Sullivan, J. (2011). Strategies for Synthesis Writing. Retrieved from http://www.findingdulcinea.com/features/edu/Strategies-for-Synthesis-Writing.html
NOTE: You are required to cite sources and include a reference list for the second post if it is simply your opinion. However, if your opinion is based on facts (as it should be), it is good practice to strengthen your position by citing sources.
Be sure to meet all of the criteria in the rubric, as noted in the instructions above.
Third post for each module discussion:
Read the initial and secondary comments posted by your classmates and reflect upon them.
Directly respond to at least one classmate in a way that extends meaningful discussions, adds new information, and/or offers alternative perspectives.
MY POST
DO NOT RESPOND
DO NOT RESPOND
Classmates and Professor,
Bio-Terrorist
In any terrorist event, the actions taken by the emergency response team in the initial minutes of the emergency are crucial. Whether it is a warning to the people near the affected area to evacuate, stay indoors, or seek shelter, it can save many lives (Eshghi & Larson, 2008). According to Ready.gov (2021), before sending an emergency response team to the affected area, it is vital to have complete and accurate knowledge of the type of emergency, to ensure the right team of emergency responders is called to action with the right equipment (Ready.gov, 2021). For this reason, it is essential to have an emergency response plan that seeks to understand the extent or gravity of the situation before dispatching the response team.
In the case of a bio-terrorist, it is crucial to understand the extent of the threat first before sending the team. Ensuring that the right team has been dispatched to the affected area is vital in ensuring that the threat is contained and the affected victims are taken care of appropriately (Ready.gov, 2021). For this reason, disaster management agencies at both the local, state and federal levels must develop plans for bio-terrorist emergencies. Since the local response team will be the first to arrive at the scene, the agency must have a well-trained response team in managing various bio-terrorist emergencies. According to the US National Research Council (2003), one way to prepare for bioterrorism is to model techniques, bio-forensics, and rapid vaccine fielding, among others, to ensure they are ready.
The state disaster management agencies should major their response plans on managing the emergency and contain the effects of the bio-terrorist attack. This can involve treatment, decontamination, effective disposal, and decontamination protocols for animal and plant exposure. Due to the potential of a spread, the state and the federal government should have response plans to ensure that the bio-hazard component does not spread to other cities or states. “For those exposed, protocols for treatment and decontamination must be available” (National Research Council, 2003). The state and federal governments should strive to limit transmissions and work to contain the situation. The state and federal governments should also plan on vaccination, treatment, and quarantine of affected individuals and ensure recovery of the victims.
Pedro
References
Eshghi, K., & Larson, R. C. (2008). Disasters: lessons from the past 105 years. Disaster Prevention and Management: An International Journal.
National Research Council. (2003). Countering Bioterrorism: The Role of Science and Technology.
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RESPONSE 1 (APRIL)
Classmates and Professor,
Whether a terrorist threat or natural calamity, a joint effort is essential when reacting to the same; and as noted by the National Response Framework, it outlines and amalgamates responsibilities for government entities as well as the private sectors in shaping, countering, and recovering from incidents (ASTHO, n.d.).
BrainMass stated that each emergency response unit should place emphasis on strategies that would apply the knowledge and skills gained and utilized from day to day. “To this end, the focus of the plans, while each addressing bioterrorist emergencies, would be uniquely focused based on the individual agency’s skill sets.” (BrainMass, n.d.)
