Loch H Alsgaard
688
Dr. Garth den Heyer
Inadequate Preparations: the Primary Threat to First Responders Responding to an international Terrorist Event on US Soil
In Risks to Emergency Medical Responders at Terrorist Incidents: a Narrative Review of the Medical Literature, Thompson, Rehn, Lossius, and Lockey describe two categories of threats to the responder: direct and secondary. Direct threats include secondary explosives, small arms fire, as well as chemical, biological, and radiological hazards (Thompson, Rehn, Lossius, & Lockey 2014). As dangerous as those threats are, the authors contend “that the dominant causes of mortality and morbidity in responders after such incidents are the indirect environmental hazards” such as airborne
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particles, structural instability, fire, and mental health (Thompson et al. 2014). While their research likely supports this, the terrorist attacks and the subsequent direct and secondary threats occur within a context of expectations, assumptions, and planning; therefore, for the first responder arriving on the site of a terrorist attack on American soil, the biggest risk -- both for himself and for his mission -- is a lack of preparation. Homeland Security’s Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment guide "provides a comprehensive approach for identifying and assessing risks and associated impacts” (Homeland Security 2012, p 1).
Failure to conduct a proper threat and hazard identification and risk assessment (THIRA) exposes the first responder to the direct threats described by Thompson et al, for which the responder is ill prepared. Furthermore, even if the first responder is prepared to protect herself from direct threats, she may very well be unprepared to deal with the environmental hazards. Additionally, failure to properly conduct the THIRA will likely result in the responder having inadequate or inappropriate resources on hand, on mission, or in reserve to meet the demand incurred by the incident’s scope or method. While failing to properly conduct a THIRA will expose the responder to harm and negatively impact her ability to succeed in her mission, planning off of a well executed and THIRA is not a guarantee for safety or success. No matter how well the THIRA is accomplished and no matter how complete and rehearsed the derived plans, the responder will likely be situation a situation significantly departed from the plan. In such times, the responder will look to her jurisdiction for resources and other …show more content…
support. Responsible for creating and enacting the plan developed from the THIRA, the first responder’s jurisdiction needs to have established or confirmed the procedures and policies for aid assistance from higher, adjacent, and supporting agencies (Homeland Security 2016).
As the National Response Framework advises, “[if] local resources are inadequate, local authorities may seek assistance from the county emergency manager or the state” (Homeland Security, 2016, p. 29). "Upon receiving a request for assistance from a local or tribal government, state officials may,” among other things, distribute stockpiled supplies, provide technical support and resources, and reach out to private sector and NonGovernmental Organizations (Homeland Security, 2016, p. 29). Should the responder’s jurisdictional authority conduct the proper liaisons or pre incident coordination, he may well receive the support and resources he needs to survive the direct and secondary threats described by Thompson et al, as well as satisfactorily execute his
mission. While there is no doubt that the threats to a first responder arriving on the site of a terrorist incident are myriad, those threats may be mitigated before the responder arrives. When the responder is working from a plan that has been built on a solid foundation provided by a comprehensive and well executed THIRA and buttressed by solid back up plans and lines of communication to higher, adjacent, and supporting agencies, the responder can be confident in her ability to face those threats and succeed at her mission. References Thompson J., Rehn M., Lossius H.M., & Lockey, D. (2014) Risks to Emergency Medical Responders at Terrorist Incidents: a Narrative Review of the Medical Literature. Crit care, 18, 521. doi: 10.1186/s13054-014-0521-1 Homeland Security. (2012) Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (Comprehensive Preparedness Guide 201). Retrieved from http://ct2learn.com/els/resources/documents/department-homeland-security-threat-and-hazard-identification-and-risk-assessment-guide/ Homeland Security. (2016) National Response Framework Third Edition. Retrieved from http://ct2learn.com/els/resources/documents/department-homeland-security-national-response-framework/
The National Response Framework is a guide designed to assist local, State, and Federal governments in developing functional capabilities and identifying resources based on hazard identification and risk assessment. It outlines the operating structure and identifies key roles and responsibilities. It established a framework to identify capabilities based on resources and the current situation no matter the size or scale. It integrates organizational structures and standardizes how the Nation at all levels plans to react to incidents. The suspected terrorist attack will have health, economic, social, environment and political long-term effects for my community. This is why it is essential that local government’s response is coordinate with all responders. Response doctrine is comprised of five key principles: (1) engaged partnership, (2) tiered response, (3) scalable, flexible, and adaptable operational capabilities, (4) unity of effort through unified command, and (5) readiness to act. An introductory word about each follows. (Homeland Security, 2008)
The general topic for this literature review will be an examination of the Department of Defense and the National Guard in terms of Homeland Security. The areas of Homeland Defense and Civil Support will be primary subsections of Homeland Security which will be reviewed. For purposes of defining a time period none of the literature reviewed will be prior to September 11, 2001. The reasoning for this being to examine Homeland Defense using literature pertaining to 9/11 and the Boston Marathon Bombing, and Civil Support using literature pertaining to Hurricane Katrina.
