Managing the Emergency Consequences of Terrorist Incidents

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Managing the Emergency Consequences of Terrorist Incidents Managing the Emergency Consequences of Terrorist Incidents INTERIM PLANNING GUIDE FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Federal Emergency Management Agency July 2002 Interim Planning Guide — July 2002 page 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD ...................................................................................................................................3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...............................................................................................................5 A. PURPOSE ...............................................................................................................................7 B. TERRORISM HAZARDS......................................................................................................9 1. WMD Hazard Agents ....................................................................................................9 2. Other Terrorism Hazards .............................................................................................13 C. SITUATION AND ASSUMPTIONS...................................................................................15 1. Situation.......................................................................................................................15 2. Potential Targets..........................................................................................................17 3. Initial Warning.............................................................................................................17 4. Initial Detection...........................................................................................................18 5. Release Area................................................................................................................19 6. Investigation and Containment of Hazards..................................................................19 7. Assumptions.................................................................................................................19 D. CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS............................................................................................21 1. Direction and Control ..................................................................................................21 2. Communications..........................................................................................................25 3. Warning........................................................................................................................26 4. Emergency Public Information....................................................................................27 5. Protective Actions........................................................................................................27 6. Mass Care.....................................................................................................................28 7. Health and Medical......................................................................................................29 8. Resources Management ...............................................................................................30 9. Recovery......................................................................................................................30 10. Urban Search and Rescue ............................................................................................31 E. ORGANIZATION AND ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES .................................31 1. Local Emergency Responders......................................................................................32 2. Interjurisdictional Responsibilities..............................................................................32 3. State Emergency Responders.......................................................................................32 4. State and Local Public Health Authorities...................................................................32 5. Medical Service Providers ...........................................................................................33 6. Local Emergency Planning Committees, State Emergency Response Commissions, and Tribal Emergency Response Commissions...................................33 7. Federal Emergency Responders...................................................................................33 Interim Planning Guide — July 2002 page 2 F. ADMINISTRATION AND LOGISTICS.............................................................................34 FIGURE 1. Coordination Relationships in Terrorism Incident Response ...............................................24 TABLES 1. General Indicators of Possible Chemical Agent Use............................................................10 2. General Indicators of Possible Biological Agent Use...........................................................11 3. General Indicators of Possible Nuclear Weapon/Radiological Agent Use...........................12 4. Suggested Emergency Operations Plan Elements ................................................................16 5. Responses to a WMD Incident and the Participants Involved..............................................22 TABS A. Suggested Format for a Terrorist Incident Appendix to a Basic All-Hazards Emergency Plan.......................................................................................... A-1 B. Potential Participants in the Planning Process.................................................................B-1 C. Federal Departments and Agencies: Counterterrorism-Specific Roles ...........................C-1 D. Hotlines and Online