaska, Florida, Arizona, Hawaii, California, Mississippi and Montana. The article reports that under the computer-generated scenario that will begin Thursday, several "dirty bombs," known as radiological dispersal devices, will be detonated in eastern Oregon. In the aftermath of this mock disaster, blood and urine samples will be collected, turned over to Oregon State Public Health Laboratory officials and transported to the Idaho Bureau of Laboratories in Boise for processing. The specimens will then be forwarded to the CDC and other state labs, which perform tests to determine the status of each potentially fictitious exposed individual. The article reports that the goal of the exercise is to test the system that would be used in the case of a real emergency to collect samples from victims, safely transport the specimens and test them at appropriate facilities, including flying them to CDC facilities in Atlanta, GA.

PR Newswire (6/12/07)
How Safe Are Our Railways?
This press release, issued by Citizens for Rail Safety, Inc. (CRS), announces the results of a Penn State University study detailing the improvements made upon the country's railways, while highlighting glaring holes and opportunities for terrorism. The report, "Securing and Protecting America's Rail System: U.S. Railroads and Opportunities for Terrorist Threats," offers several recommendations to help ensure the safety and security of the American railways. According to the release, the study states that another vital issue that needs to be resolved is the increase in the need for terrorism preparedness training for rail workers. The study states that there are too many vulnerabilities to America's rail system, concluding that the actions that took place in Madrid and London in recent years - and the lack of federal funding, policing and training - point to an imminent terrorist attack in the United States.

New York Post (6/12/07)
"Truck Stops" Target Terror
The NYPD has stepped up its inspections of trucks at checkpoints to protect against radioactive, biological or chemical bombs entering the city, and recent protocol changes have been put into effect. According to this article, the New York Police Department (NYPD), working with a host of federal and state investigators and enlisting an array of new detection tools, has launched a two-pronged assault against terrorists trying to slip bomb-making materials into the city. In addition to periodic checks, the NYPD's "Operation Rolling Vigilance" has cops at least once a week working with various state and federal investigators at bridges and tunnels, stopping trucks that are licensed to carry hazardous materials.

Business Wire (6/12/07)
Scanner Provides New Way to Probe for Hazardous Materials
This press release announces that 2K Corp. has successful tested an ultra-fast elemental-analysis machine that can detect chemical warfare agents and other hazardous materials in sealed containers without opening the items. The release states that the scanner can be used for national defense, homeland security, airport security, courthouses, embassies, and other government and public facilities. It performs elemental analysis to classify dangerous agents by using gamma ray spectroscopy induced by shooting non-charge neutrons into the item. Gamma ray spectroscopy is used to classify materials sealed and shielded in metal and non-metal containers.

Mexia Daily News (Mexia, TX) (5/26/07)
Parkview Recognized as Sentinel Laboratory
Parkview Regional Hospital was recently recognized as a Sentinel Laboratory for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s Laboratory Response Network (LRN). According to this article, the LRN was created in 1999 for the purpose of creating a network of laboratories around the country that can respond to biological and chemical terrorism and other public health emergencies. The article states that the LRN's national network includes a variety of types of laboratories, including federal, military, environmental and food testing. Parkview's designation as a Sentinel lab is based on its testing ability and accuracy, the training of its personnel, and the manner in which it handles infectious agents.

Newsweek (5/9/07)
Sounding the Alarms on the ER Crisis
This article reports on the current state of hospital emergency rooms and the struggles that ER staff face in trying to secure funding and improve service. According to the article, America's emergency rooms are in crisis. How does the ER prepare for a terrorist attack when its medics can barely cope with the routine flow of mayhem on a Saturday night? The article follows Dr. Arthur Kellerman as he spends a year going back-and-forth between Washington, DC, trying to pass legislation to protect and improve ERs, and his hospital in Atlanta, which is facing major hurdles in care and funding.

