APPENDIX N HEALTH EFFECTS OF THE OIL FIRES IN KUWAIT

File: 092496_aug96_decls46_0001.txt
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Subject: APPENDIX N  HEALTH EFFECTS OF THE OIL FIRES IN KUWAIT           

Unit: 22D SUPCOM  

Parent Organization: ARCENT      

Box ID: BX005154

Folder Title: PREVENTIVE MEDICINE-ENVIRONMENTAL THREAT-USAEHA                                                 

Document Number:         26

Folder SEQ  #:         71





              APPENDIX N: Text of Briefing Given to voluntee@nformed Consent Form Pqge I of 2
              Plan for the Biologic Surveillance Initiative, Kuwait Oil Fires Health Risk
              Assessment.


                          HEALTH EFFECTS OF THE OIL FIRES IN KUWAIT


                               Surveillance of U.S. Army Personnel



                       The U.S. Army Environmental Hygicne Agency (AEHA), at the
                  request of the Surgeon General of the Army, has been monitoring the
                  air quality in Kuwait to assess any health risk to soldiers and
                  civilians living and operating in the region. This monitoring was
                  prompted by the smoke arising from burning oil wells.    IDespite the
                  visible intensity of this smoke, the AEHA--working together with the
                  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease
                  Control, and other federal and private organizations--has determined
                  that the concentration of toxic gases and nuisance pa@cies from a
                  wide' range of locations around the fires is very low. Much oil the air
                  that has been monitored was igh4t inside the smoke plume itself.
                  While persons with astb.Ena or chronic lung disease may experience a
                  temporary worsening   of their symptoms, no harmful health    effects
                  are expected to occur  among U.S.-. troops working around the oil fires.


                       Al "he same time 'that A;-:HA is monitoring   air quality, it is
                  tasked to make certain that any possible effects on soldiers will not
                  ..go unnoticed, so that actions can be taken to avoid further isk. To
                  @@o this, preventive medicine officers must conduct special tests on a
                  representative sample of persons deploying to Kuwait, and compare
ing and once after their stay in
                  the region. Acain no sionificant chances are expected, but it is
                  important to provide the best possible health care to U.S. soldiers.

                                                   (ove r)

Document 2 f:/Week-34/BX005154/PREVENTIVE MEDICINE-ENVIRONMENTAL THREAT-USAEHA/appendix n health effects of the oil fires in k:09209615585085
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File Room = aug96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-34
Box ID = BX005154
Unit = 22D SUPCOM
Parent Organization = ARCENT
Folder Title = PREVENTIVE MEDICINE-ENVIRONMENTAL THREAT-USAEHA
Folder Seq # = 71
Subject = APPENDIX N HEALTH EFFECTS OF THE OIL FIRES IN K
Document Seq # = 85
Document Date =
Scan Date =
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 20-SEP-1996