Resources....................................................................................... D-1 E. WMD Incident Indications and First Responder Concerns .............................................E-1 F. Potential Areas of Vulnerability ......................................................................................F-1 G. Emergency Public Information....................................................................................... G-1 H. Intergovernmental Agreements to Enhance Preparedness.............................................. H-1 I. Terrorism-Specific Considerations for Special Events.....................................................I-1 J. Definitions.........................................................................................................................J-1 K. Acronyms........................................................................................................................ K-1 Interim Planning Guide — July 2002 page 3 FOREWORD The guidance included in Managing the Emergency Consequences of Terrorist Incidents: A Planning Guide for State and Local Governments was originally produced in April 2001 as Attachment G to Chapter 6 of the Guide for All-Hazard Emergency Operations Planning, State and Local Guide (SLG) 101. In the months following its publication, planners throughout the nation used it as a basis for developing Terrorism Incident Appendices to Emergency Operations Plans. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and the ensuing anthrax attacks provided an opportunity to gauge the validity of planning assumptions and to gain a perspective on issues and protocols that need to be incorporated into the planning process. The updated guidance in this document includes insights gained from interviews with responders and emergency managers involved in the response to the September 11 attacks, the anthrax attacks, the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building, and the 1999 shootings at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. The interviews underscored the validity of the statement by President Dwight D. Eisenhower that “plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” The guidance in this document is designed to provide State and local emergency management planners: • A framework for developing supplemental emergency operations plans adequate for addressing the consequences of a terrorist act involving weapons of mass destruction. • A consistent planning approach that will foster efficient integration of State, local, and Federal terrorism consequence management activities. • The most current information regarding the planning and operational challenges faced by communities that have dealt with terrorist events. While the April 2001 guidance provided a starting point, recent reviews of the guidance suggest a number of additional areas that should be considered as part of the State and local planning process. One participant in the response to the World Trade Center attack offered this advice to emergency planners: “Think big; remember the victims’ families and the dislocated; and understand the Federal role.” Other insights from the interviews and comments from review of the guidance suggest State and local planners should consider the following elements: • Flexibility − Terrorists thrive on elements of surprise − Planners must consider the unthinkable as possible—not simply plan for what has happened in the past • Coordination − Regional approach to planning process Interim Planning Guide — July 2002 page 4 − Coordination of local plans with adjacent jurisdictions, with State plans, and with Federal plans − Inclusion of nontraditional partners and organizations, such as occupational health and safety organizations, the U.S. Postal Service, and others • Communications − Use of interoperable, backbone communications systems that provide open but secure communication among
Recommended publications
  • Pandemic Disease, Biological Weapons, and War
    Georgetown University Law Center Scholarship @ GEORGETOWN LAW 2014 Pandemic Disease, Biological Weapons, and War Laura K. Donohue Georgetown University Law Center, [email protected] This paper can be downloaded free of charge from: https://scholarship.law.georgetown.edu/facpub/1296 http://ssrn.com/abstract=2350304 Laura K. Donohue, Pandemic Disease, Biological Weapons, and War in LAW AND WAR: (Sarat, Austin, Douglas, Lawrence, and Umphrey, Martha Merrill, eds., Stanford University Press, 2014) This open-access article is brought to you by the Georgetown Law Library. Posted with permission of the author. Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.georgetown.edu/facpub Part of the Defense and Security Studies Commons, Military and Veterans Studies Commons, Military, War, and Peace Commons, and the National Security Law Commons PANDEMIC DISEASE , BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS , AND WAR Laura K. Donohue * Over the past two decades, concern about the threat posed by biological weapons has grown. Biowarfare is not new. 1 But prior to the recent trend, the threat largely centered on state use of such weapons. 2 What changed with the end of the Cold War was the growing apprehension that materials and knowledge would proliferate beyond industrialized states’ control, and that “rogue states” or nonstate actors would acquire and use biological weapons. 3 Accordingly, in 1993 senators Samuel Nunn, Richard Lugar, and Pete Dominici expanded the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program to assist the former Soviet republics in securing biological agents and weapons knowledge. The Defense Against Weapons of Mass Destruction Act gave the Pentagon lead agency responsibility. 4 Senator Lugar explained, “[B]iological weapons, materials, and know-how are now more available to terrorists and rogue nations than at any other time in our history.”5 The United States was not equipped to manage the crisis.
