The Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) program of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) provides funds to major U. S. cities to help them develop plans for coping with the health and medical consequences of a terrorist attack with chemical, biological, or radiological (CBR) agents. DHHS asked the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to assist in assessing the effectiveness of the MMRS program by developing appropriate evaluation methods, tools, and processes to assess both its own management of the program and local preparedness in the cities that have participated in the program. This book provides the managers of the MMRS program and others concerned about local capabilities to cope with CBR terrorism with three evaluation tools and a three-part assessment method. The tools are a questionnaire survey eliciting feedback about the management of the MMRS program, a table of preparedness indicators for 23 essential response capabilities, and a set of three scenarios and related questions for group discussion. The assessment method described integrates document inspection, a site visit by a team of expert peer reviewers, and observations at community exercises and drills.

This comprehensive reference provides all the information emergency departments and personnel need to prepare for and respond to terrorist events. The first section covers all agents potentially used in terrorist attacks—chemical, biologic, toxicologic, nuclear, and explosive—in a systematic format that includes background, triage, decontamination, signs and symptoms, medical management, personnel protection, and guidelines for notifying public health networks. Algorithms show when to suspect and how to recognize exposure and detail signs and symptoms and management protocols. The second section focuses on all-hazards preparedness for hospitals, communities, emergency medical services, and the media, and includes an important chapter on simulation of disasters.

The Oklahoma City bombing, intentional crashing of airliners on September 11, 2001, and anthrax attacks in the fall of 2001 have made Americans acutely aware of the impacts of terrorism. These events and continued threats of terrorism have raised questions about the impact on the psychological health of the nation and how well the public health infrastructure is able to meet the psychological needs that will likely result. Preparing for the Psychological Consequences of Terrorism highlights some of the critical issues in responding to the psychological needs that result from terrorism and provides possible options for intervention. The committee offers an example for a public health strategy that may serve as a base from which plans to prevent and respond to the psychological consequences of a variety of terrorism events can be formulated. The report includes recommendations for the training and education of service providers, ensuring appropriate guidelines for the protection of service providers, and developing public health surveillance for preevent, event, and postevent factors related to psychological consequences.

Using the authors many years of experience in emergency services and his skills as a hazardous materials consultant, prepares the first responder to handle everything from re-establishing control and on-scene triage to investigating the crime. Including information on pre-incident and avoidance tactics, the author also discusses monitoring and detection techniques, protective equipment and decontamination, and an extensive list of resource organizations and training opportunities. This up-to-date 3rd edition is written to provide concise information for emergency responders who might be called upon to confront explosive, chemical, nuclear, biological, or incendiary acts of terrorism.

Concerns three main topics: Dynamics of effective international cooperation against terrorism: Facilitators and barriers; Law enforcement response to terrorism in different countries and regions; and Emergency management lessons for Homeland Security.