Civil/Political Disorder *

Descriptions:

Armed Conflict: Conventional Warfare/Militia Action

Demonstration: A public protest.

Economic Emergency: Loss of personal, governmental, or commercial economic stability.

Hostage Incident: Person or group held as security pending the fulfillment of certain terms.

Riot/Violence: A violent public disturbance by one or more individuals.

Strike/Lockout: A work stoppage to protest or influence work practices.

Sabotage: Intentional destruction of property or obstruction of normal operations.

Weapons of Mass Destruction: Weapons of mass destruction (WMD) are defined as any weapon that is designed or intended to cause death or serious bodily injury through the release, dissemination, or impact of toxic or poisonous chemicals; disease organisms; radiation or radioactivity; or explosion or fire. At least two important considerations distinguish these hazards from other types of terrorist tools. First, in the case of chemical, biological, and radioactive agents, their presence may not be immediately obvious, making it difficult to determine when and where they have been released, who has been exposed, and what danger is present for first responders and medical technicians. Second, although there is a sizable body of research on battlefield exposures to WMD agents, there is limited scientific understanding of how these agents affect civilian populations.

Biological: Biological Agents—Living organisms or the materials derived from them that cause disease in or harm to humans, animals, or plants or cause deterioration of material. Biological agents may be used as liquid droplets, aerosols, or dry powders.

Nuclear: Radiation or radioactive Agents—High-energy particles or gamma rays that are emitted by an atom as the substance undergoes radioactive decay. Particles can be either charged alpha or beta particles or neutral neutron or gamma rays. Detonation of a nuclear bomb or missile in the air or on the ground which produces intense light, heat, blast, and radiation effects causing death and serious injury and heavy destruction for miles from the explosion. People too far away from the explosion to experience the direct weapons effects will be endangered by radioactive fallout.

Incendiary: Incendiary Agent—Causing or capable of causing fires.

Chemical: Chemical Agent—A chemical substance that is intended to kill, seriously injure, or incapacitate people through physiological effects. Generally separated by severity of effect: lethal, blister, and incapacitating.

Explosive: Explosive Agent—An agent that is used to cause a sudden and violent release of gas and heat from any chemical, compound, mixture or device resulting in a blast overpressure and shock wave which causes serious injuries and deaths and imposes severe economic losses to the community as a result of private, business, and industrial property damage or destruction. May be used as a delivery system for other WMD agents.

Secondary Effects:

Personal injury to those creating the disturbance, those attempting to contain it, and innocent bystanders, as well as damages to property in close proximity to the incident. May also be the causal agent for any number of additional hazards; i.e., dam failure, building or bridge collapse, urban fire, epidemic, etc.

An explosion may be a primary event in an incident, igniting fires, causing structural loss of integrity in a building, or the release of potentially toxic substances; or it may be a secondary event, caused by a fire igniting explosive materials, or by impact. Personal injury and property damage usually result due to the characteristics of an explosion incident.

People residing at a distance from a nuclear blast may also be exposed to radioactive fallout. Radiological pollution of the air and contamination of soil and water with radioactive materials. Severe degradation of life support systems threatening the survival of the nation and mankind i.e., agriculture, government, medical, and utility. An enemy attack would require the most extensive response calling for activation of detailed emergency plans dealing with all functions of disaster management.

Vulnerability:

There are several locations in the State that could be considered vulnerable to civil disorders. The Maine State Prison and correctional and detention facilities throughout the State contain individuals convicted of various crimes and may be subjected to riot situations. A nuclear power plant, several military installations, government buildings, seasonal resorts, mass-gathering places, abortion clinics, work sites, and corporate headquarters may be subjected to terrorist attacks.

There are also several schools and college campuses in the State which may be sites for violent protest and/or demonstrations. Labor disputes have erupted into isolated incidents in the past with minimal personal injury and property damage.

Manufacturing locations throughout the State, as well as the storing, handling, and transportation of materials with explosive properties have created increased areas of vulnerability. As the numbers of users and existing locations increase, the threat of personal injury and property damages increases. Historically, few explosions in Maine have been of major impact.

Mitigation:

The Maine Department of Corrections strives to maintain control in all correction facilities in the State. These efforts will continue. Rigid security measures at the Maine Yankee Atomic Power Plant, military installations, and some corporate headquarters restrict access to vulnerable and crucial areas. State government has instituted security measures including closed circuit television to monitor some public areas.

College campuses have maintained relaxed non-confrontational relations with students. Labor unions have discouraged violence as a means to obtain agreement to workers demands.

The Maine State Police, County Sheriff's Officers, and local law enforcement personnel are available to respond to civil disorder. The National Guard’s 11th Civil Support Team is based in Waterville and can be activated through the Maine State Police. The National Guard may be activated by the Governor, if deemed necessary.

Increased safety regulations, including proper labeling for explosive materials, have decreased the likelihood of incidents in the storing, handling, transportation, and use of explosive materials. Enforcement of all laws and regulations regarding the storage, transportation, and sale of combustibles, flammables, and explosives is by the Office of the State Fire Marshal, Department of Public Safety. This is accomplished by a process of annual permits and inspections of magazines for the storage and transportation of explosives as well as inspections of sales records of sellers of explosives. Permits may be issued by local town officials (town clerks and fire chiefs) for transportation and use of small amounts of explosives by local residents. State Police officers enforce transportation laws relating to explosives and combustibles being transported on the highways. Improving the capability of emergency services (fire fighting and medical) to control incidents quickly and appropriately treat victims will minimize the adverse effects.

The most effective mitigation of an enemy attack is prevention. Only through arms negotiation, the reduction of strategic weapons, and better political relations with our potential adversaries can we effectively reduce the threat. A second mitigation strategy would involve removing the threat by closing the military installations in the State and decentralizing our population and industrial complexes. This course would result in economic hardship. The third approach is to develop detailed emergency plans. Although they would be of marginal value in dealing with the unprecedented destruction from an enemy attack, they provide the last level of insurance should the other strategies fail, particularly if dealing with nuclear terrorism.

Nuclear Crisis Relocation Planning was completed by the Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) in the late 1980s and early 1990s. These plans have been stored in the State Archives.

The Maine Army National Guard has produced a listing of Maine’s possible areas of concern, i.e., Named Points of Interest (NPI).

* An occurrence of this hazard could possibly be initiated by a deliberate act.

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Civil/Political Disorder *

Descriptions:

Secondary Effects:

Vulnerability:

Mitigation:

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