Course Protection against weapons of mass destruction (WMD)

We are now completing our update of the course. Among other things, a number of tables will be added to the course, which in cases of necessity will be an important guide. We expect the course to be ready in the summer of 2023.

When we talk about weapons of mass destruction, we mostly mean nuclear, biological, (formerly referred to as bacteriological), chemical, toxin and radiological weapons. Although various treaties have been signed prohibiting their production, propagation, and use in war conflicts, in spite of this it is not good to rely on these treaties. They probably won't apply within times of war. Additionally, the use of nuclear weapons in war is not prohibited. Regarding the possibility of the mass production of weapons of mass destruction, then the easiest and fastest to produce are chemical and biological weapons, and therefore it is not a problem to easily begin their production just before the start of an impending conflict.

Towards the end of the article What lies ahead in 2011 and 2012 in a simulation of a ground nuclear attack in the centre of a hypothetical city, we highlighted the dependence of the number of deaths on the level of knowledge of protection against nuclear weapons. It is also true with regards to chemical, biological and toxin weapons that the better our knowledge of how to protect ourselves from their effects, then the less problems we can expect. In this course, we focus upon nuclear, chemical, biological, toxin and radiological weapons.

Even in a global thermonuclear war, chemical, biological, and in some places even toxin weapons would be used, often as a kind of 'top up' to nuclear strikes. Similar to nuclear weapons, the effectiveness of other weapons of mass destruction is influenced by a number of factors. In order to assess the effects of chemical, biological and toxin weapons on humans it is necessary to take into account the extent of the attack, what kind of chemical warfare agents and/or biological agents and/or poisons (toxins) were used during the attack and in what quantity, how they were used, the rate at which the attack was detected, the atmospheric conditions prevailing during the time of the attack and after it (the air temperature and in the event of a chemical attack even the soil surface temperature, the direction and speed of ground-level wind, the intensity of precipitation, the type of thermal stratification of the atmosphere, the degree of cloud cover, the air humidity etc.), the distance from the epicentre of such an attack, the vegetation (type, density, height and area) and the shape of the landscape between the epicentre and the place of their incidence, the nature of the target (city, forest, meadow, etc.), the time elapsed since the attack, the time spent in the contaminated area, what time has passed since the attack before entering the contaminated area, what protective equipment has been used for the duration of the stay in the infected area, if people in the infected area had appropriate knowledge of how to protect themselves against an attack led by weapons of mass destruction, the age of the people affected, etc. It should be noted that if we had, for example, ten identical chemical bombs and used them to attack ten different areas, then the size of the infected areas could differ quite fundamentally, even severalfold, and in addition, each area would be contaminated at more or less different times. As it also would be likewise in the event of the use of biological or toxin weapons.

In the event of the use of chemical, biological or toxin weapons, of course comprehensive knowledge regarding protection against their effects at least is necessary. However, without the appropriate background, it could be quite difficult in some areas and sometimes even almost impossible to deal with their effects. Even in an improvised shelter, it would be difficult to get along without quality filter ventilation in such a case. For this purpose, our developed manual filter ventilation equipment, which is mobile and is designed especially for combat deployment in conditions during the use of weapons of mass destruction, can work well.

