Preparing for Response to a Nuclear Weapon of Mass Destruction are We Ready?

<p>In the wake of the untimely execution of an ill-coordinated response at all levels to the Hurricane Katrina devastation and destruction that rocked the Gulf Coast it is important to examine how the United States government is organized and resourced to confront future catastrophic disasters. Hurricane Katrina an anticipated natural disaster clearly demonstrates the enormous complexity associated with the extensive coordination required to synchronize the efforts of local State and Federal governmental agencies faced with a significant crisis. In the event the crisis is an unexpected terrorist attack employing a nuclear or radiological weapon of mass destruction the complexity of synchronizing the response effort increases exponentially. Since the September 11 2001 terrorist's attacks the threat that a terrorist group might detonate a dirty bomb or radiological dispersal device or improvised nuclear device in a major United States metropolitan area has received increased attention. If a radiological or improvised nuclear device attack is considered to be an imminent threat to our populace the federal government should give increased priority to consequence management preparedness efforts and make a concerted sustained effort to engage the public in response planning. The National Strategy to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction acknowledges that nuclear biological and chemical weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in the possession of hostile states and terrorists represent one of the greatest security challenges facing the United States. Although extremist groups and terrorists have a wide variety of potential agents and delivery means to choose from for a chemical biological radiological or nuclear (CBRN) attack this study focuses specifically on response capability to a radiological or nuclear WMD attack against the United States. This paper determined we must adequately prepare to overcome the complex command control and management challenges associated</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p>