    [Show full text]
  • Smart Public Safety Emergency Planning and Response Solutions
    Smart Public Safety Emergency Planning and Response Solutions A White Paper from Frost & Sullivan in Conjunction with Hexagon Safety & Infrastructure www.frost.com 50 Years of Growth, Innovation and Leadership Frost & Sullivan Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................3 Part 1: Introduction to state & provincial, regional, and local public safety emergency management .............................................................................................................4 Part 2: Overview of agency challenges, goals, and spending for emergency management planning applications .................................................................................................................5 Part 3: Emergency management solution case studies ..................................................................6 Part 4: Intergraph Planning & Response solution evaluation and assessment ...............................8 Part 5: The Last Word ................................................................................................................9 TABLE OF CONTENTS Smart Public Safety Emergency Planning and Response Solutions EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Planning for and responding to large-scale events and emergencies has never been more complex and unpredictable. National, state, provincial, and local organizations tasked with public safety must now contend with coordinating activities for entertainment events, natural disasters, industrial accidents, environmental
    [Show full text]
  • In Defense of Cyberterrorism: an Argument for Anticipating Cyber-Attacks
    IN DEFENSE OF CYBERTERRORISM: AN ARGUMENT FOR ANTICIPATING CYBER-ATTACKS Susan W. Brenner Marc D. Goodman The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States brought the notion of terrorism as a clear and present danger into the consciousness of the American people. In order to predict what might follow these shocking attacks, it is necessary to examine the ideologies and motives of their perpetrators, and the methodologies that terrorists utilize. The focus of this article is on how Al-Qa'ida and other Islamic fundamentalist groups can use cyberspace and technology to continue to wage war againstthe United States, its allies and its foreign interests. Contending that cyberspace will become an increasingly essential terrorist tool, the author examines four key issues surrounding cyberterrorism. The first is a survey of conventional methods of "physical" terrorism, and their inherent shortcomings. Next, a discussion of cyberspace reveals its potential advantages as a secure, borderless, anonymous, and structured delivery method for terrorism. Third, the author offers several cyberterrorism scenarios. Relating several examples of both actual and potential syntactic and semantic attacks, instigated individually or in combination, the author conveys their damagingpolitical and economic impact. Finally, the author addresses the inevitable inquiry into why cyberspace has not been used to its full potential by would-be terrorists. Separately considering foreign and domestic terrorists, it becomes evident that the aims of terrorists must shift from the gross infliction of panic, death and destruction to the crippling of key information systems before cyberattacks will take precedence over physical attacks. However, given that terrorist groups such as Al Qa'ida are highly intelligent, well-funded, and globally coordinated, the possibility of attacks via cyberspace should make America increasingly vigilant.
    [Show full text]
  • Wildland Fire Incident Management Field Guide
    A publication of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group Wildland Fire Incident Management Field Guide PMS 210 April 2013 Wildland Fire Incident Management Field Guide April 2013 PMS 210 Sponsored for NWCG publication by the NWCG Operations and Workforce Development Committee. Comments regarding the content of this product should be directed to the Operations and Workforce Development Committee, contact and other information about this committee is located on the NWCG Web site at http://www.nwcg.gov. Questions and comments may also be emailed to [email protected]. This product is available electronically from the NWCG Web site at http://www.nwcg.gov. Previous editions: this product replaces PMS 410-1, Fireline Handbook, NWCG Handbook 3, March 2004. The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) has approved the contents of this product for the guidance of its member agencies and is not responsible for the interpretation or use of this information by anyone else. NWCG’s intent is to specifically identify all copyrighted content used in NWCG products. All other NWCG information is in the public domain. Use of public domain information, including copying, is permitted. Use of NWCG information within another document is permitted, if NWCG information is accurately credited to the NWCG. The NWCG logo may not be used except on NWCG-authorized information. “National Wildfire Coordinating Group,” “NWCG,” and the NWCG logo are trademarks of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group. The use of trade, firm, or corporation names or trademarks in this product is for the information and convenience of the reader and does not constitute an endorsement by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group or its member agencies of any product or service to the exclusion of others that may be suitable.
