ABSTRACT
Numerous articles tell of the security breaches hospital emergency rooms face on a daily basis. The recent events of September 11 th have further complicated these breaches, and have shed new light on previously ignored issues surrounding bioterrorism. In previous disaster scenarios there has been a "script" to follow; however bioterrorism follows no script and presents a host of new security issues. Successful delineation of the characteristics of bioterrorist weapons is only the first step in dealing with such a scenario, and will set into motion a series of events seen only on small levels in the past.
Subject(s)
Bioterrorism/prevention & control , Disaster Planning/organization & administration , Emergency Service, Hospital/organization & administration , Security Measures/standards , Biological Warfare , Chemical Warfare Agents , Decontamination , Emergency Service, Hospital/standards , Humans , Process Assessment, Health Care , Risk Management , Security Measures/organization & administration , United StatesABSTRACT
Bioterrorism, once a subject of fantasy and speculation, has become all too real in a world turned upside down by the September 11, 2001. series of events. An essential, but as yet unanswered, question has become a crucial topic for discussion on the nightly news and in living rooms across the United States: How much of a terrorist threat do we face, and what must be done to control its potential for mass destruction? This article seeks to both answer this question and explore proper plans of preparedness for the eventuality of the unthinkable.
