Domestic Preparedness Acronyms & Terms

Introduction

Domestic preparedness is the training of individuals to become aware of potential natural disaster, nuclear, biological or chemical attacks and the consequences that may result. After the attacks of 9/11, domestic preparedness training has dramatically at the local, state and federal level. First response teams have been constructed to tackle the potential challenges from similar attacks. These first responders, regardless if they are firefighters, police officers, civilian or military, use acronyms and terms such as "NBC" and "Hot Zone" which are key in domestic preparedness training.

This glossary of domestic preparedness acronyms and terms is intended as a resource so that you can familiarize yourself with the terminology that is used by response teams.

Acronyms

Terms

A

ABATEMENT: The process of minimizing public health dangers and nuisances, usually supported by regulation or legislation, i.e. noise abatement, smoke abatement.

ABSORPTION: The process of an agent being taken in by a surface much like a sponge and water.

ACCESS CONTROL: A method of restricting the movement of persons into or within a protected area by manual (guards), hardware (locks and keys), or software (electronic card or biometric readers).

ACTUAL BREAKTHROUGH TIME: The average time elapsed between initial contact of the chemical with the outside surface of the fabric and the detection time.

ADSORPTION: The process of an agent sticking to or becoming chemically attached to a surface.

ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT: Medical procedures performed by emergency medical technicians-paramedics that include the advanced diagnosis and protocol-driven treatment of a patient in the field.

AGGRESSOR: Any person seeking to compromise a function or structure.

AIRBLAST: An airborne shock wave resulting from the detonation of explosives.

AIRBURST: A warhead or shell set to explode above the ground to maximize the area of effect.

ALARM PROCEDURE: A means of alerting concerned parties to a disaster. Various optical and audible means of alarm are available, including flags, lights, sirens, radio, and telephone.

ANTIDOTE: A substance that neutralizes toxic agents or their effects.

ANTI-TERRORISM: Preventative in nature, it entails using passive and defensive measures such as education, foreign liaison training, surveillance, and counter surveillance which is designed to deter terrorist activities. It is a comprehensive approach to counter the terrorist threat. This concept has two phases: proactive and reactive. Proactive is the planning, researching, preventative measures, and preparation phase. The reactive phase includes the crisis management actions taken to resolve a terrorist incident.

ATROPINE: An anticholinergic used as an antidote for nerve agents to counteract excessive amounts of acetylcholine. It also has other medicinal uses.

B

BALLISTIC PROTECTION: Techniques for the protection of personnel (and material) against projectiles of all kinds, such as protective blankets for vehicles or a deminer's protective gear (jackets, helmets, trousers etc).

BARRICADE: An intervening barrier (natural or artificial) of such type, size, and construction as to limit the effects of low angle high velocity fragments.

BASIC LIFE SUPPORT: An emergency procedure consisting of the recognition of respiratory and/or cardiac arrest and the proper application of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to maintain life until a victim recovers or advanced life support assistance is available.

BIOLOGICAL THREAT: A threat that consists of biological material planned to be deployed to produce casualties in personnel or animals or damage plants.

BLACK LIST: A counterintelligence agency listing of actual or potential hostile collaborators, sympathizers, or other persons viewed as threatening to friendly military forces.

BLAST: The brief and rapid movement of air, vapor or fluid away from a center of outward pressure, as in an explosion or in the combustion of rocket fuel; the pressure accompanying this movement.

BLAST CONTAINMENT: Containing an explosive force so the blast wave and fragmentation materials are contained within a border made by barriers, walls, revetments, or other materials or objects.

BLAST EFFECT: Destruction of or damage to personnel, vehicles or structures from an explosive force by a weapon designed to explode on contact with or above the ground.

BLAST MITIGATION: Various physical measures that can be used to lessen the damage of a blast wave on critical assets. These measures include, but are not limited to, blast walls, blast barriers, standoff distance, and structural hardening.

BLAST WAVE: A sharply defined wave of increased pressure rapidly propagated through a surrounding medium from a center of detonation or similar disturbance. A sharp jump in pressure is known as a shock wave and a slow rise is known as a compression wave. Weak pressure waves propagate with the speed of sound and shock waves always travel supersonically, faster than the speed of sound.

