Running head: EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO TERRORISM 1

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Judith Gibson
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1 Running head: EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO TERRORISM 1 Emergency Response to Terrorism Camille Acred Dr. Paul Baker, CPP Emergency, Disaster and Contingency Planning Southwestern College

2 Running head: EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO TERRORISM 2 Abstract The threat of responding to a terrorist attack is a reality in our country today. Security professionals must be prepared to deal with the devastating effects of terrorist attacks and must also understand the uniqueness surrounding this type of event. A terrorist attack may be the bait used to draw in first responders and innocent spectators in order to strike again. Security professionals at every organization should have an Emergency Operations Plan in effect that deals specifically with terrorism. Terrorist attacks should be treated as crime scenes in order to preserve any evidence that could be used in prosecuting suspected terrorists.

3 Running head: EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO TERRORISM 3 Emergency Response to Terrorism Responding to terrorists attacks is a real threat in our country today. Security professionals need to be aware of all consequences that go hand-in-hand with responding to terrorist attacks. It must be understood that a terrorist objective may not be simply to cause a particular incident (e.g., an explosion or fire), which will of course result in an emergency response, but rather, to lure responding community services into an ambush (Erickson, 2006, p. 271). A terrorist attack is unlike any other emergency situation one may encounter, therefore, it cannot be treated the same. Security professionals need to ensure organizations are prepared for potential terrorist attacks by having current and effective Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and training that is relevant to this unique situation. This is no easy task, but with the resources available today there is no justification for poor planning. Ignorance is no excuse after an attack has already occurred. The most devastating and widely-known terrorist attack was the attack on the World Trade Center (WTC) on September 11 th, 2001 (9/11). It is nearly impossible to be prepared for an attack of this magnitude, but there are many steps you can take to mitigate the effects of the attack. The federal government went full-speed-ahead on the fight against terrorism as a response to the attacks of 9/11. The Department of Homeland Security s (DHS) Office for Domestic Preparedness (ODP), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), United States Fire Administration (USFA), and United States Department of Justice s (DOJ) Office of Justice Programs have collectively created a Job Aid to help guide emergency responders at all levels in responding to a terrorist attack. This document highlights everything from operational considerations to chemical attacks, and also incident command and crime preservation (Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2003). The

4 Running head: EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO TERRORISM 4 National Response Plan (NPR) is another response plan which was enacted by the federal government; it explains resources and capabilities of various government agencies, incident response disciplines, and private sector security guidelines (Erickson, 2006). In response to 9/11, the federal government took off in all different directions spending billions of dollars on the war on terrorism. It is important to understand that: Although the threat of terrorism will remain, it should be put in proper perspective and not allowed unnecessarily to alter our established way of life. Intimidation, one of the primary aims of terrorist elements, is used to create a climate of suspicion, and works to undermine individuals sense of security and confidence in their government. One of the most effective weapons of terrorists is the fear which they aim to create; the fear of the unexpected, the unknown and elusive enemy. (Mahoney, 1993) Security professionals must think beyond the common definition of terrorism. Terrorism is no longer a crime committed by a middle eastern radical carrying a bomb, according to the patriot act terrorism is a crime with broad boundaries; you do not need to belong to a terrorist group to be considered a terrorist, family members of terrorists can be treated as terrorist and activities such as threatening to hijack any mode of transportation or conspiring to do so, as well as any crime committed to endanger public safety or cause severe property damage are considered acts of terrorism (Terorists and Terrorism Broadly Defined). Terrorism in itself is an entire threat category that needs to be kept separate and treated with the same importance as any other potential security risks to the organization. The initial step for any security professional within an organization is to ensure there is an adequate Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). In the case of terrorism, an EOP which involved the community would

5 Running head: EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO TERRORISM 5 be needed, as any terrorist event would be too great for an organization to handle itself. These plans are written procedures which assign specific responsibilities and actions to different organizations, show command relationships and lines of authority, list Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other actions necessary to protect personnel and equipment, identify ways to mitigate the aftereffects, and illustrate resources available throughout the community (Erickson, 2006, p. 331). FEMA (1996) describes these as plans which state who will do what, as well as when, with what resources, and by what authority- -before, during, and immediately after an emergency. If there is not a current plan within the organization, there is a lot of work ahead for the head security official. Plans of this nature require coordination with many different organizations; transportation, communications, public works, firefighting, public health, search and rescue, and Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) just to name a few. FEMA has created a user guide, Guide for All-Hazard Emergency Operations (1996), which states its purpose as providing emergency managers and other emergency services personnel with information on FEMA's concept for developing risk-based, all-hazard emergency operations plans. One great point made in this guide is that security professionals should not start from scratch; they should draw from other professionals experience and use the resources available to them. This is a great point as starting anything from scratch can be a waste of valuable time and effort. There are many seasoned professionals and references available for this specific reason. The objective is not to have the best-looking plan, or the plan with the most artistic and colorful bar graphs. The objective is to have a plan that is effective, a living document that can be revised and re-worked as necessary. Once an EOP is complete, it should be reviewed by experienced individuals within the organization. Any suggestions or input should be encouraged. There should also be rehearsals