There are many factors that play into how a situation should be handled. For a start, the initial approach to a bioterrorist scene determines the outcome of the fatality of the situation. Also, the technique used to spread an infection is vital because it determines what method would be the best as a counter attack. For example, Robert Bourke states in his book Counter-Terrorism for Emergency Responders that, “vapor release from nerve or blister agents will
The facts given in the case of A Cloud in the Midnight Sky raise more questions than they answer. Reviewing this case with the mindset of an administrator, proves to be quite complex. Since I am the acting incident commander, It is my responsibility to declare this situation an external disaster. While the facts in this case study definitely point to catastrophic possibilities, I feel like there are still many pieces of the puzzle that need to be filled. Before I declare a disaster, I need to be in close communication with the local authorities. I will need to assess the entire situation and gather as much information about the incident as possible. Two of the most important pieces of information I would need is what chemical agents if any, have the patients been exposed to and
Haddow, G. D., Bullock, J. A., & Coppola, D. P. (2014). The disciplines of emergency management: Preparedness. Introduction to emergency management (Fifth ed., ). Waltham: Elsevier.
Being the oldest daughter of a Senior ATF Agent, I have been exposed to domestic terrorism all of my life. My father has investigated thousands of bombings, fires, and explosions for more than twenty years now. Many of these incidents were examples of the terrorism that I speak about. His experiences have taught me countless lessons and informed me of many current events. The information that I have obtained from him is far more valuable than anything that the media could ever possibly convey. Though he is always strictly guarded with the confidences of his profession, he has always provided me with a firsthand knowledge of the impact that domestic terrorism has on the citizens and law enforcement. Through him, I learn the facts of these incidents without the media’s exaggerations. Today I will share with you some of these facts. I will talk to you about the impact that domestic terrorism has on our citizens. These impacts include: the monetary damages that terrorism inflicts, along with the injuries to the victims, the shocking repercussions that are embedded into the minds and souls of the people who come to sort through the rubble to find the survivors and the remaining evidence.
Aehlert, Barbara. "Disaster Response and Domestic Preparedness." Paramedic practice today: above and beyond. Rev. ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby, 2011. . Print.
The Department of Homeland Security has a prominent role in maintaining the safety, security and resilience of our nation. In a world where terrorism is an ever-increasing threat and where man-made and natural disasters have left people and areas in devastation, the Department of Homeland Security works diligently to prevent and protect the United States from the effects of such tragedy. In order to effectively protect our nation Department of Homeland Security must assess the risk associated with any terrorist, natural or man-made threat. The risk assessment method that the department uses takes into account certain variables that help the department determine the level of risk. Based on the assessed risk level Homeland Security uses risk management for strategic planning, operations, determining the allocation of resources and grant awards in an attempt to prepare for and mitigate any harm to our nation, critical infrastructure and its people in the event of a tragedy.
Communities must come together in order to be aware of the steps that must be taken to reduce or prevent risk. “The guidance, programs, processes, and systems that support each component of the National Preparedness System enable a collaborative, whole community approach to national preparedness that engages individuals, families, communities, private and nonprofit sectors, faith based organizations and all levels of government.” (FEMA, 2011). Resources within a community are prioritized and customized based on community-based issues and local security programs. The resources used as the front line of defense are first responders, such as police officers, firefighters and medical personnel. The resources are provided and prioritized based on the priority of threat and risks to a specific community. Therefore, the threats and risks targeted towards a community must be analyzed and acknowledged in order to apply the correct resources to the opposing prioritized threats. Disasters and emergencies typically begin at the local level and eventually require resources from state and federal
Plan for the Essay This essay explores the physical injuries and psychological trauma faced by first responders post-event. It will analyze these challenges, assess
Every year communities struggle each year around the nation with issues of life safety. In 2012, the nation’s fire departments responded to 31,854,000 responses that resulted in the deaths 0f 2,855 civilians and injuring 16,500 causing an estimated $12,427 million dollars in damage. (United States Fire Administration, 2014) These incidents put at risk 345,950 career and 783,300 volunteer firefighters that resulted in the deaths of 81 individuals (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2013) and nearly 70,000 reported injuries. ( Karter & Molis, 2013) These numbers represent incidents that are determined to be in the line of duty but do not take into consideration the long-term health risk issues that may develop. Evidence shows that he hazards associated with Fire and Emergency Services are consistent across the board whether paid or volunteer and jeopardize the lives and health of each individual, placing administrative and physical control measures reduces this risk to firefighter within an organization. While it is impossible to eliminate the hazards firefighters face, it is important to identify these hazards as the first step in reducing the potential for loss of life and wellbeing both physically and mentally.
Disastrous events can occur in any moment throughout our lives whether involved as a victim or a provider of care for such event. The role of healthcare professionals, nurses and personnel alike is important to ensure proper patient care, especially for events that are quick and sudden. These events are categorized as Mass Casualty Events (MCE), and they are known to overwhelm local resources of surrounding facilities, consisting of injured or ill patients in need of immediate care (Smith, 2010). Recent incidents such as the Boston Marathon Bombing (2013), Hurricane Katrina (2005), and the Chatsworth Metrolink Collision (2008) are examples of such events.
This framework help archive the National Preparedness Goal of a secure and resilient nation that is prepared to protect against the greatest of disasters and risk in a manner that allows American interests. This framework provides guidance to leaders and practitioners at all level of government, the private and nonprofit sectors and individuals. The National Protection Framework includes those capabilities necessary to secure the homeland against terrorism and manmade or natural
When a disaster has occurred it is vital that all emergency response components work together in order to battle the disaster in an optim...
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an organization of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially formed by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and applied by two Executive Orders on April 1, 1979. The initial first response to a disaster is the job of local emergency services with the nearby help of the surrounding sources. A major disaster can be a result of tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods. The event must be absolutely more than the state or local governments can handle alone. If confirmed, funding comes from the President's Disaster Relief Fund, managed by FEMA and the disaster aid programs of other joining federal agencies.