BLISTER AGENT: A chemical warfare agent which produces local irritation and damage to the skin and mucous membranes, pain and injury to the eyes, reddening and blistering of the skin, and when inhaled, damage to the respiratory tract.

BLOOD AGENT: A chemical warfare agent that is inhaled and absorbed into the blood. The blood (cyanogens) carries the agent to all body tissues where it interferes with the tissue oxygenation process.

BOLLARD: A bollard is any object that is used to confine traffic within or from a given area. They are vertical members made of wood, steel or concrete which are permanently placed.

BOMB: A device that explodes with great force fused to denote under specific conditions.

BOMB DISPOSAL UNIT: A team of experts trained in defusing, rendering harmless, and disposing of unexploded bombs, explosives, and similar dangerous materials or devices. In some departments, the bomb disposal unit is responsible for escorting and coordinating protection for especially hazardous materials such as radioactive products.

BUNKER: A fortified structure, but primarily a buried or semi-buried structure, offering a high degree of protection to personnel, defended gun positions, or a defensive position, from enemy attack.

C

CELL: The smallest unit within a guerrilla or terrorist group. A cell generally consists of two to five people dedicated to a terrorist cause. The formation of cells is born of the concept that an apparent "leaderless resistance" makes it hard for counterterrorists to penetrate.

CHECKPOINT: A "checkpoint" can be three things: (1) predetermined point along a route of march where troops or convoys on the move 'check in' in person at a manned 'control post' and are given further instructions on the route ahead. (2) Predetermined position along a route where foot, vehicle (or sometimes air) patrols call in their coordinates to headquarters on the radio net, and report on their progress and fulfillment of their mission. (3) A permanent or temporary, self contained, post, e.g. at an entry point to a BZ, where troops or MPs stop vehicular and pedestrian traffic (including civilian) to check documents, frisk passengers, search cars etc., in order to stop the smuggling of arms, ammunition and explosives; checkpoints can be static ('fixes') or mobile ('mobiles'); if they are 'closed checkpoints, they are called road blocks.

CHEMICAL AGENT: Any chemical substance which is intended for use in military operations to kill, seriously injure, or incapacitate humans because of its physiological effects.

CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION: The presence of a chemical agent on a person, object, or area.

CHEMICAL WARFARE AGENT: A chemical substance, which, because of its physiological, psychological, or pharmacological effects, is intended for use in military operations to kill, seriously injure, or incapacitate humans (or animals) through its toxicological effects

CHOKING AGENTS: These agents exert their effects solely on the lungs and result in the irritation of the alveoli of the lungs. Agents cause the alveoli to constantly secrete watery fluid into the air sacs, which is called pulmonary edema. When a lethal amount of a choking agent is received, the air sacs become so flooded that the air cannot enter and the victim dies of anoxia (oxygen deficiency); also known as a dry land drowning.

CIVIL SUPPORT: DOD support to US civil authorities for domestic emergencies, and for designated law enforcement and other activities.

CLEAR ZONE: An area that is clear of visual obstructions and landscape materials that could conceal a threat or perpetrator.

COLD ZONE: The cold zone, or the support zone (SZ), is the area outside the warm zone where there is no contamination present. The cold zone is the area where the CP and support functions that are necessary to control the incident are located. The same basic considerations that are used for the hot and warm zones influence the extent of the cold zone. The cold zone must be readily accessible and provide the means for safety and rest. It must also be large enough to accommodate local, state, and federal WMD response forces (if required) and to serve as the staging area for personnel and equipment. The cold zone can also be referred to as the clear zone, green zone, or SZ.

COLLATERAL DAMAGE: Injury to personnel or damage to a building that is not the primary target of attack. Unintended damages, beyond the destruction of the enemy forces or installations specifically targeted, to surrounding human and non human resources, either military or nonmilitary, caused by the spillover of weapons effect (as opposed to the damage caused by aiming errors).

CONSEQUENCE MANAGEMENT: Those measures taken to protect public health and safety, restore essential government services, and provide emergency relief to governments, businesses, and individuals affected by the consequences of a chemical, biological, nuclear, and/or high-yield explosive situation.

CONTINGENCY PLAN: An emergency plan developed in expectation of a disaster. Contingency plans are often based on risk assessments, the availability of human and material resources, community preparedness, and local and international response capabilities.

