Preparedness (ultralight attack on statue of liberty)

[David Honig]

At 09:45 PM 9/21/01 -0700, Tim May wrote:
>Any attack with VX or similar nerve gas would kill tens of thousands 
>fairly quickly. Gas masks of no use, due to lack of coverage of all 
>exposed skin, and leakage. Gas masks mainly useful for mustard gas, that 
>sort of thing.

Leakage yes, but I think a lot of people get sick or die (eg in a 
subway attack) because of inhaling the gas phase.  Of course if you touch 
the liquid you're toast.  I'd think an alkali decontaminizing layer in the
filter would
help with the nerve agents.




>Preston's "The Cobra Event" is a pretty good novel about releasing a 
>virus in crowded cities. This was of course the novel that scared 
>Clinton into starting a series of reviews of biochemical terrorism plans.

Remember that *2* weeks ago some jokester flew (landed :-) an ultralight on
the Statue of Liberty?



>A few cannisters of VX fired with a mortar. A football stadium with 
>60,000 fans. And a live television audience seeing the convulsions 
>begin...

A lot would die just from the panic.