    [Show full text]
  • Pathogens As Weapons Gregory Koblentz the International Security Implications of Biological Warfare
    Pathogens as Weapons Pathogens as Weapons Gregory Koblentz The International Security Implications of Biological Warfare Biological weapons have become one of the key security issues of the twenty-ªrst century.1 Three factors that ªrst emerged in the 1990s have contributed to this phenomenon. First, revelations regarding the size, scope, and sophistication of the Soviet and Iraqi biological warfare programs focused renewed attention on the prolifera- tion of these weapons.2 Second, the catastrophic terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and the anthrax letters sent to media outlets and Senate ofªces in the United States during the following month, demonstrated the desire of terror- ists to cause massive casualties and heightened concern over their ability to employ biological weapons.3 Third, signiªcant advances in the life sciences have increased concerns about how the biotechnology revolution could be ex- ploited to develop new or improved biological weapons.4 These trends suggest that there is a greater need than ever to answer several fundamental questions about biological warfare: What is the nature of the threat? What are the poten- tial strategic consequences of the proliferation of biological weapons? How ef- Gregory Koblentz is a doctoral candidate in Political Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. I would like to thank Robert Art, Thomas Christensen, Linda Fu, Jeanne Guillemin, Kendall Hoyt, Milton Leitenberg, John Ellis van Courtland Moon, Julian Perry Robinson, Harvey Sapolsky, Mar- garet Sloane, Jonathan Tucker, and Stephen Van Evera for their support and discussion of previous drafts. I am also grateful for comments from the participants in seminars at the Massachusetts In- stitute of Technology’s Security Studies Program, Harvard University’s John M.
    [Show full text]
  • Module 1: Preparedness, ICS, and Resources Topic 1
    Module 1: Preparedness, ICS, and Resources Topic 1: Introduction Module introduction Narration Script: Becoming a wildland firefighter means you’ve got a lot to learn—and a lot of “prep” work to do. A wildland fire is a kind of classroom and everyday is like preparing for a new pop quiz. You’ll need to be physically ready and know how to maintain your stamina over the long haul with the right foods and fluids. You also need to know that you’ve brought along the right gear and that you’ve maintained it in tip-top shape to effectively fight the fire. You’ll need important personal items to make your time on the line more comfortable. And if you understand your role in the incident command system and the chain of command, you will have a positive impact on the incidents you respond to. Fighting fires requires lots of resources—from aerial support to heavy machinery cutting fireline—you’ll have to adapt to working on different crew types and with different types of people. So get prepared to jump into this module and learn the foundations of preparedness, the incident command system, and the many resources enlisted to fight a wildland fire. By the end of this module, we want you scoring an “A” on your real-world fireline exam. Module overview Before going out on the fireline, there are “i’s” to dot and “t’s” to cross. Preparing equipment and continuing your wildland firefighting education are on top of the list. This module will give you an overview of: • Common fire fighting terms and parts of a fire • Personal protective equipment (PPE) and how to keep it in tip-top shape • Ways to combat dehydration and fatigue • Incident command system (ICS) and how you fit in • Types of crews and the importance of respecting your co-workers Narration Script: There’s a lot to cover before you can go out on the fireline.
    [Show full text]
  • Mitchell & Kilner
    THE NEWSLETTER VOLUME 9 OF THE CENTER NUMBER 3 FOR BIOETHICS AND SUMMER 2003 HUMAN DIGNITY Inside: Remaking Humans: The New Utopians Versus a Truly Human Future1 Remaking Humans: The New Utopians Versus a Truly Human C. Ben Mitchell, Ph.D., Senior FeIIow,The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity 1 John F. Kilner, Ph.D., President,The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity Future If the nineteenth century was the age of the mentally by making use of reason, science, The Genetics of Mice and Men: machine and the twentieth century the infor and technology. In addition, respect for the Can—and Should—We mation age, this century is, by most accounts, rights of the individual and a belief in the 2 the age of biotechnology. In this biotech cen power of human ingenuity are important ele Intervene? tury we may witness the invention of cures for ments of transhumanism. Transhumanists genetically linked diseases, including also repudiate belief in the existence of super Movie Review natural powers that guide us. These things 4 Alzheimer’s, cancer, and a host of maladies News from the Field that cause tremendous human suffering. We together represent the core of our philosophy. may see amazing developments in food pro The critical and rational approach which duction with genetically modified foods that transhumanists support is at the service of the 6 Book Review actually carry therapeutic drugs inside them. desire to improve humankind and humanity in all their facets.” Bioterrorism and high-tech weaponry may 7 Center Resources also be in our future. Some researchers are even suggesting that our future might include Again, the idea of improving society through the remaking of the human species.