CRISIS MANAGEMENT: Measures to identify, acquire and plan to use the resources available to anticipate, prevent, and resolve a threat or act.

D

DAMAGE ASSESSMENT: The process used to appraise or determine the number of injuries and deaths, damage to public and private property, and the status of key facilities and services such as hospitals and other health care facilities, fire and police stations, communications networks, water and sanitation systems, utilities, and transportation networks resulting from a man-made or natural disaster.

DEAD ZONE: A zone that lies outside the sensing capability of sensors within a protected area. A dead zone may result from defective or improperly adjusted sensors or from interference, such as blocking objects or structures.

DECONTAMINATION: The process of neutralizing or removing contaminants that have accumulated on personnel, clothing, and equipment.

DEFENSE LAYER: Building design or exterior perimeter barriers intended to delay attempted forced entry.

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY: A new cabinet level department charged with strengthening the security and protecting the assets of the United States of America and its territories. The primary mission of this agency, which consolidates a large number of other governmental entities under the leadership of one Director, includes (1) preventing terrorist attacks within the United States, (2) reducing America's vulnerability to terrorism, and (3) minimizing the damage and recovery from attacks that do occur. Additionally,

DHS is responsible for homeland security coordination with other executive branch agencies, state and local governments and the private sector.

DESORPTION: The reverse process of absorption. The agent will be "removed" from the surface (off gassing or out gassing).

DETONATION: A release of energy caused by the extremely rapid chemical reaction of a substance in which the reaction front advances into the un-reacted substance at equal to or greater than sonic velocity. An explosive reaction that consists of the propagation of a shock wave through the explosive accompanied by a chemical reaction that furnishes energy to sustain the shock propagation in a stable manner, with gaseous formation and pressure expansion following shortly thereafter.

DOMESTIC TERRORISM: The unlawful use, or threatened use, of force or violence by a group or individual based and operating entirely within the United States or Puerto Rico without foreign direction committed against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof in furtherance of political or social objectives.

E

ECOTERRORISM: Sabotage intended to hinder activities that are considered damaging to the environment.

EFFECTIVE STANDOFF DISTANCE: A standoff distance at which the required level of protection can be shown to be achieved through analysis or can be achieved through building hardening or other mitigating construction or retrofit.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: The efforts of the State and the political subdivisions to develop, plan, analyze, conduct, provide, implement and maintain programs for disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.

EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (EMS): Services, including personnel, facilities, and equipment required to ensure proper medical care for the sick and injured from the time of injury to the time of final disposition, including medical disposition within a hospital, temporary medical facility, or special care facility, release from site, or declared dead. Further, emergency medical services specifically include those services immediately required to ensure proper medical care and specialized treatment for patients in a hospital and coordination of related hospital services.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM (ERT): An interagency team, consisting of the lead representative from each Federal department or agency assigned primary responsibility for an Emergency Response Function and key members of the Federal Coordinating Officer's (FCO) staff, formed to assist the FCO in carrying out his/her coordination responsibilities. The Emergency Response Team may be expanded by the FCO to include designated representatives of other Federal departments and agencies as needed. The ERT usually consists of regional-level staff.

ENCLAVE: A secured area within another secured area.

EXPLOSIMETER: A device that detects and measures the presence of gas or vapor in an explosive atmosphere.

EXPLOSIVE: Any chemical compound or chemical mixture that, under the influence of heat, pressure, friction, or shock, undergoes a sudden chemical change (decomposition) with the liberation of energy in the form of heat and light and accompanied by a large volume of gas.

F

FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA): An independent agency reporting to the President and tasked with responding to, planning for, recovering from and mitigating against disaster. The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11th focused the agency on issues of national preparedness and homeland security, and tested the agency in unprecedented ways. FEMA's Office of National Preparedness has the responsibility for helping to ensure that the nation's first responders were trained and equipped to deal with weapons of mass destruction.

FIELD ASSESSMENT TEAM: A small team of pre-identified technical experts who conduct an assessment of response needs (not a PDA) immediately following a disaster. The experts are drawn from FEMA, other agencies and organizations--such as the U.S. Public Health Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the American Red Cross--and the affected State(s). All FAST operations are joint Federal/State efforts.

