TERRORISM ARCHIVES
A Unified Strategy for Biodefense Preparedness
Patrick P. Rose
November 13, 2013
Regardless of what many experts perceive as the likelihood of a biological attack, continuing improvements in U.S. public health preparedness programs are necessary to ensure more effective response operations and save countless lives. A cooperative approach to biodefense planning should include an expansion of the nation’s existing arsenal of medical
Needed: More Biothreat Training for First Responders
Steven P. Bucci and Jennifer Corrente-Bucci
November 13, 2013
Biological weapons are the most significant threat the United States now faces. Identifying the signs and symptoms early is the best method of defending against such weapons, but U.S. military personnel are not yet properly equipped and trained to identify and prevent the spread of such threats.
Black Swans – Preparing for Pandemic & Biological Threats
Robert C. Hutchinson
November 6, 2013
The first step in preparing for a “Black Swan” event is to confirm that it actually exists. Once that is done, it is important to recognize its potential impact, implement the plans and strategies needed, and understand the roles played by all stakeholders involved.
Public Health & the Congressional Budget Standoff
Chris Mangal
October 30, 2013
The federal government shutdown caused major disruptions throughout the nation. Federal employees are now back at work, but employees of U.S. public health laboratories still risk losing much more than their paychecks. Congressional budget conflicts and further public health funding reductions are likely in the near future, and those cuts
Creating a Closed Point of Dispensing: A How-To Primer
David Reddick
October 23, 2013
During a bioterrorism event, the need to help 50,000 people seeking lifesaving medications can seem impossible for an already overwhelmed public healthcare facility. One solution for alleviating the congestion is to distribute medical countermeasures through other venues – for example, colleges and universities, businesses, and various private sector agencies and
FINAL REPORT: Planned Special Events – When Things Go Wrong
Glen Rudner
October 22, 2013
Deadly incidents such as the Boston Marathon bombings have raised many concerns among special event planners, emergency managers, and first responders. When an incident occurs at the site of a planned event, which usually has many moving parts, the challenges can become overwhelming. This report goes beyond special event planning
Functional Needs – Awareness Is a Two-Way Street
James Martin
October 16, 2013
Resilience for those with functional needs requires two things: (a) that these citizens personally understand what to expect during an emergency response; and (b) that emergency responders understand the physical and psychological impact not only on those with long-time functional needs but also on those suffering from what are described
Ready & Able – But Not Always Willing
Raphael M. Barishansky and Audrey Mazurek
October 9, 2013
Public health agencies play a central role in responding to many different types of manmade and natural emergency situations – including, but not limited to, outbreaks of pandemic influenza, biological attacks, radiological incidents/events, and extreme weather emergencies. Unfortunately, the increased number of multi-casualty incidents in recent years (e.g., the 9/11
Public Health Response & Emergency Management Planning
Patrick P. Rose
October 9, 2013
Most disaster responses necessarily include a public health component. Emergency managers must always be aware of that fact when dealing with emerging threats and their possible consequences. By incorporating a public health response into emergency management planning, the nation will be much better prepared for the next pandemic or biological
Healthcare Preparedness – The Resilience Challenge
James Augustine
October 2, 2013
As the nation’s circumstances change, unexpected events unfold, and funding shifts, the priorities of the U.S. healthcare system must change with them. The location and timing of the bomb attacks at the Boston Marathon this year helped reduce the number of lives lost, but that incident still raised new concerns
Operationalizing the Nation’s Critical Infrastructure Resilience
Dane Egli and John Contestabile
September 25, 2013
Defining “resilience” is one challenge; putting it into action is another one, more difficult and more complex. The Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory is addressing both challenges, and recently asked a broad spectrum of thought leaders to help strengthen the nation’s ability “to adapt, withstand, and recover.”
Risk Assessment & Management: The Overlooked Component
Jennifer Ryan
September 17, 2013
Emergency managers assess risks that are likely to exist within their communities. Planned special events, however, may introduce additional risks that can easily be overlooked during those assessments. The National Capital Region and the state of Maryland are addressing this concern to help prevent the overwhelming of existing resources.
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