Associated Press (5/9/07)
Chemicals Weapons Watchdog Calls On Mideast Countries To Sign Treaty
This article reports on the 10th anniversary of the treaty banning chemical weapons, which was marked by a meeting between nations that pledged to step up efforts to bring on board the handful of hold-out countries, including some in the Mideast and North Korea. The article reports that the director of the chemical weapons watchdog agency charged that the few countries refusing to endorse the Chemical Weapons Convention were undermining a treaty that has proven to be the most effective disarmament accord ever negotiated. The treaty, designed to eradicate a weapon in use since Stone Age man invented the poison arrow, went into effect Apr. 29, 1997. The ceremony was delayed at the queen's request to coincide with the anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945. The article states that Egypt, Syria and Lebanon have refused to sign the convention. Lebanon was expected to sign shortly, but Somalia and Angola also have not signed. The article reports that the convention outlawed the production, acquisition, development or transfer of chemical munitions, and set up a tough verification system for dismantling stockpiles within a decade. This article received international coverage including the International Herald Tribune, Wall Street Journal, CNN among others.

The Associated Press (5/8/07)
Chemicals weapons watchdog calls on Mideast countries to sign treaty
Nations marked the 10th anniversary of the treaty banning chemical weapons Wednesday, celebrating the near-complete roster of countries committed to never using poison gas and trying to bring on board the handful of countries holding out, including North Korea and Mideast belligerents. The director of the chemical weapons watchdog agency charged that the few countries refusing to endorse the Chemical Weapons Convention were undermining a treaty that has proven to be the most effective disarmament accord ever negotiated. Egypt, Syria and Lebanon have refused to sign the convention, arguing that the chemical weapons ban must be part of a larger agreement encompassing Israel's alleged possession of nuclear weapons, said OPCW director Rogelio Pfirter. Israel has signed the accord but has refrained from ratifying it, citing "the situation in the region," he said.

Associated Press (4/24/07)
Chemical Plants Must Develop Security Plans;
Homeland Security To Regulate Thousands Of Facilities, Assess Risk
This article provides additional coverage of recent legislation passed by the Department of Homeland Security that federalizes regulations for all chemical plants in the United States. Chemical plant security regulations previously were under state legislation, and the complexity and stringency of the rules varied widely from state to state. This article discusses the viewpoints of legislators and members of the chemical industry on how these regulations will potentially help protect Americans from a terrorist attack on a chemical plant.

Reuters (4/13/07)
Qaeda Chief's Nephew Says He Sent Hijacker Money
This article reports that the nephew of confessed Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed acknowledged sending more than $100,000 to one of the hijackers who crashed a plane into the World Trade Center, according to a Pentagon transcript released on Thursday. But the nephew, Kuwaiti captive Ammar al Baluchi, told a military panel at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay that he did not know Marwan al Shehhi was associated with al Qaeda and had no advance knowledge of the Sept. 11 attacks. According to the article, Al Baluchi also told the panel that he left Dubai a day or two before the Sept. 11 attacks because he lost his work visa when his employer closed its office there. He said the small amount of cyanide he had when arrested was to be used to bleach fabric, not for terrorist activities. This article was picked up internationally by outlets including Associated Press, CNN International, and MSNBC.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution (4/13/07)
Tighter Plant Security A First Step
This editorial examines new federal legislation passed by the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) that is intended to improve and regulate security at chemical plants.  Under new DHS rules, affected plants must conduct employee background checks, limit plant access and more stringently secure chemical stockpiles. Plants will be subject to DHS audits and must update security plans on a regular basis. If plants fail to comply, they could be hit with fines of up to $25,000 a day and face possible shutdown. The agency plans to hire 70 regulators and has requested $25 million to fund the program. Since Sept. 11, 2001, states have created their own regulations, some more strict than others, which prompted the DHS to attempt to make plants adopt the stricter rules across the board. The editorial highlights complaints from legislators who believe that the regulations are not stringent enough, and states that those complaints ought to be addressed thoroughly but that, after years of delay in securing chemical plants, Americans can take some comfort in knowing that progress is being made. A similar editorial appeared in the Denver Post.

