Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
The local EOC plays a critical coordination role during Incidents of National
Significance. The ability of EOC personnel to work effectively with command person-
nel at the scene as well as state and federal personnel, public- and private-sector organi-
zations, and others throughout the response and recovery phases is critical to saving
lives, protecting property and the environment, and maintaining public confidence.
This chapter will describe the role that the Emergency Manager and other EOC
personnel will play following a terrorist incident. To help ensure effective EOC
operations following an incident, however, it is necessary to consider the steps of
preincident preparedness.
Preparing the EOC for a Terrorist Incident
Preparing the EOC for a terrorist incident is not much different from preparing
for other high-impact disasters. To be certain, however, the Emergency Manager
should convene the planning team to revisit terrorist threats and targets identified
during the hazard analysis process to determine additional needs and areas or tasks
that might need to be performed differently.
Reviewing the Hazard and Vulnerability Analyses
All areas of the United States are vulnerable to a terrorist attack, because of the wide
variety of means by which an attack could occur. When reviewing the hazard and
vulnerability analyses, the planning team should determine the type(s) of incidents
that could occur, potential targets of each type of incident, and the risk each type
of incident poses to the jurisdiction and its citizens.
Note that jurisdictions can be affected by a terrorist attack, even when not attacked
directly. For example, an attack on the power grid could affect a large area of the coun-
try. Rural areas that are less likely to experience a direct attack may be affected by a large
influx of evacuees seeking shelter in a safe area. However, rural areas that are in close
proximity to a military facility may be at risk of a direct terrorist attack.
The planning team, which may need to be expanded to analyze terrorist threats,
should think expansively and consider all possibilities when reviewing the hazard
and vulnerability analyses. Consider “worst-case” scenarios, but also consider other
scenarios that are potentially high impact, even if they might not be high damage.
Incorporating Terror Analysis into
Emergency Operations Plan
Use possible scenarios to determine the possible impact on the jurisdiction's
Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). Then extrapolate from the EOP, especially