6 Running head: EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO TERRORISM 6 conducted on all EOPs. I have experience working in a Department of Defense (DoD) maximum security prison where EOPs are constantly being rehearsed and revised. Once a finalized plan is in place it needs to be acted out, as one will not be able to see the obvious kinks on paper. Once the plan is set into motion it can be reviewed in order to see what problems were encountered and what, if anything needs to be changed. Training is vital in the field of emergency operations. It is important to train as you fight as doing so creates procedural instinct in employees, these training plans will become second nature to them; resulting in less accidents or margin for error during a real emergency. Erickson (2006) explains that all too often completed emergency response/operations plans become beautiful shrines of charts and diagrams that people tend to place on a shelf. A shelf is not a practical place for an emergency response plan as the object of emergency response training is the actual behavior of personnel-which only comes with practice (Erickson, 2006, p. 84). As stated earlier, a terrorist attack may very well be a precursor to another attack. An attack causes first responders to arrive and spectators to gather, resulting in an even larger target for a terrorist. The USFA identifies warning signs or signals that may warn of the presence of lethal agents which are likely to be employed by terrorists as a secondary attack. These agents are of the biological, nuclear, incendiary, and explosive nature and some of their warning signs are; large numbers of sick people or animals, abandoned spray equipment, positive radiological readings, the unusual presence of laboratory or HAZMAT material, unusual odors, and civilian panic. Any time a terrorist attack is suspected, delayed entry to an incident area is important. This allows for proper and specialized equipment and personnel to arrive who can rule out any biological, chemical, or radiological materials that could be present and potentially lead to more

7 Running head: EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO TERRORISM 7 casualties or the need for elevated decontamination procedures. In any situation involving a terrorist attack extensive planning between local, state, regional, and federal services and authorities, as well as critical industrial and private sector facilities (Erickson, 2006, p. 329) must be conducted in order to be prepared. Any response to an incident other than a natural disaster may be a response to a crime scene (Erickson, 2006, p. 326). Extensive care must be taken to ensure any evidence at the scene is preserved because terrorists cannot be apprehended and successfully prosecuted if crucial evidence is lost or destroyed as a result of emergency response operations (Erickson, 2006, p. 329). In order to ensure the most successful preservation of evidence, training must be a priority. Coordination with law enforcement and criminal investigative services must be made while developing your EOP to ensure everyone is educated on crime scene procedures and contamination; which can destroy evidence altogether. Collecting evidence involves the use of forensics. Forensics include the collection of objects, substances (including blood or drug samples), chemicals (paints, explosives, toxins), tissue traces (hair, skin), or impressions (fingerprints or tidemarks) left at a crime scene (Forensic Science). It may seem unbelievable that any of these items would remain at the site of a terrorist attack; however, forensic experts state that even in a disastrous event such as 9/11 evidence is present in the rubble. Site or crime scene preservation is of such importance in regards to terrorism because presence of more people at the scene of crime introduces a greater likelihood of introduction of contamination into the evidence (Forensic Science). Think about the amount of people in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, or even the Fort Hood shooting of Extra care needs to be taken in developing your EOPs in order to have the least amount of contamination as possible to any evidence that may

8 Running head: EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO TERRORISM 8 remain. DNA is also relevant in forensics. In the unfortunate event of mass casualties; sometimes the only way to identify victims is through DNA evidence. Terrorism is emerging quickly within the forensics community: A growing area of forensic analysis is monitoring non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, analysis of possible terrorist attacks or breaches of security. The nature of samples analyzed is wide, but slightly different to a criminal investigation. Forensic scientists who gather evidence of mass destruction collect swabs from objects, water, and plant material to test for the presence of radioactive isotopes, toxins, or poisons, as well as chemicals that can be used in production of chemical weapons. The main difference from the more common forensic investigation is the amount of chemicals present in a sample. Samples taken from the scene of suspected chemical or biological weapons often contain minute amounts of chemicals and require very sensitive and accurate instruments for analysis. (Forensic Science) This explanation shows that contamination would also even interfere with the identification of materials used in potential Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs). Though not a usual requirement, a great benefit to a security manager is the understanding of human behavioral responses to various crises. Now more than ever the security field is branching out into so many different directions; physical security, antiterrorism, counterterrorism, information security, private-sector security, global security, etc. Any additional training available to security professionals should be taken advantage of. Corporations are more apt to hire someone with a wide knowledge base in their security department. In Fischer s article, Terrorism and 11 September 2001: Does the "behavioral response to disaster" model fit?, the common misconceptions in reference to human behavior in emergency situation