Providence Journal (4/8/07)
An Offer To Help The Frontline
Vayl Oxford spends his time thinking about how vulnerable this country is to a nuclear attack. But his fears go further than the detonation of a nuclear bomb. He worries about the more likely threat of "dirty bombs," a conventional explosive device with radiological material, set off in a city center or a popular tourist destination. Such an explosion would kill and injure civilians and the emergency crews rushing to help them. And, he said, it would leave an aftermath of fear that would linger and ruin the area as powerfully as the bomb. This is something that Rhode Island and other states must take seriously, said Oxford, the director of the U.S. Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, who visited the state Friday at the invitation of U.S. Rep. James Langevin. As head of the two-year-old agency, Oxford leads a staff of agents from the FBI and members of the Defense Department, the State Department, the Energy Department and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission working together on one goal - looking for vulnerabilities to radiological attacks and coming up with ways to prevent them.

Nelson Mail (New Zealand) (4/6/07)
E-mail Threat To NZ Tennis Tournament
This article reports that security will be beefed up for the Fed Cup tennis tournament in Christchurch this month after an international security threat against one of the teams.  According to the article, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) received an e-mail from an unknown source making a security threat toward the event and one of the teams, believed to be Syria, competing in the women's international teams tournament at Wilding Park. Authorities are secretive about the exact nature of the threats but are taking measures to beef up security for players and spectators. The article notes that this is not the first time a sporting event in New Zealand has come under threat, however, with a security scare at the New Zealand Golf Open in 2002. A letter containing cyanide poison was sent to the United States Embassy in Wellington threatening to disrupt the tournament which had attracted world champion Tiger Woods. The cyanide had accompanied a general threat against the Open.

The Wall Street Journal (4/2/07)
Politics & Economics: U.S. Yields More to States On Chemical-Plant Security
This article reports on the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security’s attempt at appeasing critics in Congress and many state capitals that will open the door for states to adopt chemical-facility security regulations like those already taken in New York and New Jersey. According to the article, the new position will be spelled out shortly when DHS releases its final rules governing chemical-plant security. It is unclear whether the regulations will satisfy the chemical industry's wish for a single, federally mandated regulatory environment. The article states that the major issue is the concern that a terrorist attack on a chemical plant that uses highly toxic materials could produce deadly gas clouds. In the absence of federal regulations, New York and New Jersey have taken steps in recent years to regulate security at such facilities, the article notes.

Arizona Daily Star (4/1/07)
Rail Lines In Tucson Could Be Terror Bait;
Thousands Of Cars A Year Haul Toxic, Explosive Loads
This article reports on the potential terror threat that Tucson faces due to the more than 1,600 rail tanker loads of poisonous gas vulnerable that roll through the city each year.  Officials have recently added Tucson to a list of 45 areas of "high threat" for terrorism, and emergency planning documents have shown that a chlorine disaster could kill people up to 5.6 miles downwind of the railroad in Tucson. In a less likely or "worst-case" scenario, the deadly fog could maim and kill up to 9.6 miles away. The article discusses the need for increased security of the railroad and rail yards, noting that the public is typically unaware of the frequency with which hazardous materials are traveling through the state. 

Emergency Medical Services Magazine (4/1/07)
Toxic or Hypoxic? Is The Patient One, The Other Or Both?
Cyanide poisoning, a frequently missed diagnosis for patients with smoke inhalation, makes treatment difficult because patients are suffering from multiple metabolic insults - the toxic effects of the cyanide as well as the hypoxia secondary to carbon monoxide binding to the hemoglobin. The author notes that identifying the toxic agent(s) to which the patient has been exposed is important in targeting interventions and recommends that patients is receive a high-concentration O2 therapy or any other interventions (e.g., a breathing treatment) to work collectively to correct hypoxia is also a critical element of care.

San Antonio Express News (3/29/07)
1 bomb but 2 bomb scares in S.A.
Police disarmed a PVC pipe bomb Wednesday afternoon, but only after the device took a two-hour ride with a man who drove around with the object in the back of his mother's minivan. Officials also arrested a 39-year-old man who called a local TV station claiming he'd built cyanide bombs in his home, police said. The San Antonio police bomb squad didn't find a bomb or cyanide, but found what officials believe could be components of a bomb.