FIRST RESPONDER: Local police, fire, and emergency medical personnel who arrive first on the scene of an incident and take action to save lives, protect property, and meet basic human needs. This term has increasingly been broadened in recent years to include bystanders who perform search and rescue, transportation, and communication during the incident.

FORCE PROTECTION: Security program developed to protect service members, civilian employees, family members, facilities and equipment, in all locations and situations, through the planned and integrated application of combating terrorism, physical security, operations security, personal protective services supported by intelligence, counterintelligence, and other security programs.

G

GAS NEUTRALIZER: A product used in riot control operations to neutralize the effect of tear gases. It is usually packaged as an aerosol spray and issued to police personnel.

GOLDEN HOUR: A principle that states unstable victims must be stabilized within one hour following injury to reduce the risk of death.

GROUND ZERO: The central point of a nuclear detonation (or other large blast). Refers to the point on the ground below or above a nuclear detonation if the device is triggered in the air or underground.

H

HARD TARGET: A building, piece of critical infrastructure (i.e. dam, power plant, utility company, etc.) or other commercial or non-commercial entity, that has rigid security measures in place to include barriers, cameras, guards, etc.

HAZARD CONTROL: A means of reducing the risk due to exposure to a hazard. Such means may include: ergonomic designing of work stations and equipment; arranging, safety-guarding and interlocking of equipment; barricading of pedestrian and vehicular traffic routes; controlling exposure to toxic materials; and wearing protective gear.

HAZARDOUS MATERIAL: Any substance or material that when involved in an accident and released in sufficient quantities, poses a risk to people's health, safety, and/or property. These substances and materials include explosives, radioactive materials, flammable liquids or solids, combustible liquids or solids, poisons, oxidizers, toxins, and corrosive materials. Also called Hazmat.

HOMELAND SECURITY: A concerted national effort to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States, reduce America's vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do occur - Homeland security includes federal, state, and local governments, the private sector and individual citizens.

HOMELAND SECURITY ADVISORY SYSTEM (HSAS): A system of color-coded rankings to warn the nation of terrorist threats posed against America. The five-level warning system is designed to provide guidance to law enforcement and other public agencies, citizens and the private sector. HSAS does this by establishing five threat level conditions with associated protective measures that should be taken by government agencies in response. For every level of threat, there is a coordinated level of preparedness.

• HSAS ELEVATED CONDITION (YELLOW): An Elevated Condition is declared when there is a significant risk of terrorist attacks.
• HSAS GUARDED CONDITION (BLUE): This condition is declared when there is a general risk of terrorist attacks.
• HSAS HIGH CONDITION (ORANGE): A High Condition is declared when there is a high risk of terrorist attacks.
• HSAS LOW CONDITION (GREEN): This condition is declared when there is a low risk of terrorist attacks.
• HSAS SEVERE CONDITION (RED): A Severe Condition reflects a severe risk of terrorist attacks. Under most circumstances, the Protective Measures for a Severe Condition are not intended to be sustained for substantial periods of time.

HOT SPOT: A place in a radiation-contaminated area in which the level of contamination is considerably greater than in nearby areas.

HOT ZONE: The hot zone is an area immediately surrounding an incident, which extends far enough to prevent adverse effects from the device/agent to personnel outside the zone. The hot zone can also be referred to as the exclusion zone (EZ), real zone, or restricted zone and is the primary area of contamination. The hot zone is the area that the incident commander judges to be the most affected by the incident. This includes any area to which the contaminant has spread or is likely to spread. Access is only permitted to personnel who are properly trained and protected. The incident commander sets the parameters of this zone after giving consideration to the type of agent, the volume released, the means of dissemination, the prevailing meteorological conditions, and the potential effects of local topography. ICS priorities within the hot zone may include conducting rescue and search, performing mitigation, and identifying WMD or other physical obstacles to the entry point. The hot zone is also the location where contamination reduction begins.

I

IMPACT AREA: An area having designated boundaries within the limits of which all ordnance will detonate or impact.

INCAPACITATING AGENT: An agent that produces physiological or mental effects, or both, that may persist for hours or days after exposure, rendering an individual incapable of performing his or her assigned duties.

INTELLIGENCE: The process by which analysis is applied to information and data to inform policy making, decision making, operations and tactical decisions. Intelligence serves many purposes among which are the identification and elimination of threat sources, the investigations and resolution of threats, the identification and treatment of a security risk, and the elimination of a threat source.