9 Running head: EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO TERRORISM 9 are discussed. Fisher analyzes the 9/11 attacks and the reactions of several groups of people, including first-responders and those evacuating the WTC towers. The common misconception or disaster mythology is that during a disaster, individuals will cease to act in a predictable, orderly, and normative fashion (Fischer, 2002). It has actually been proven that the opposite is true. During a disaster, the best within us is usually exhibited (Fischer, 2002). During actual documented disasters such as the events of 9/11, survivors were seen searching for the dead and injured victims and helping in any way possible, they were not panic or grief-stricken and during actual evacuations they moved in an orderly fashion, helping those down the stairs who could not help themselves. Because of this misconception, officials tend to wait until it is too late to call for evacuations. They believe the evacuations will cause mass panic. A perfect example is Hurricane Katrina; evacuations were not called in time and the end result was a huge death toll and many resources such as fleets of empty busses left unused. From the findings of the September 11 th events, Fischer compiled information on disaster behavior, and myth versus reality (Figure 1-1). Figure 1-1 Disaster Behavior; Myth versus Reality (Fischer, 2002) The point to take away from this is that as a security manager, one cannot be afraid to make the appropriate call; that is what you and your organization have been trained to do. With a

10 Running head: EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO TERRORISM 10 comprehensive EOP and a training model which has all personnel throughout the organization familiar with their responsibilities and actions, there should be no doubting the plan. If it is identified that it is time to call for an evacuation of a certain area, fear of people s reactions should not stop you; doubt should actually be a warning sign that you are not confident in the proficiency level of the organization. A security manager needs to ensure that all actions are taken to mitigate the effects of a disaster situation, in this case a terrorist attack. Emergency response to terrorism is not a subject to be taken lightly; it is a real threat. Earlier this week, documents were released in which Osama Bin Laden had planned to assassinate the current president. As a security professional for any type of organization one should take terrorism seriously. Security professionals need to be educated and take advantage of all training available on the subject of terrorism; it isn t going anywhere. Some tools to set yourself up for success are; ensuring your organization has an effective EOP, ensuring you understand the indicators of terrorist attacks (especially secondary attacks), understanding that any event which is not a natural disaster should be treated as a crime scene in order to preserve any potential evidence, and lastly, to go above and beyond your job description and understand behavior which will help in writing, revising, and executing your plan. There are an infinite number of resources available that can better help you prepare yourself and your organization for a potential terrorist attack. As stated earlier, ignorance is not an excuse for being ill-prepared.

11 Running head: EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO TERRORISM 11 References Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2003, February). Emergency Response to Terrorism Job Aid. Erickson, P. (2006). Emergency Response Planning for Corporate and Municipal Managers (2nd Ed.). Burlington: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann. Federal Emergency Management Agency. (1996, September). Guide for All-Hazard Emergency Operations. Retrieved May 3rd, 2012, from Federal Emergency Management Agency: Fischer,Henry W., I.,II. (2002). Terrorism and 11 september 2001: Does the "behavioral response to disaster" model fit?disaster Prevention and Management, 11(2), untid=13979 Forensic Science. (n.d.). Retrieved May 4th, 2012, from Encyclopedia of Espionage, Intelligence, and Security: Science.html#b Mahoney, P. F. (1993). Businesses and bombs: Preplanning and response. Management Decision, 31(8), ccountid=13979 Terrorists and Terrorism Broadly Defined. (n.d.). Retrieved May 2nd, 2012, from US Government Info:

12 Running head: EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO TERRORISM 12 Thompson, J. (2006, March 1). Precursors of Hostile Intent: Signs of a Potential Terrorist Attack: A guide to experts and average citizens". Retrieved May 3rd, 2012, from Militant Islam Monitor:

Homeland Security and Protective Services CIP Task Grid

Homeland Security and Protective Services CIP Task Grid 1 Secondary Competency Task List 100 EXPLAIN AND PERFORM SAFETY PROCEDURES 101 Demonstrate knowledge of the rules of conduct for the school and classroom. 102 Identify safety and standard operation procedures.