What you will learn during the course Protection against WMD

The principles of how chemical, biological, toxin, radiological and nuclear weapons work.
Methods of using these weapons.
Against what targets can the use of individual weapons of mass destruction be expected.
Which elements influence the success of the deployment of weapons of mass destruction.
What are the limitations of these weapons.
What are the effects of these weapons on the human body, animals, plants, buildings, etc.
What protective equipment to use.
Methods of making alternative protective equipment.
By what means can weapons of mass destruction reach their target.
How the effects of nuclear explosions differ according to the type of explosion.
Information about the effects of nuclear weapons depending upon the shape of the terrain, the atmospheric conditions, the type of explosion, the strength of the explosion, the distance from the epicentre and the centre of the explosion, the place of the presence of the person, the altitude, etc.
What is the composition of radioactive fallout.
What level of radiation can be expected in the field near the epicentre (for the different types of explosions).
What level of radiation can we expect in the field at different distances from the epicentre of a nuclear explosion with regards to the type of explosion, the composition of the nuclear weapon, the atmospheric conditions, the time elapsed since the explosion, etc.
How to recognize if radioactive contamination can occur in the given area at all.
When, if need be, can we expect the outset of radioactive fallout.
How fast the radiation level decreases at different times after the explosion.
What materials are suitable for shielding gamma radiation and in what thickness.
To evaluate the radiation situation without the use of instruments.
How to prevent radioactive materials from entering the house.
What is the physical and effective half-life of selected radioactive elements.
How to prevent the deposition of radioactive iodine in the thyroid gland.
How to limit the penetration of radioactive substances into the body as much as possible.
How to protect food, water, clothes, daily necessities, etc. against radioactive fallout.
How to remove radioactive fallout from food and feedstuff.
With respect to the extent of the contamination, from which food and feedstuff is it not possible to safely remove (to deactivate) radioactive particles.
To prepare drinking water from water containing radioactive particles.
To carry out partial and complete hygienic cleaning.
To deactivate clothing, objects, buildings, terrain, etc.
What safety precautions to observe during hygienic cleaning and deactivation.
What are the effects of ionizing radiation on plants, animals, etc.
To protect domestic and farm animals from radiation exposure.
How to make a suitable improvised shelter inside and possibly even outside the building.
How to psychologically prepare for a nuclear attack.
What problems can be expected during the post-war recovery and how to solve them.
What are the difficulties of post-war agriculture and the possibilities of solving them.
What problems can be encountered during a mass nuclear strike and how to deal with them.
In which case is an electromagnetic impulse (EMI) dangerous for electronic devices.
What are the effects of so-called neutron weapons.
How to recognize dangerously contaminated terrain when crossing the country without any equipment, even after a longer time after the explosion.
When and how to remove radioactive fallout in various situations (snow cover, soil, concrete, etc.) in order to minimize the risk of the possible occurrence of a mild degree of radiation sickness.
At what distances can the radiation from the fallout be hazardous.
How many hours or minutes at different times after the explosion can we safely stay outside each day, depending upon the strength and type of the explosion, the distance from it etc.
What are radiological weapons and how to protect yourself from their effects.
The basics of first aid in the event of a chemical attack.
The correct passage through the contaminated terrain, (which places we should essentially avoid etc.).
How various chemical warfare agents work depending upon the amount used, the type of attack, the nature of the target (city, forest, meadow etc.), the temperature of the air and soil surface, wind speed, the shape of the terrain, the time elapsed since the attack, vegetation (type, density, height and area), the type of thermal stratification of the atmosphere, the intensity of precipitation, etc.
How to protect food, water, clothing, daily necessities etc. from contamination.
How to decontaminate and disinfect food and feedstuff.
Which food and feedstuff cannot be decontaminated and disinfected with respect to the extent of the contamination.
How to prepare drinking water (decontamination and disinfection).
How to properly decontaminate and disinfect objects, buildings, terrain, etc.
What safety measures to observe during hygienic cleaning, decontamination and disinfection.
How to prevent the spread of various diseases in the event of a biological attack.
The progression of selected diseases in the event of a biological attack.
How a chemical or biological attack can be detected without instruments.
Which biological warfare agents would probably be used for both strategic and tactical attacks.
Which infectious diseases are contagious only between humans, which between humans and animals, and which pose a threat mainly to animals.
What are the treatment options in the event that biological weapons are used.
How to increase the body's immunity in the face of a biological attack.
How long can the pathogens which cause selected diseases be dangerous.
What protective measures to undertake for the purpose of protecting domestic and farm animals.
What important things is it good to obtain and how to make your own list of necessary items.
Further details.

This course will be supplied on a flash drive. However, in the event of an unexpected escalation of the situation in the world, we are ready to reopen this course in the classic form and train at least some of those interested.

Price: 9,699 CZK (approx. 451 USD or 374 EUR)

The price in USD or EUR depends on the current rate of exchange of the Czech crown on the date of payment.

Method of payment: bank transfer or in cash (some other payment methods are possible)

By purchasing, you agree to the terms and conditions.

There is no need for concern that someone on the course will not understand something. The course is presented in a simple form so that it is understandable also for a ten-year-old child. Technical jargon is often replaced by 'layman's' terms, and the material is usually interpreted in an over simplified manner.