The United States government is studying the potential threat of chemical and biological terrorist attacks against civilian targets, both in the U.S. and internationally. In recent years, Congress has enacted legislation to enable the Federal Government to assist in domestic preparedness programs specifically designed to respond to acts of terrorism using chemical and biological (CB) weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Plans are underway to help protect soft targets such as subway systems and airports. More recently the White House has issued Presidential Decision Directives (PDD-62 and PDD-63) ordering the strengthening of the nation's defense against emerging terrorist threats to the United States, particularly regarding the potential use of chemical and biological (CB) weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

In response to a growing concern among many government agencies, municipalities, and corporations, Tracer ES&T has combined its technical resources and expertise in chemical risk management, atmospheric sciences, tracer technologies, and construction services to assist organizations in developing facility preparedness programs which address the threat of a terrorist attack employing chemical or biological (CB) weapons of mass destruction (WMD). For example, Tracer ES&T can measure the impacts of potential threat scenarios and analyze vulnerabilities within air pathways of sensitive and high profile buildings such as embassies. Tracer ES&T has been involved with several projects helping to further ensure safe and correct methods of responding to emergency situations, such as understanding dispersion dynamics of harmful chemical releases, understanding equipment and procedure effectiveness, and testing the abilities of chem/bio shelters. Tracer ES&T offers a full range of specialized services related to counter terrorism support including:

• CB Attack Simulations and Training Exercises
• CB Simulants
• CB Threat Risk Assessment and Consequence Analysis
• CB Threat Scenario Studies and Countermeasure Planning
• Chemical / Radiological Containment Studies
• Confirmation, Verification, and Audit Programs
• Facility Hardening and Warning Systems
• Response Engineering and Training
• Vulnerability Reduction Engineering to Potential Threats

Tracer ES&T has developed safe chemical and biological agent simulants (such as Tracer-Sim) for the training of first responders, testing the vulnerability of facilities and equipment, and validating simulation models. Our simulants take on the physical characteristics of a specific agent with no impact or threat to health or the environment. Our CB simulants can be applied to real-world situations and actual event settings/environments to study the evolution and dispersion of potential chemical and biological agent exposure. Since our agents are infused with various tracer compounds, they can be detected using our proprietary tracer science methods and instrumentation during training exercises. Tracer ES&T currently offers four basic simulant agents:

Simulant Type		Agent Applicability
Vapor Agent		mustard gas, tear gas, all toxic gas agents
Liquid Agent - Rapid Vaporization		sarin, tabin, etc. - any vaporizing agent.
Persistent Agent		VX and other persistent chemical agents, secondary exposure assessment
Particulate Agent		anthrax, small pox, spore/aerosol based delivery systems - primary and secondary exposure mechanisms

All of Tracer ES&T’s CB simulants are safe, non-toxic, odorless, colorless while some can be detected via our proprietary methods at extremely low concentration levels (1 part in 10E15 parts of air which is 1,000 times less than a part per trillion). Simulants can be used in public settings with no threat to human health or the environment. This enables testing of public facilities without the need to evacuate or isolate the facility in any way. In fact testing can be accomplished unnoticed, without the knowledge or awareness of the building occupants. Tracer ES&T offers the capability to detect its simulants in a real-time mode or by way of exposure sampling either on personnel or at fixed locations. Time history of concentration exposure is also available as an option. Measurements of simulant exposure can be translated into "immediate danger to life and health" (IDLH) factors, dependent upon the specific type of agent being simulated.

The applications and uses of CB simulants are varied. Tracer ES&T sees the following as the primary applications of our products:

• An excellent tool to assess the performance of mathematical models and their ability to predict impacts of chemical/biological events in urban or complex environments, indoor scenarios, and varied weather conditions
• Ideal method to site live agent monitoring systems and assess building environments for idle "hot spots" or "safe havens".
• Accomplish challenge testing on filter systems, protective over-garments, vehicles, isolation chambers, and field equipment.
• Decontamination and response training. The use of Tracer ES&T's simulant systems can facilitate training exercises in a real world setting (as opposed to cyberspace) to gauge the effectiveness of response tactics and methods.

For more information regarding our counter terrorism support capabilities, please contact Tom Rappolt at 760-744-9611 x107 or e-mail tjrapp@tracer-est.com.