Task Force Scorpio
Encyclopedia
Task Force Scorpio was a United Nations
biological and chemical response team that was activated during the first Gulf War to respond to any potential use of weapons of mass destruction
on civilians. The task force was composed of volunteer Swiss
members of the Disaster Relief Unit, equipped with the latest chemical and biological protection equipment, immunized against agents suspected for battlefield use and had its own jet transportation. The members of the team were to travel under Swiss diplomatic passports anywhere in the world within 24 hours of activation.
The task of the force was to arrive on contaminated land, contain the danger and assess damage to the civilian population, respond to it and coordinate the response by other international relief agencies.
Task Force Scorpio was under the orders of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and was ready for active duty of the 28 February 1991, in time for the first Gulf War. It was not deployed.
The Task force was founded by Dr Robert Steffen of the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Zurich
, Switzerland
and co-founded by Jack Woodall.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
biological and chemical response team that was activated during the first Gulf War to respond to any potential use of weapons of mass destruction
Weapons of mass destruction
A weapon of mass destruction is a weapon that can kill and bring significant harm to a large number of humans and/or cause great damage to man-made structures , natural structures , or the biosphere in general...
on civilians. The task force was composed of volunteer Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
members of the Disaster Relief Unit, equipped with the latest chemical and biological protection equipment, immunized against agents suspected for battlefield use and had its own jet transportation. The members of the team were to travel under Swiss diplomatic passports anywhere in the world within 24 hours of activation.
The task of the force was to arrive on contaminated land, contain the danger and assess damage to the civilian population, respond to it and coordinate the response by other international relief agencies.
Task Force Scorpio was under the orders of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and was ready for active duty of the 28 February 1991, in time for the first Gulf War. It was not deployed.
The Task force was founded by Dr Robert Steffen of the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Zurich
University of Zurich
The University of Zurich , located in the city of Zurich, is the largest university in Switzerland, with over 25,000 students. It was founded in 1833 from the existing colleges of theology, law, medicine and a new faculty of philosophy....
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and co-founded by Jack Woodall.