    [Show full text]
  • History of Ics
    INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM NATIONAL TRAINING CURRICULUM HISTORY OF ICS October 1994 I. Background of ICS II. Curriculum Design III. Companion Documents IV. Supporting Material V. Table of Modules I. Background of the Incident Command System (ICS) A. Need for a Common Incident Management System The complexity of incident management, coupled with the growing need for multi-agency and multifunctional involvement on incidents, has increased the need for a single standard incident management system that can be used by all emergency response disciplines. Factors affecting emergency management and which influence the need for a more efficient and cost-effective incident management system are listed below. Not all of these will apply to every incident. • Population growth and spread of urban areas. • Language and cultural differences. • More multijurisdictional incidents. • Legal changes mandating standard incident management systems and multi-agency involvement at certain incidents. • Shortage of resources at all levels, requiring greater use of mutual aid. • Increase in the number, diversity, and use of radio frequencies. • More complex and interrelated incident situations. • Greater life and property loss risk from natural and human- caused technological disasters. • Sophisticated media coverage demanding immediate answers and emphasizing response effectiveness. • More frequent cost-sharing decisions on incidents. These factors have accelerated the trend toward more complex incidents. Considering the fiscal and resource constraints of local, state and federal responders, the Incident Command System (ICS) is a logical approach for the delivery of coordinated emergency services to the public. B. History of ICS Development ICS resulted from the obvious need for a new approach to the problem of managing rapidly moving wildfires in the early 1970s.
    [Show full text]
  • Catalog of Federally Sponsored Counter-IED Training and Education Resources for State, Local, Tribal, & Territorial Partners
    Catalog of Federally Sponsored Counter-IED Training and Education Resources for State, Local, Tribal, & Territorial Partners National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD) Office of Infrastructure Protection (IP) Office for Bombing Prevention (OBP) October 2015 Homeland Security This product was developed in coordination with the Joint Program Office for Countering Improvised Explosive Devices (JPO C-IEDs). Introduction The Catalog of Federally Sponsored Counter-IED Training and Education Resources for State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) Partners list explosives and IED-related Federal resources of value to SLTT partners. The Catalog was developed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office for Bombing Prevention (OBP) in collaboration with Federal interagency partners through the Joint Program Office for Countering Improvised Explosive Devices (JPO C-IED). The JPO C-IED is responsible for coordinating the implementation of the recently updated U.S. Policy for Countering IEDs. The resources in this Catalog support goals and capabilities outlined in the revised policy and are intended to enhance the effectiveness of U.S. counter-IED efforts, including: • Enhancing the ability to deter, detect, and prevent IEDs before threats become imminent. • Ensuring that protection and response efforts effectively neutralize or mitigate the consequences of attacks that do occur. • Leveraging and integrating a “whole-of-government” approach across law enforcement, diplomatic, homeland security, and military disciplines. • Promoting and enhancing information sharing and cooperation between all levels of the Federal government and SLTT partners. The Catalog identifies training and education resources that are provided directly by the Federal Government or are federally sponsored but delivered by a partner organization, such as the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium.
    [Show full text]
  • 4030 ELITE Bomb Disposal Suit & Helmet System
    4030 ELITE Bomb Disposal Suit & Helmet System Mission Critical Protection for EOD Operators npaerospace.com 4030 ELITE Core Benefits Mission Critical EOD Protection ADVANCED OPTICAL PERFORMANCE Advanced ergonomic helmet design offers high protection The 4030 ELITE is the next generation Bomb Disposal Suit and Helmet and a wide field of view, with an active demisting visor System from NP Aerospace, a global leader in ballistic protection and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) design and manufacturing. The high performance, user configurable suit offers 360° protection from the four main EMERGENCY REMOVAL & EXTRACTION aspects of an explosion: fragmentation, overpressure, blast wind and heat radiation. Patented two pull quick release system in jacket and trousers Developed in response to customer feedback and using the latest technology, it is certified enables removal in less than 30 seconds and a new drag to the NIJ 0117.01 Public Safety Bomb Suit Standard by the Safety Equipment Institute. rescue feature allows for rapid emergency extraction The 4030 ELITE delivers improved survivability and ergonomics and accelerated donning and doffing. Protection is enhanced across critical areas such as the neck and torso providing an optimum performance to weight ratio. OPTIMUM SURVIVABILITY AT A LOW WEIGHT High protection across critical areas such as The highly adaptable suit allows for optional customisation with mix and match jacket the torso and neck ensures blast forces are and trouser sizing options and interoperability with the latest user communications deflected and fragments are absorbed and electronics, eliminating the need for a full scale technology upgrade. The 4030 ELITE is the latest addition to the NP Aerospace Bomb Disposal Suit portfolio which is proven and trusted by thousands of EOD operators worldwide.
