THE NUCLEAR THREAT
By Al Mozingo
www.firemanager.com

INTRODUCTION
Emergency responders are preparing for the next terrorist incident everyday. Many first responders are taking classes in terrorism/weapons of mass destruction. There are also a number of classes in the Incident Command System (ICS) that most first responders are currently involved with. What type of training is next? The consortium, The National Domestic Preparedness Consortium (NDPC), is providing the majority of the training in this arena. It is the principal vehicle through which the United States identifies, develops, tests, and delivers training to state and local emergency responders pertaining to terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.
The NDPC membership includes:
• Louisiana State University (LSU) (Academy of Counter-Terrorist Education)
• Texas A&M University (National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center)
• U.S. Department of Energy's Nevada Test Site (National Exercise, Test, and Training Center) (NTS)
• Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP)
• New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (National Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center) (NMIMT)
These five organizations received training grants from Department of Homeland Security to develop and/or deliver various courses. I have heard that the five members are increasing in number, but I am not sure who else is currently becoming a member. Each of these organizations brings a unique set of assets to the domestic preparedness program. If you haven’t been sending your personnel to these organizations or are not sponsoring a training program in your area you are missing the boat. It is free!
Now let’s take a look at the problem that requires us to look for the training to respond to these types of incidents. I will focus on one particular area of response the radiological/nuclear response. Who are we looking at today that may cause us a problem?
IRAN
Iran’s nuclear program was started in the 1950’s (yes – more than 50 years ago). This program was terminated in 1979 after the Islamic revolution and then was revived under Khomeini’s rule. In the eight-year war with Iraq it gathered even more support and financing. Iran has an infrastructure in the nuclear arena including uranium mining, milling, conversion and enrichment capabilities. They have the potential to divert these resources toward a weaponization of nuclear materials.
Since 2005, they have pursued the enrichment of nuclear materials in defiance of several United Nations Security Council Resolutions. In 2006, China, France, Russia, Germany, United Kingdom, and the United Sates offered Iran an incentives package that includes the assistance in light water reactor construction. This and other benefits were renewed in 2008 and have met with refusal. They have maintained that they have the right to pursue peaceful nuclear energy.
They possess one of the largest missile inventories in the Middle East. Over the years they have built an infrastruction to build missiles. Iran remains committed to an effort that includes developing long range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and a space launch capability.
LIBYA
In 2003 the International Atomic Energy Agency found they were in the initial stages producing a nuclear weapon. Libya has admitted they have enriched nuclear materials but say they have dismantled their plants. There is information that a number of other governments and individuals have secretly helped they develop missile systems to use nuclear weapons.
Libya signed a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in 2001 and ratified it in 2004. In 2005, Libya signed an agreement with the United States to facilitate joint research on nuclear technology. In 2007 Libya signed a cooperative agreement with France, to assist in the development of nuclear energy.
NOTH KOREA
In 1950’S North Korea started conducting research on radioactive isotopes for use in industry, agriculture, and medicine. In 1965 they obtained a small research reactor from the Soviet Union. They signed the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in 1985 and in 1994 signed an agreement to freeze its nuclear program and to allow inspections. In 2002 U.S. intelligence discovered threat North Korea had been receiving materials from Pakistan for a uranium enrichment facility in violation of the agreement. In 2005 North Korea announced that they have manufactured nuclear weapons. Then in 2006 North Korea tested its first unclear device. In reaction to this test the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 1718 placing sanctions on North Korea.
North Koreas submitted a nuclear declaration in 2008 for denuclearization process; they even destroyed the cooling tower at its experimental reactor at Yonbyon. They have resumed negotiations to map out a verification plan for the future.
North Korea has a missile development program since the 1970’s. They have tested several anti-ship missiles and even a small satellite to put into earth’s orbit. They broke a 1999 moratorium on long-range missile tests. They do pose a direct threat to the United States with their missile arsenal. North Korea has even exported missiles, components, and technology to Egypt, Iran, Libya, Pakistan, Syria, and Yemen.
PAKISTAN
Pakistan embarked upon the uranium enrichment route in the 1970’s. They worked at acquiring a nuclear weapons capability and around 1990 the United States intelligence concluded they had a nuclear device. It is suspected that they do indeed have a nuclear arsenal of about 60 warheads. They conducted their nuclear test in 1998 after India conducted its own weapon tests and declared they are a nuclear weapon state. Pakistan has not signed the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons or the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Pakistan has been developing ballistic missiles since the 1990’s and developed a cruise missile delivery system for they flagship.
CONCLUSION
This is just a brief overview of what is happening in our world today. These aren’t the only counties that cause us concerns they are just the ones I choose to write about. We do not know where the next attack will come from. It can be a governmental sponsored attack or a non-governmental attack. It can be an international or a domestic attack. It can be a large scale or a small scale incident. We just don’t know. It is not if there will be weapons of mass destruction attack on the United States in the future, but when. We all need to continue to purse an aggressive training effort to prepare ourselves for the next attack on our great nation.
I know we all have so many training needs and requirements impacting our organizations today. Just what we need another one! But, my purpose is to encourage all agencies to continue to strive in their efforts to training for weapons of mass destruction/terrorism incidents. We will have an attack someday and then another. This is the unfortunate world we are living in today, one in which we have to worry about such things. Have you thought about how you will respond to a dirty bomb or God forsake a nuclear denotation?
The course entitle WMD Radiological/Nuclear Responder Operations Course can assist you in preparing your first responders for a Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD, “Dirty Bomb” or an Improvised Nuclear Device (IND). Students in this program will learn basic operations of radiation detector and dosimeters. Students will be taught to conduct radiological surveys with hands’ on activities.
To obtain the training: U.S. Department of Energy's Nevada Test Site (National Exercise, Test, and Training Center) (NTS), Contact Elsia Gorden-Millender, at National Security Technologies (NSTec) at 702-295-7425 to obtain a program at your organization today. Or to ask her about the training program in the Las Vegas area all training there is handled by Homeland Security funds (free for you).
Reference: Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) – For additional info see: www.nti.org
About the Author
Al Mozingo a well known writer, training officer and adjunct instructor for four of the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium (NDPC) members and a number of other organizations. He has conducted over 2,500 classes, seminars, workshops, and conferences throughout the United States. In addition, he has written approximately two dozen articles pertaining to weapons of mass destruction/terrorism and has published a total of more than 350 articles. Mr. Mozingo can make a dirty bomb presentation at your location. Contact Mr. Mozingo at: Cell: 619-447-2828 - For more information take a look at his web site: www.firemanager.com