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America has been targeted. America has been attacked. America has suffered. Bioterrorism. A Nation Challenged. Domestic Preparedness and Response. The Challenges of Local /Federal Partnership. Comprehensive strategic assessment of bioterrorism is required.
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America has been targeted
America has been attacked
America has suffered
Bioterrorism A Nation Challenged
Comprehensive strategic assessment of bioterrorism is required
Capability • “Loose bugs” readily available • The list of threat agents is formidable and growing • Relatively inexpensive due to available technologies for production and storage • Dissemination now more easily accomplished • Requisite knowledge and competency readily available • “Dual use” technology makes it difficult to identify clandestine R & D activities • Emergence of genetically engineered bioagents
IntentNation/States, groups, and individuals of domestic and international origins motivated by diverse political, social, economic, religious, or criminal intent view the increased availability of bioagents as an opportunity to wage asymmetric warfare
Washington PostNovember 5, 2002 “The Bush Administration concludes that four nations possess unsanctioned stockpiles of Smallpox virus.” France, Iraq, North Korea and Russia “two unnamed officials”
Zealots, extremists, and malicious opportunists will not be constrained by moral and ethical considerations.
Bioterrorism • Credible Threat • Low Probability/High Consequence
Risk Assessment Threat/Assets/Vulnerabilities Combinations
Domestic Preparedness StrategyNational Strategy Federal Response Plan Terrorism Incident AnnexCommunity Strategy Escalation of E.M.S. System Response
Federal Strategy Assumed: • Coordination of Multiple Federal Agencies • Appropriate Planning/Response • Integration of Federal Family Into Community Response
Major Federal Response Initiatives • Department of Health & Human Services • Department of Defense • Department of Justice • Federal Emergency Management Agency
Community Strategy Assumed: • Disaster Plan Exists • Specific WMD Incident Plan Exists • Realization of Needs and Losses • Self Sufficiency
Unique characteristics of nuclear, chemical, and biological threats impose the need for a unique defense doctrine for each threat category.
Adoption of a “holistic” doctrine for biodefense remains elusive but vital
August 1998 Stakeholders Meeting - Issues for the Federal Government • Identifysingle lead federal agencyto serve as aclearinghouseand coordinate thedistribution of federal programs and guidance to state and local communities • Identifysingle program and policy office to integrate federal programsfor terrorism-related assistance
U.S. RESPONSE TO CBW TERRORISM AND DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS Courtesy of the Center for Nonproliferation Studies/Monterey Institute of International Studies
The organizational framework of the national response strategy is dysfunctional due to excessive fragmentation which has generated a combination of ill-defined and overlapping responsibilities.
No Authority Structure Decays Federal Efforts Undermines Federal Partnership with State and Local Communities
No Authority Structure Communication Issues Planning Response
Bioterrorism Response “National Response” Community Response First Federal Response Follows
Bioweapons present a far more complex problem than nuclear or chemical weapons • Diversity of available biologic agents • Diversity of vulnerable targets • Diversity of bioassault routes • Mimic natural epidemics • Insidious onset with latent period • Infective/contagious characteristics • Lethality • Prophylaxis and treatment issues
ALL HAZARDS APPROACH
Chemical Decontaminaton Trainingca. 1996 Jacksonville, North Carolina, USA
Strategic principles to enhance biodefense capabilities • Faster diagnosis of bioattack saves lives • Faster diagnosis accelerates the mobilization of treatment and containment actions