Syllabus

Short Course Description

The environment in which we live is saturated with risks, including risks arising from exposure to toxic chemical compounds, biological pathogens and substances that emit ionizing (radioactive) radiation. Human exposure to these substances, also known as "unconventional", can occur naturally (e.g., an outbreak of epidemics), as a result of an industrial accident, or due to a deliberate dispersal (in terrorist or war scenarios). Injury resulting from exposure to unconventional substances is very different from trauma injuries known in other scenarios. In addition, the psychological effects may be more severe. Dealing with unconventional scenarios requires adapting the tactical and strategic response to the unique characteristics of these scenarios. In this course, we will discuss the main characteristics of the biological, chemical, and radiological scenarios, detail the response at its various levels, and review relevant case studies.
The aim of the course is to allow students to become acquainted with the basic concepts related to the contents of the chemical, biological and radiological risks, to understand the characteristics of the unconventional threat, and to provide tools for recognizing and understanding how to deal with such disasters. At the end of the course, students will become familiar with the types of unconventional emergencies, stages of preparation, and dealing with them, as well as the ways and methods of the various systems to deal with such disasters.