Reuters (3/22/07)
Iraq chlorine bombs raise worries of U.S. attack
Chlorine bombs in Iraq have raised concerns that lax security at U.S. chemical plants could make the United States, and particularly New York City, vulnerable to similar attacks. Policymakers and law enforcement officials said poor security at the plants could lead to the theft of ingredients needed to build a bomb like the ones detonated in Iraq.

Associated Press (3/22/07)
Dems try to boost states' power in chemical regulations
The Bush administration would be able to override tough state regulations of chemical facilities if Congress doesn't do something about it, some Democratic lawmakers say.  On Mar. 22, they tried to stop the new Bush rule by attaching a provision to an Iraq war funding bill. The lawmakers were concerned that draft regulations published by the Homeland Security Department in December, due to be finalized by Apr. 4, would trump more stringent state rules. There are about 14,000 high-risk chemical facilities across the nation, more than 100 of them within reach of populations of 1 million or more. The American Chemistry Council strongly opposed the Lautenberg language.

Reuters (3/5/07)
Saddam aide Aziz blames Iran for gas attack
Former Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz on Monday told a court trying six former aides of Saddam Hussein, including Saddam's cousin, Ali Hassan al-Majeed, known as "Chemical Ali," for genocide that Iran, not Iraq, was to blame for a 1988 gas attack that killed thousands of Kurds. "The chemical weapons used at that time causing the death of thousands of people were made with cyanide gas and not mustard gas. Iran had this gas at this time, not Iraq," said Aziz.

Associated Press (2/26/07)
Anti-Terrorism Sensor Heading to Memphis
A mobile anti-terrorist chemical-radiological detection system, developed for commercial use in the United States, is being described as the first of its kind by safety experts. The system was developed by the U.S. Department of Energy lab and commercial partner Cadre5, a Knoxville-based engineering company. The article reports that the partners demonstrated Monday the result of several months' work - a portable sensor and video system operated from a small self-contained trailer that can secure a 10-square-mile area. According to the article, the first commercial unit will be used in Memphis at the annual Memphis in May festival, and the cost of $600,000 will be covered by federal homeland security grants. The article states that the system used in Memphis will have five gamma-ray radiation sensors, five video cameras and eight chemical sensors sniffing for such things as ammonia, cyanide and chlorine. The sensors and cameras are mounted on portable battery-powered towers and linked wirelessly. This article appeared in several business publications including Businessweek and Forbes, as well as national and regional newspapers and news Web sites, including USA Today and CNN.com.

Oakland Tribune, CA (2/26/07)
Terrorism Fears Focus on Chemical Shipments
National lawmakers are working to improve chemical tanker regulations and tighten tanker security in order to prevent a potential terrorist attack and improve safety. These actions are said to be partly in response to reports out of Iraq that insurgents there are blowing up mobile tanks of chlorine in Iraqi neighborhoods with deadly results. Initiatives are being considered that include locking up shipments when they're parked on railroad siding tracks or rerouting some of the deadliest cargoes away from populated areas.

Business Wire (2/20/07)
Bruker Daltonics To Introduce RAID-AFM Autonomous Facility Monitor for Chemical Agents and Toxic Chemicals at PITTCON 2007
Bruker Daltonics Inc. will launch RAID-AFM at the PITTCOM 2007 Conference in Chicago. RAID-AFM can detect and identify up to 20 chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals with short response times at IDLH (Immediate Danger to Life & Health) levels. It is designed to monitor critical infrastructure and larger buildings on a continuous basis 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, without operator intervention and with minimal annual service requriements. The RAID-AFM represents state-of-the-art technology to protect key facilities from chemical accidents or potential terrorist attacks using WMD. This new stationary detector meets the evolving demand for a small, affordable instrument that is compatible with other typical building infrastructure, along with Web-based diagnostics and control capabilities.