Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Level 3 (Potential Threat): Intelligence or an articulated threat indicates the
potential for a terrorist incident; however, this threat has not yet been assessed
as credible.
Level 2 (Credible Threat): A threat assessment indicates that a potential threat
is credible and confirms the involvement of a WMD in a developing terrorist
incident. The threat increases in significance when the presence of an explo-
sive device or WMD capable of causing a significant destructive event.
Level 1 (WMD Incident): A WMD terrorism incident resulting in mass
casualties has occurred that requires immediate federal planning and prepa-
ration to provide support to state and local authorities. The federal response
is primarily directed toward the safety and welfare of the public and the pres-
ervation of human lives.
Emergency Public Information
Terrorism is designed to be catastrophic. The intent of a terrorist attack is to cause
maximum destruction of lives and property; create chaos, confusion, and public panic;
and stress local, state, and federal response resources. Accurate and timely information,
disseminated to the public and media immediately and often over the course of the
response, is vital to minimize the accomplishment of these terrorist objectives.
Crisis research and case studies show that accurate, consistent, and expedited
information calms anxieties and reduces problematic public responses, such as
panic and spontaneous evacuations that terrorist hope will hamper response efforts.
The news media will be the public's primary source of information, from both
official sources and other nonofficial sources, during the course of the incident.
Ensuring that the media will receive accurate, consistent, and expedited official
information from the outset and over what may be rapidly changing and lengthy
response requires careful planning and considerable advance planning and consid-
erable advance preparations. It is important to build and maintain a strong working
relationship with the media. This relationship should include a clear commitment
that government representatives will be immediately available to provide informa-
tion over the course of the emergency.
Local plans should reflect responsibility for emergency information operations
during the crucial initial response until state and federal personnel and resources
can arrive to provide support. Planning should also reflect:
◾
A mechanism for sharing and coordinating information among all respond-
ers' agencies and organizations
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Development and production of information materials
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Dissemination of information through various methods
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Monitoring and analysis of news media coverage with rapid response capa-
bilities to address identified problems