    [Show full text]
  • Agroterrorism: Threats and Preparedness
    Order Code RL32521 Agroterrorism: Threats and Preparedness Updated March 12, 2007 Jim Monke Analyst in Agricultural Policy Resources, Science, and Industry Division Agroterrorism: Threats and Preparedness Summary The potential for terrorist attacks against agricultural targets (agroterrorism) is increasingly recognized as a national security threat, especially after the events of September 11, 2001. Agroterrorism is a subset of bioterrorism, and is defined as the deliberate introduction of an animal or plant disease with the goal of generating fear, causing economic losses, and/or undermining social stability. The goal of agroterrorism is not to kill cows or plants. These are the means to the end of causing economic damage, social unrest, and loss of confidence in government. Human health could be at risk if contaminated food reaches the table or if an animal pathogen is transmissible to humans (zoonotic). While agriculture may not be a terrorist’s first choice because it lacks the “shock factor” of more traditional terrorist targets, many analysts consider it a viable secondary target. Agriculture has several characteristics that pose unique vulnerabilities. Farms are geographically disbursed in unsecured environments. Livestock are frequently concentrated in confined locations, and transported or commingled with other herds. Many agricultural diseases can be obtained, handled, and distributed easily. International trade in food products often is tied to disease-free status, which could be jeopardized by an attack. Many veterinarians lack experience with foreign animal diseases that are eradicated domestically but remain endemic in foreign countries. In the past five years, “food defense” has received increasing attention in the counterterrorism and bioterrorism communities. Laboratory and response capacity are being upgraded to address the reality of agroterrorism, and national response plans now incorporate agroterrorism.
    [Show full text]
  • Bioterrorism, Biological Weapons and Anthrax
    Bioterrorism, Biological Weapons and Anthrax Part IV Written by Arthur H. Garrison Criminal Justice Planning Coordinator Delaware Criminal Justice Council Bioterrorism and biological weapons The use of bio-terrorism and bio-warfare dates back to 6th century when the Assyrians poisoned the well water of their enemies. The goal of using biological weapons is to cause massive sickness or death in the intended target. Bioterrorism and biological weapons The U.S. took the threat of biological weapons attack seriously after Gulf War. Anthrax vaccinations of U.S. troops Investigating Iraq and its biological weapons capacity The Soviet Union manufactured various types of biological weapons during the 1980’s • To be used after a nuclear exchange • Manufacturing new biological weapons – Gene engineering – creating new types of viruses/bacteria • Contagious viruses – Ebola, Marburg (Filoviruses) - Hemorrhagic fever diseases (vascular system dissolves) – Smallpox The spread of biological weapons after the fall of the Soviet Union •Material • Knowledge and expertise •Equipment Bioterrorism and biological weapons There are two basic categories of biological warfare agents. Microorganisms • living organic germs, such as anthrax (bacillus anthrax). –Bacteria –Viruses Toxins • By-products of living organisms (natural poisons) such as botulism (botulinum toxin) which is a by- product of growing the microorganism clostridium botulinum Bioterrorism and biological weapons The U.S. was a leader in the early research on biological weapons Research on making
    [Show full text]