Recently, the Syrian government was accused of releasing Sarin gas into civilian populations (Shaheen, 2017). Dozens of Syrians died from the complications resulting from exposure to the gas. Among the dead were innocent children who did not sign up for the civil war that has rocked the country for over five years. While it lead to untold suffering and death, the Sarin gas attack has provided the world with lessons regarding how to protect vulnerable populations from weapons of mass destruction. The United States is no stranger to weapons of mass destruction. The country has faced threats that have forced it to develop measures for responding to attacks where weapons of mass destruction are used. In this paper, the issue of weapons of mass destruction is explored. The paper focuses on the Anthrax attack that hit the Hart Senate Office Building in 2001. The purpose of the paper is to identify the response procedures and coordination efforts among different government agencies.
Summary of the case
As already stated above, the Anthrax attack occurred in 2001 and it appears that it targeted government officials. It involved letters laced with anthrax (“Amerithrax”, n.d). The letters were received across the United States. Senator Darschie is among the individuals who received the letters. In total, the letters resulted in the death of five Americans. It is believed that as many as 17 Americans developed complications as a result of exposure to the anthrax (“Amerithrax or Anthrax”, n.d). The swift response by the different agencies is credited with limiting the damage that the attack could have caused. The attack provided law enforcement and other agencies with lessons for responding to a similar attack. In this paper, the procedures and protocols that would need to be activated in the event of another anthrax attack are outlined.
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Base plan
Situation
It has already been hinted that the situation for which procedures need to be developed involves an anthrax attack. One of the features of attacks involving weapons of mass destruction is that there are usually mass casualties. Were it not for the quick response to the 2001 anthrax attack, higher casualty numbers would have been reported. The situation for which response protocols will be developed will involve the anthrax virus being transmitted through such conduits as letters. The transmission of the virus through different channels will thoroughly test the preparedness of US agencies and the American population
Mission/Scope
The scope of attacks involving weapons of mass destruction is usually rather large. Given the threat posed by such weapons of mass destruction as anthrax, various government and private agencies are called on to participate in response, prevention and rescue efforts. For instance, following the 2001 anthrax attacks, such agencies as the FBI and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined efforts to investigate and minimize harm (“The Search for Anthrax”, n.d). Therefore, in the event of another anthrax attack, it is expected that the mission and scope will entail issues ranging from investigation, nabbing of suspects and availing treatment to those exposed to the anthrax virus. These efforts will bring in different government agencies that will play different roles.
Planning assumptions and critical considerations
To plan effectively for another anthrax attack, it is important to consider certain assumptions. One of these assumptions regards inter-agency coordination. The American government is extremely bureaucratic. This limits the smooth and unimpeded coordination among agencies. It is assumed that the different agencies responding to the attack will be unable to coordinate their efforts seamlessly. It is expected that there will be such challenges as breakdown in communication and conflicts regarding command and jurisdiction. Another assumption is that there will be delays in the release of funding and other forms of federal support. The bureaucracy and complexity of the American government makes the timely release of funding and support almost impossible. Another consideration is the geographical scope of the anthrax attack. Anthrax has the capacity to spread over a large area over a short amount of time (Cole, 2013). It is therefore assumed that a huge area will be affected. It is also assumed that the attack will occur on a busy day when thousands of people are out in the streets. This means that the attack could claim many lives and leave many injured.
Concept of operations
A concept of operations outlines the aims of an initiative and the measures and stakeholders involved in the pursuit of these aims. The main aim of the response to the anthrax attack is containment. It will be important to contain the attack to limit the harm that it causes. The other aim will be to provide primary support to the victims. Investigation and recovery are the other aims that will be pursued. To achieve these aims, victims and those in the immediate vicinity of the attack will be called on to help. Local agencies and governments are best placed to function as first responders (“Disaster Sequence of Events”, n.d). For this reason, they will be expected to among the stakeholders. Input from state and federal agencies will also be required. These agencies include the FBI, EPA, CDC and FEMA among others. The functions that the different agencies will execute will range from cordoning off the attack scene and providing primary care to the victims to initiating investigations and launching rescue and recovery efforts.
