ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the Israeli approach when addressing emergency response for a toxicological mass casualty event (TMCE). It discusses briefly the issue of training and exercises, although this is an important cornerstone in preparedness efforts. The Israeli Defense Force, training and preparing to cope with a threat of a chemical attack, would also aid civilian responders in cases of a large-scale TMCE. An indoor toxicological event is usually contained within the closed facility. The proliferation and use of chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals within unstable areas in the world is a cause for grave concern because of the potential for their use by terrorists. A chemical attack is defined as overt, as the toxicological effects are manifest within minutes of exposure, while a covert scenario is more appropriate to biological attacks. Supportive care is an important component of medical treatment in a TMCE.
