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M$1 January 23, 2009 10:27 PM

What should I do if I'm in my car when a chemical terrorist attack occurs?

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tko tko
 
January 24, 2009 03:00 AM
Cherman is right.. Your car isn't well-sealed at all. There are plenty of air-vents and gaps in the seals in the doors and boot (trunk.) Just look at any video of what happens to a car when it lands in water.. achieving air-tightness is even harder than water-tightness.  ..I say don't even bother with the car's seals.  Wrap something around your head and wet it.

If you *really* can't move anywhere (like, the traffic is completely jammed up) you might want to seriously consider running for the nearest building. If the gas is a nerve-agent you're probably screwed anyway ..but getting up to a high-level might save you. (IMHO the gas will settle low.) Whether you go for the highest floor, or lowest least air-flow basement (that will be the real tricky thing with any building ..their systems are probably still circulating the air), what I think is going to save you with a building is water. Take off your top, wet it, and wrap it around your nose and mouth. When you get where you want to be, wrap it around your whole head and settle into a nice still-air corner. Maybe barricade yourself with furniture/laundry ..if you're truly lucky you might have a water bottle to help with re-wetting the top.

If you're in your car, and have water, again, everyone should take their top off (women too) :), wrap it around their nose+mouth (or whole head if not driving), and wet what covers your face (and ears)? ..or be more liberal if there's lots of water. Close all vents (internal circulation), and *no* fan or air-con going. I think the seals are bad enough that having the fans on won't help you at all.

If you don't have much of a chance to go anywhere quick, I'd suggest not moving at all.. driving at any speed is just gonna force the air through the lame seals of the ventilation. If you have some warning, driving to a car-park building might help (being high) ..if it's underground I don't know if it will help at all. ..whatever type, the highest level is probably best ..find a corner without air vents ..stop the car, turn off everything, close all car vents, and start with those wet head-masks if you haven't already. ..just don't move around much. (If there's a hyperactive kid on board, put a nintendo in their hand, and they better sit stillor I say they should be out of the car.) ;)


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January 23, 2009 10:46 PM
Your car is not air-sealed like an airplane, so the best thing you could is try to manuall air-seal it. Take off your clothes, rip it in slices, and slide them through the little wholes of your car.

You can also find a garage ( preferably underground) and park your car.

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January 23, 2009 11:34 PM
Drive away? You probably have enough gas to outrun the attack, just make sure you drive into the wind. If you do outrun the cloud, make sure not to touch the outside of the car after you get out, it could be contaminated.

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January 24, 2009 12:15 AM
Very first thing I'd do is turn the fan off, and run AC with inner circulation setting. Then break all speed limits and get the heck out of chemical cloud as soon as I can. I would find nearest underground structure, a thick concrete walled building, contamination free chambers (if you work at Intel/AMD, this IS an option, I guess), or if you have access to it... nearest Jungle. Wait, what? Jungle? Yes. I don't know if trees can actually save you from chemical attack, but they tend to have solution to most of humanity's basic questions. So, if anything, it's probably nature who'll protect you for however long it can.

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January 24, 2009 12:31 AM
How about a nice, thick, concrete hospital? Just in case...

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January 24, 2009 12:44 AM
Oh yea! Most definitely. They'll likely have meds/shots you'd need to fight those toxins.

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January 26, 2009 02:07 AM
I'm not disputing anyone's answers above. Depending on the chemical type, some will disperse into the air and some will stay on the ground. But please, do not live in fear of a chemical attack while driving your car. If you are outside, the odds of receiving a lethal dose of any chemical is extremely low. Gas disperses rather quickly in an open environment, especially if there is any type of wind. It would take an incredibly concentrated source very near you to be a threat. For example, picture the tear gas (CS gas) grenades you see lobbed at protesters. Those are VERY concentrated amounts of gas. But they will not affect a large area. Mainly just the immediate area where the grenade landed and the wind blows the gas and you don't have to go far to outrun its effects. These same grenades are much more effective when thrown into a building where the gas fills up the enclosed area.

So in summary, be more afraid of getting hit by some idiot driver. Any terrorist chemical attack will take place indoors.

Source(s):
Cranky NBC (Nuclear-Biological-Chemical) Warrant Officers, USMC. If anything I said was wrong, they will gas my house.


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January 28, 2009 03:19 AM
Indeed, be more afraid of idiot drivers than terrorists. Period.

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