Request, coordination and provision of federal support
One of the fundamental roles that the federal government plays in responding to mass-casualty attacks is providing support. This support includes funding and personnel. There are proper procedures that have been laid down for requesting for, coordinating and providing federal support. Federal support is required when a situation overwhelms the local and state authorities (“Overview of Federal”, n.d). When it is established that the local and state authorities lack the capacity to handle an emergency, federal funding is usually activated. The coordination and provision of federal funding follows certain strict procedures and protocols. For example, upon the approval of federal support, the Federal Response Plan is activated (“Overview of Federal”, n.d). The Emergency Support Team is also brought into action. The coordination of federal support is the mandate of federal, state and local officials who are charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the disaster response occurs smoothly. The different procedures and measures will be implemented to ensure that adequate federal support is provided.
Concept of support
There is need for a formal framework for the delivery of support. One of the crucial elements of this framework is efficiency. It is important for the support provided to be utilized judiciously. The other element is proper coordination. The support provided will be of little help if the concerned agencies fail to join hands and work together effectively. The concept of support outlines the parties and procedures involved in the provision and use of support. Such federal agencies as the EPA, FBI and FEMA will be the key providers of support. They will be expected to boost the capacity of local responders.
Coordinating instructions
It is important to develop instructions that will be relied on to coordinate the efforts of the different agencies and stakeholders. The Federal Response Plan (FRP) is among the documents that outline the instructions that are to be followed by such federal agencies as FEMA in their response to disasters (“Overview of Federal”, n.d). Such documents as the ERP will be invoked for coordinating instructions. It would be pointless to develop new instructions given that the federal, state and local governments have already developed and adopted instructions that outline the steps to be taken when responding to disasters such as the anthrax attack.
Authorities and references
The response to attacks involving weapons of mass destruction should never be conducted blindly. It is important to rely on authorities and references. There are various policy documents that outline the procedures, resources, policies and protocols that are to be followed during emergencies. These include the ERP mentioned above. In addition to the ERP, there are agency-specific policy documents that respective agencies rely on to guide their efforts. For example, the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) is used by different states to coordinate disaster response efforts (“Response Federal Interagency”, 2016). While responding to the anthrax attack, such documents as the EMAC will serve as authorities and references. It is also important to recognize the authority of different parties. For instance, state and federal agencies should respect the authority of local governments and vice versa. This will ensure that the disaster response is conducted smoothly. All relevant rules and laws must also be followed.
Risk assessment
Before sending personnel out into the field to respond to an anthrax attack, it is important to begin with a risk assessment. A risk assessment can be conducted even before the attack occurs. The intelligence community is best placed to conduct evaluations to determine if there is a threat of an attack. This community is composed of various agencies whose primary mandate is protecting the American people against domestic and external threats (“U.S. National”, 2013). In the event that the intelligence community fails to identify and prevent an attack before it occurs, it is still possible to conduct risk assessment. The assessment will be aimed at insulating victims and the responders from further harm. There are various strategies that will be implemented. One, existing policies will be reviewed to ensure that they respond to the threats that the country faces. Two, a strategy involving the issuing of warning and alerts will be developed. The other strategies that will be implemented for risk assessment include mass evacuations, data sharing, collaboration and the involvement of the private sector.
Operational coordination
It is vital to ensure that once they are on the ground, all the different officials and agencies work together. It is for this reason that operational coordination must be established. This coordination begins by establishing the command structure. A clear structure will ensure that communication flows smoothly and conflicts do not arise. It may also be necessary to set up unified coordination groups. These groups will be charged with the mandate of creating a unified effort and ensuring harmony.
