Weapons of Mass Destruction and Emergency Management

The field of emergency management undergoes constant change as new threats emerge.

Consequentially, a healthcare professional may face various disaster scenarios and will need to learn about the necessary tools to prepare and deal with such disaster scenarios. On the basis of what you learned in this week's readings and in regard to the above statement, answer the following questions:

• What is the biggest threat in the healthcare industry? Why? Provide a fact-based rationale for your choice.

• Does the healthcare industry face different threats now than they it did twenty years ago? What are the newthreats?

• How would you prepare for the newthreat?

• How could a healthcare facility prepare itself in the event terrorists began to focus on soft targets such as sporting events, shopping malls, or healthcare facilities?

Let's read the following statement.

Several agencies have suggested specific guidelines for preparing for a bioterrorist attack. In their opinion, there are several areas healthcare facilities need to focus on when preparing for a bioterrorist attack. These areas include preparedness and prevention, detection and surveillance, diagnosis and characterization of biological and chemical agents, and response and communication. Communication is an integral part of a successful response to a disaster.

Answer the following questions in regard to the above recommendations by various agencies:

• What is the effect of communication on collaboration with other agencies or organizations dealing with a disaster situation?

• Why did it take 9/11 for top law enforcement agencies of the United States to begin sharing information? How important is this sharing of information to fight against terror?

• What are the guidelines for establishing effective lines of communication in a disaster scenario?