robert burke - counter-terrorism for emergency responders
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DESCRIPTION
Terrorism has been a fact of life in many countries around the world, suchas Northern Ireland, England, Israel, and Japan. It is, however, no longer aproblem that just happens somewhere else. Bombings at the World TradeCenter, the Oklahoma City Federal Building, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, andin many other locations throughout the U.S. brought the idea of terrorismhome. Since September 11, 2001, we know that the U.S. is a high prioritytarget on the radar of terrorist organizations worldwide. It is not just foreigncountries and factions that sponsor terrorism, but domestic groups as well,including militia, antigovernment, antiabortion, and animal rights organizations,to mention a few. While bombings have been the terrorist weaponsof choice in the past, chemical and biological agents will likely be the weaponsof choice in the future. Biological agents, in particular, are cheap and easy tomake without detection. They have often been referred to as the “poor man’satom bomb.” A very small amount of a chemical or biological agent has thepotential to kill thousands of people if disseminated in an effective manner,and there may be little we can do to prevent its rapid spread. The outcomeof a terrorist attack may well depend on how thoroughly emergency respondersat all levels plan and train to deal with terrorist events.