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Government Response

Federal, state and local government organizations exist to respond to a biodefense emergency, whatever its cause, and to unusual disease outbreaks. The main federal agency for biodefense is the new Department of Homeland Security (DHS, http://www.dhs.gov/), which is charged with both preventing and containing bioterrorist incidents. Within the Department of Homeland Security is the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The purpose of this agency is defined at its web site (http://www.fema.gov/) as follows:

The mission and overriding objective of DHS/FEMA’s Preparedness Division is to help the nation be ready to respond to disasters and incidents of all kinds.
FEMA’s preparedness effort is based on the notion that the foundation of an effective national emergency response system consists of a comprehensive, risk-based emergency preparedness program for all hazards. It recognizes that a strong national capacity for incident and emergency response is based on a single response infrastructure for all emergencies and disasters, no matter what the cause.

FEMA’s Preparedness Division develops and delivers emergency management and first responder training programs; coordinates and develops plans, resources and national standards for emergency response operations; and develops and coordinates assessments and exercises.

The Preparedness Division supports the fire services, emergency management and the first responder communities through grants, education and training, and it and oversees community response plans for chemical and nuclear hazards.

FEMA’s Preparedness Division is headed by R. David Paulison, Preparedness Division Director and U.S. Fire Administrator.

The US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS, http://www.hhs.gov/) shares these responsibilities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta plays a special role in assisting first responders with medical response (http://www.cdc.gov/). Within the DHHS, the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID, http://www.niaid.nih.gov/) is the agency that oversees the new research projects to develop medical defenses against biological agents that could be used in a terrorist attack.

Government Response Links

  1. http://www.mipt.org/consequence-management.asp
    This website contains information and publications from the government regarding actual or threatened terrorist attacks and the government’s plans of response. The website is a library of articles addressing presidential, congressional, and national response actions. The National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism is based in Oklahoma City and was incorporated on September 23, 1999, but continues to deal with the issue of preparedness that is critical to our entire country.
  2. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency offers a helpful link (http://www.mass.gov/portal/index.jsp?pageID=aghome&agid=mema) to retrieve current information regarding natural and man-made disasters. MEMA is a member of the Executive Branch of Government within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts responsible for the coordination of Federal, State, local, voluntary and private resources during disasters and emergencies. This site contains emergency and preparedness information, but also contains links to what is happening in your specific Commonwealth community.
  3. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety is the planning and management arm of the Commonwealth’s public safety efforts located in downtown Boston (http://www.state.ma.us/eops/). This site contains publications and reports regarding safety issues that affect all citizens. The site also contains useful emergency preparedness information for citizens regarding bioterrorism information from the Department of Public Health and explanations of the Terrorist Threat Alert System.
  4. The Institute of Medicine of the National Acacemies of Science has done a number of reviews of government response plans, including one on "Preparing for the Psychological Consequences of Terrorism." In its 2004, second edition of "Informing the Future: Critical Issues in Health" the Institute has a chapter on "human security and bioterrorism" (http://www.iom.edu/).