INTERIOR ZONE: A protective zone established inside a perimeter zone. Also called a secondary zone.

ISOLATION ZONE: An area adjacent to a physical barrier, clear of all objects which could conceal or shield an individual.

J

JERSEY BARRIER: A protective concrete barrier initially and still used as a highway divider and now functions as an expedient method for traffic speed control at entrance gates and to keep vehicles away from buildings.

K

KEVLAR: A synthetic yellow-brown fiber of very high tensile strength, woven into bulletproof vests, molded into solid sheets of lightweight armor (from aircraft to helmets). Kevlar is the brand name from DuPont used in bulletproof jackets.

L

LAYERED SECURITY: A physical security approach that requires a criminal to penetrate or overcome a series of security layers before reaching the target. The layers might be perimeter barriers; building or area protection with locks, CCTV and guards; and point and trap protection using safes, vaults, and sensors.

LIMITED AREA: A restricted area within close proximity of a security interest. Uncontrolled movement may permit access to the item. Escorts and other internal restrictions may prevent access to the item.

M

METHOD OF DISSEMINATION: The way a chemical agent or compound is finally released into the atmosphere.

MITIGATION: The activities designed to reduce or eliminate risks to persons or property or to lessen the actual or potential effects or consequences of an incident. Mitigation measures may be implemented prior to, during, or after an incident. Mitigation measures are often informed by lessons learned from prior incidents. Mitigation involves ongoing actions to reduce exposure to, probability of, or potential loss from hazards.

MUNROE EFFECT: The focusing of the force produced by an explosion resulting in an increased pressure wave.

N

NERVE AGENTS: Agents that effect the transmission of nerve impulses by reacting with the enzyme cholinesterase, permitting an accumulation of acetylcholine and continuous muscle stimulation. The muscles tire due to over-stimulation and begin to contract.

NIGHT VISION: Night Observation Device (NOD); night sight; night viewing weapon sight; night vision equipment (NVE); night viewing aid (NVA); night viewing goggles (NVG) a variety of devices, using (passive) image intensifiers (intensification of residual light) and/or thermal (infrared) imagers to improve observation, target acquisition or aiming in low light conditions; they can be coupled with (active) laser aiming lights (laser illuminators or designators, target markers, spot projectors); they take the form of hand-held or helmet-mounted binocular and monocular goggles, pocket scopes, rifle-mounted weapon sights, or armored vehicle periscopes.

NON-EXCLUSIVE ZONE: An area around an asset that has controlled entry but shared or less restrictive access than an exclusive zone.

NON-LETHAL WEAPON: Weapons used by friendly forces designed to incapacitate the target or otherwise neutralize hostile forces rather than to kill or seriously injure. Examples include gas, such as tear gas, and stun grenades.

NON-PERSISTANT AGENT: An agent that remains in the target area(s) for a relatively short period of time. The hazard, predominantly vapor, will exist for minutes or, in exceptional cases, hours after dissemination of the agent. As a general rule, a non-persistent agent duration will be less than 12 hours.

O

ORDNANCE: Weapons, ammunition, or other consumable armament.

OVERT THREAT: A terrorist act that is done out in the open without regard to possible discovery.

P

PERIMETER: The edge or boundary of property or location.

PERSISTENT AGENT: An agent that remains in the target area for longer periods of time. Hazards from both vapor and liquid may exist for hours, days, or in exceptional cases, weeks or months after dissemination of the agent. As a general rule, persistent agents duration will be greater than 12 hours.

PERSONAL PROTECTION: Equipment designed to protect individuals against injury from firearms, nuclear or conventional explosives, chemical, and/or biological agents.

PRE-EMPTIVE ATTACK: An attack initiated on the basis of incontrovertible evidence that an enemy attack is imminent.

PREPAREDNESS: All measures and policies taken before an event occurs that allow for prevention, mitigation, and readiness. Preparedness includes designing warning systems, planning for evacuation and relocation, storing food and water, building temporary shelter, devising management strategies, and holding disaster drills and exercises. Contingency planning is also included in preparedness as well as planning for post impact response and recovery.

