DISASTER! - Homeland Security and Emergency Management ...

• If swallowed - if someone drinks or eats somethingexposed to cyanide, do NOT make them puke or drinkfluids - call 9-1-1Sarin (Nerve) - is a clear, colorless, odorless and tasteless liquid that couldevaporate into a vapor (gas) and contaminate the environment. It is manmadeand originally developed to kill insects. Nerve agents basically turn“off” the body’s ability to stop muscles and glands from twitching.How it spreads: Sarin could be released into the air, water, or soil as aweapon. People can be exposed by breathing vapors, by drinking or eatingsomething contaminated, or by touching water, soil or clothing exposed tosarin. A person’s clothing can release sarin for about 30 minutes after beingexposed to vapor. Because sarin vapor is heavier than air, it settles in lowlyingareas creating a greater exposure hazard.Signs & Symptoms: Depends on how much, what form, and how peopleare exposed to sarin. No matter how exposed (breathing, absorbed throughskin, or eating / drinking it), the following may show up within seconds(vapor or gas) or within minutes to 18 hours (liquid)...• Head - runny nose, drooling or excess spittle, headache• Eyes - watery, small pupils, blurred vision, eye pain• Lungs - cough, tight feeling in chest, fast/rapid breathing• Nervous system - confusion, drowsiness, weakness• Heart/blood - slow/fast pulse, rise/drop in blood pressure• Stomach/gastrointestinal - abdominal pain, puking, sick tostomach, diarrhea, pee lot more than normal... plus ...• If exposed to small amount - just a drop of sarin on skincan cause sweating and muscle twitching• If large amount - can cause convulsions (body can’t stopthe muscles and glands from twitching), paralysis (can’tmove), pass out, stops breathing leading to deathTreatment: Sarin poisoning is treated with antidotes and supportive medicalcare. Mainly want to avoid area where released, get decontaminated(strip & wash), and seek medical attention as soon as possible.• First - leave area as quickly as possible... if outdoors - move to higher ground and stay upwind... if in building - get outside to highest ground possible• If inhaled - get fresh air as quickly and calmly as possible• If on clothing or skin - remove contaminated clothes andshoes but don’t pull anything over head - cut it off body.92 www.itsadisaster.net or call 1-888-999-4325