discussion

Ever since 9/11 the federal government has stressed the need to plan for a terrorist incident involving a weapon of mass destruction (WMD). The key consequence regarding management planning issues for a WMD incident are medical and public health.

The four major components for a response to a WMD incident are threat assessment; emergency consultation; specialized technical assistance, and additional assets as needed from the federal and private sector. Response plans should address these components. Health response requires cooperation with all state and local health agencies including private health care providers.

1. In your opinion, do you believe that the health component is adequately addressed in the planning for a WMD incident?
2. Do you believe that States and local governments, including local health care facilities, will receive sufficient funding to adequately plan and prepare for such an incident?

In order to respond to the following questions, review the Background reading:

1. United States Government interagency domestic terrorism concept of operations plan (2001). http://www.fas.org/irp/threat/conplan.html
2. Review of the Department’s preparation to respond to a WMD incident (2010), U.S. Department of Justice, I-2010-004. http://www.justice.gov/oig/reports/plus/e1004.pdf
3. National Response Framework: https://www.fema.gov/national-response-framework