Further, the Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication conveys changes in government entities roles and responsibilities as well as the type of threats to the way in which those threats are perceived, received and managed. Finally,
Most federal agencies will not be able to deploy assets during the first 48 hours following the onset of an event. Local, state, and territorial emergency communication managers will be first to respond to an emergency incident until federal assistance can be coordinated and deployed. This happens because they are close to the scene. The true “first” responders will be members of the community itself: friends, family, and neighbors (CERC, 2014)
April
Reference
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO (n.d.)). Emergency Authority and Immunity Toolkit. Federal Emergency Preparedness Directives and Systems. Retrieved from https://astho.org/Programs/Preparedness/Public-Hea…
BrainMass (n.d.). Bioterrorism: Local, State, Federal Emergency Plans. Retrieved from https://brainmass.com/health-sciences/disease-outb…
Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC (Manual)): Updated 2014 – Understanding the Roles of Partners. Retrieved from https://emergency.cdc.gov/cerc/ppt/CERC_Understanding %20the%20Roles%20of%20Partners.pdf
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RESPONSE 2 (Brett)
I believe that the response plan should be wired tight and regimented, but with time horizons of steps that are mandated. Since the incubation period of various diseases are different, and the time it takes to identify the agent might be longer in some cases than other, there is no way to make a one-size-fits-all biological attack plan. We can’t say that on day 1 we test and on day 10 we release survivors to live their life when the incubation period of an attacking biological agent might be 2 weeks.
So we base the plan on modules to switch out the times based off the needs of the agent. Step one is test to identify the agent, then step 2 is predicated on Step 1 being complete. And step 2 would tailor the response to the agent itself.
Using fake numbers to make my point: Step 1 for antrax would take 2 days, Step 1 for smallpox a single day. Step 2 of the plan would take 2 days over the incubation period for both diseases, which would be 5 days for smallpox and 14 days for anthrax. Step 3 would have different numbers and so on and so on. But the same actions and needs for public health would remain the same. So an anthrax attack’s plan would have the same steps, but take 49 days longer than the smallpox one because of the biological differences in the agent and how we would need to respond to it.
In a manner of speaking, we could make the plan and standardize it for each possible likely agent: Bioattack Plan 1 is for Anthrax, Bioattack Plan 2 would be Smallpox, Bioattack Plan 3 would be Tularemia, Bioattack Plan 4 Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis. So on and so forth. We could use the list of likely biological agents that might be used by the CDC (Department of Health and Human Services, 2018) US Army’s assessment for potential enemy biological agent use (FM 3-11.9, US Army 2005) or the reported compounds that the Russian Federation started creating an offensive biological weapons program when defectors told the US intelligence community what they had been creating for the Russian government (Alibek, & Handelman, 2000).
Brett
References:
(Department of Health and Human Services) 2018, April 4. Bioterrorism Agents/Diseases. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/agentlist-category.asp.
US Army. (2005, January). Potential Military Chemical/Biological Agents and Compounds . FM 3-11.9 Potential Military Chemical/Biological Agents and Compounds . http://www.militaryfieldmanuals.net/manuals/potential_military_chemical_biological_agents_and_compounds1.
Alibek, K., & Handelman, S. (2000). Biohazard: the chilling true story of the largest covert biological weapons program in the world, told from the inside by the man who ran it. Dell Pub.
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Module 1 – Background
INTRODUCTION TO EMERGENCY OPERATIONS; TYPES OF EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERS
Required Reading
Eshghi K, and Larson, E. (2008). Disasters: Lessons from the past 105 years, Disaster Prevention and Management. 17(1), 62. Available in the Trident Online Library.
Puget Sound regional catastrophic disaster coordination plan (2013). Retrieved from https://mil.wa.gov/asset/5ba4211b3ec88 [sample coordination plan].
State of Maryland response operations plan (2015). [Sample of a state’s operations plan].
Required Websites
Disaster Information Management Research Center. https://disasterinfo.nlm.nih.gov/
Emergency Response Plan, Ready.gov. https://www.ready.gov/business/implementation/emer…
Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System: http://www.gdacs.org/
Homeland Security Presidential Directives: http://www2.epa.gov/emergency-response/homeland-security-presidential-directives
National Response Framework (NRF). Department of Homeland Security. https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/document…
Optional Reading
2009 Global assessment report on disaster risk reduction (2009). United Nations. Retrieved from http://www.preventionweb.net/english/hyogo/gar/rep…
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