"VX nerve gas" (actually nail polish remover) phreaks out DHS bunglers @ JFK Airport [JFK]

NY Post: Suspected lethal nerve agent discovered at JFK Airport; two customs agents hospitalized (Aug 11 2013)

The highly lethal nerve agent VX -- used in weapons of mass destruction -- appears to have been discovered in a mail facility at JFK Airport where two US customs agents were sickened this morning, a law-enforcement source said. Both victims suffered respiratory distress and were taken for emergency treatment after being overcome while inside the US Postal Service facility on North Boundary Road at 9:40 a.m., the source said. Initial testing after the incident revealed the presence of "chemical-grade weapons and nerve gas," and subsequent testing produced a positive reading for VX, the source said.​

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The scene of the incident is a giant facility that processes overseas mail bound for the eastern United States, and a source said the package involved appears to have come from China.​

 

I would guess that all prior or current military have seen the films of nerve gas during NBC training. Nerve gas is nasty stuff and it only takes tiny amounts to be fatal.

I don't know when they stopped using the squeeze tubes of atropine that we had to jab in our legs. So much fun.

 

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/08/11/fbi-investigating-after-customs-employees-at-jfk-sickened/

Suspicious Substance At JFK Turns Out To Be Beauty Supplies

 

Now you've done it, I have to come up w/ a new thread title.

 

How does this kind of crap make it to any real news reporting organization? Are the LEO agencies releasing this crap in order to keep the fear factor up? Or are either of these groups just incompetent and taking their cue from TSA?

 

No worries on the title, Mike. This is as much the story as anything.

HOW does the *info* flow such that this could go from VX gas--> phosphoric acid--> nail polish remover, as it turned out to be??

 

Even a salary doesn't make a
real journalist.

 

A bit OT: CVS drugstores are beginning to required ID, similar to that needed to purchase sudafed, when one buys nail polish remover containing acetane.

As to why this was reported as nerve gas: someone in the media or the government really, really, really wanted it to be so.

 

Exotic magic eight-ball testing equipment that CBPuses at the mail facility?:

It took *experts* hours to figure out it wasn't nerve gas when it came from a carton filled with other bottles of nail polish remover??? I bet the FBI was pretty embarassed.

 

So hand lotion tests positive as "explosives," and nail polish remover tests positive as "VX nerve agent?"

Interesting.

 

Really? REALLY??? I can buy pure acetone at the beauty supply store anytime I want...and it's cheaper (oz. for oz.) than that crap that's sold as nail polish remover!


Really? <*still shaking her head*>

 

Probably cheaper yet at your local home improvement store.

$16.98 gallon locally

 

Nerve gas:Nail polish remover::Explosives:Hand lotion

Ineptitude permeates Homeland Security.

 

With this kind of expertise at work is it any wonder that airport screening is so dysfunctunal?

 

We used it to dry glassware in a univ. chem lab -- displaces water and dries quickly with no deposits, filled our jugs out of barrels in the basement solvent room.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/11/cvs-nail-polish-remover-id_n_3739816.html

BTW, I note that I misspelled "acetone".

 

Squeeze tubes were replaced by autoinjectors in the early 80's.

 

Yeah, I'm showing my age again. Don't remember proper name of the old style injection but it was a nasty little deal.

 

Yup, number 1 autoinjector was Atropine, number 2 autoinjector was "Two Pam Chloride". They were (according to our NBC Officer) supposed to place your body into a state of overdrive to help combat the effects of chemical agents... It was probably so you would die from a heart attack before the full effect of the chems could take hold (as they can be exceedingly nasty). If you ever saw one of the autoinjectors deploy, you would most likely have taken the effects of the chems in stride - it launched about an inch and a half long, large gauge needle into you and deployed the contents at great speed. Remember the instructions on them Frank?

1. Hold in front of body with writing towards mask
2. Remove larger autoinjector #1 (Atropine)
3. Strike on the most fleshy area of the right thigh or buttock
4. Replace in holder
5. Remove smaller autoinjector #2 (2 Pam Chloride)
6. Strike on the most fleshy area of the right thigh or buttock
7. Replace in holder

When striking please remember to hold the autojinjector in place until all contents have been injected (approximately 1.5- 4 seconds).
When finished, use the tie/snap on assemby at the top of the holder to secure the autoinjector case to the outside of NBC equipment/uniform for medical personnel information purposes.

That is close to what I remember, but it was almost 20 years since I have even seen a set of autoinjectors, so I may be a little rusty...

 

I'm sure the mail facility was so well prepared, , what with "VX nerve agent" being one of the magic eight-ball field test answers and all.