PRIORITY I: Patients with correctable life-threatening illnesses or injuries such as respiratory arrest or obstruction, open chest or abdomen wounds, femur fractures, or critical or complicated burns.

PRIORITY II: Patients with serious but non-life- threatening illnesses or injuries such as moderate blood loss, open or multiple fractures (open increases priority), or eye injuries.

PRIORITY III: Patients with minor injuries such as soft tissue injuries, simple fractures, or minor to moderate burns.

PRIORITY ZERO (OR IV): Patients who are dead or fatally injured. Fatal injuries include exposed brain matter, decapitation, and incineration.

Q

QUARANTINE: Restriction of the activities of well persons or animals who have been exposed to a case of communicable disease during its period of communicability (i.e., contacts) to prevent disease transmission during the incubation period if infection should occur. Absolute or complete quarantine is the limitation of freedom of movement of those exposed to a communicable disease for a period of time not longer than the longest usual incubation period of that disease. Modified quarantine is a selective, partial limitation of freedom of movement of contacts, commonly on the basis of known or presumed differences in susceptibility and related to the danger of disease transmission.

R

RED TEAM: A technique for assessing vulnerability that involves viewing a potential target from the perspective of an attacker to identify its hidden vulnerabilities, and to anticipate possible modes of attack.

RESPONSE FORCE: The people who respond to an act of aggression. Depending on the nature of the threat, the response force could consist of guards, special reaction teams, military or civilian police, an explosives ordnance disposal team, or a fire department.

RESTRICTED AREA: Any area with access controls that is subject to these special restrictions or controls for security reasons. See controlled area, limited area, exclusion area, and exclusion zone.

S

SAFE HAVEN: Secure areas within the interior of the facility. A Safe Haven should be designed such that it requires more time to penetrate by terrorist than it takes for the response force to reach the protected area to rescue the occupants.

SHOCK WAVE: A transient pressure pulse that propagates at supersonic velocity.

SHRAPNEL: High-speed metal fragments from a shell or bomb explosion. Shrapnel can be quite lethal to personnel; it can also cause considerable damage to aircraft. Fragments from an exploding munition that can acquire velocities comparable to those of rifle bullets and cause great impact effects. Objects which are attached to the outside or included inside a device to increase the blast damage and/or injure/kill personnel. The device/container walls themselves can also function in this manner.

STANDOFF ZONE: The area between the protected structure and the perimeter barrier protecting the asset against potential threats.

T

TEAR GAS: A chemical agent typically in liquid form and released as an aerosol liquid or gas. Upon contact with the target persons, it produces disorientation, nausea, a copious flow of tears and irritation of the eyes, and other disabling effects of temporary duration. When discharged, the gas has a blue-white smoky appearance and a strong, sweet odor. The effects last from 5 to 30 minutes depending upon concentration and exposure.

TERRORISM: The use of, or threatened use of, criminal violence against civilians or civilian infrastructure to achieve political ends through fear and intimidation, rather than direct confrontation. Emergency management is typically concerned with the consequences of terrorist acts directed against large numbers of. The U.S. State Department defines terrorism as "premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by sub-national groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience

TIGER TEAM: A team of experts who assess the security measures by conducting unannounced penetration attempts such as trying to circumvent access controls or bypassing other security protection.

TWO-PERSON RULE: A security strategy that requires two people to be present in or gain access to a secured area to prevent unobserved access by any individual.

V

VESICANT AGENT: An agent that acts on the eyes and lungs and blisters the skin.

VOMITING AGENT: Compounds that cause irritation of the upper respiratory tract and involuntary vomiting.

W

WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION (WMD): Weapons that are capable of a high order of destruction and/or of being used in such a manner as to destroy large numbers of people. Weapons of mass destruction can be high explosives or nuclear, biological, chemical, and radiological weapons, but exclude the means of transporting or propelling the weapon where such means is a separable and divisible part of the weapon.

Z

ZONE: A section of an alarmed, protected, or patrolled area. A zone often means a space having one or more sensors.

References

http://c21.maxwell.af.mil/refrence.htm

http://www.firehouse.com/training/wmd/2002/04_definitions.html

http://www.themetalith.com/glossary.html

http://www.firegrantsupport.com/afg/05tutorial/text/EMS/acronyms.asp

http://www.arkhospitals.org/disasteracro.htm