Follow-on efforts
Responding to disasters goes beyond evacuations and recovery. It is important to conduct follow-on operations. These efforts allow responders to stay safe and to identify if there is any risk of follow-on attacks. The Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) guide developed by FEMA identifies the areas where follow-on efforts should be focused. Understanding threats and hazards is among the issues that should be focused on as part of follow-on efforts (“Threat and Hazard”, 2013). It is important to ensure that the threats are fully understood to ensure that the nation is not exposed to the hazards in the future. The capacity of communities to handle threats in the future is the other issue that should be focused on during follow up. This will go a long way in ensuring that in the event that another attack occurs, the communities will be better prepared to respond.
Incident management command structures
I will be involved in the disaster response effort to address the anthrax attack. I will serve as the Incident Commander (IC). For me to execute my mandate effectively, it is important to outline a command structure. The roles of the IC are varied and numerous. The IC is required to coordinate efforts and offer operational and logistical support (“Incident Command System”, n.d). Ensuring that the response initiative is cost-effective is the other role of the IC. The IC also maintains overall control and provides concerned stakeholders with information. Planning, logistics, operations and finance/administration are some of the sections that entail the incident management command structures. The main elements of the operations section include developing strategies and coordinating the efforts of the different players (“Incident Command System”, n.d). Gathering and disseminating information is one of the elements of the planning section. The logistics section is primarily concerned with providing resources and tactical support. The administrative and finance section will be chiefly involved in the provision and management of funding.
Interagency partners
No single agency or party has the capacity to single-handedly respond to a disaster. It is for this reason that different agencies have to work together. The anthrax attack will require that relevant agencies and private entities work together to minimize harm. Local agencies will be the chief players. These agencies include local police and rescue teams. State and federal agencies will also be among the partners. The FBI, FEMA, CDC and EPA are among the federal agencies that will respond to the anthrax attack. The fact that responding to the attack requires the involvement of various agencies underscores the need for proper coordination.
In conclusion, the US has taken measures to insulate its people from various threats. Despite these measures, the nation has been unable to entirely eliminate threats. It is possible that an anthrax attack could be launched. In the event that this happens, the entire US community will have to respond. Local communities and governments will be the first responders. State and federal agencies will also need to contribute. The procedures and measures described above should be implemented to ensure that the anthrax attack is contained.
References
Amerithrax. (n.d). Retrieved 28 th April 2017 from https://vault.fbi.gov/Amerithrax/ Amerithrax or Anthrax Investigation. (n.d). Retrieved 28 th April 2017 from
https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/about-us/history/famous-cases/anthrax-amerithrax
Cole, L. A. (2013). The Anthrax Letters: A Bioterrorism Expert Investigates the Attack that Shocked America. New York City: Skyhorse Publishing.
Disaster Sequence of Events. (n.d). Retrieved 28 th April 2017 from https://training.fema.gov/emiweb/downloads/is208sdmunit3.pdf
Incident Command System ICS-100. (n.d). Retrieved 28 th April 2017 from https://training.fema.gov/emiweb/downloads/ics100.ppt
Overview of Federal Disaster Assistance. (n.d). Retrieved 28 th April 2017 from https://training.fema.gov/emiweb/downloads/is7unit_3.pdf
Response Federal Interagency Operational Plan. (2016). Retrieved 28 th April 2017 from https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1471452095112-507e23ad4d85449ff131c2b025743101/Response_FIOP_2nd.pdf
Shaheen, K. (2017). Assad Forces Carried out Sarin Attack, says French Intelligence. Retrieved 28 th April 2017 from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/26/syria-assad-forces-carried-out-sarin-attack-says-french-intelligence
The Search for Anthrax. (n.d). Retrieved 28 th April 2017 from https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/about-us/history/famous-cases/anthrax-amerithrax/the-search-for-anthrax
Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment Guide. (2013). Retrieved 28 th April 2017 from https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/8ca0a9e54dc8b037a55b402b2a269e94/CPG201_htirag_2nd_edition.pdf
U.S. National Intelligence. An Overview. (2013). Retrieved 28 th April 2017 from https://www.dni.gov/files/documents/USNI%202013%20Overview_web.pdf
