By News Staff
WASHINGTON — Resources were developed to help first responders prepare for and respond to a fourth generation agent incident.
According to a press release, the White House National Security Council launched a federal interagency working group to develop the resources after a 2018 incident involving a fourth generation agent in the United Kingdom.
A fourth generation agent is described as “chemical warfare agents that are unique organophosphorus compounds. They are more persistent than other nerve agents.”
“While fourth generation agents share similar characteristics with other nerve agents, fourth generation agents also pose several unique challenges in terms of toxicity, detection, persistence, and potential for delayed onset of symptoms,” the press release said.
The NSC developed the following resources to “provide tailored guidance to various segments of the emergency response community.”
- Safety Awareness for First On-Scene Responders Bulletin: Designed to educate responders for situations when they are the first on scene and may be unaware of a present fourth generation agent.
- Reference Guide: Designed to educate HAZMAT teams.
- Medical Management Guidelines: Designed to guide the medical management of exposed patients.
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