ABSTRACT
Over the years, emergency managers have had to activate emergency operations centers (EOC) for many different types of emergencies. Historically, these incidents could be categorized into one of two major groups: those caused by nature and those caused by accidents. Hurricanes, tornadoes, and snow storms are but three types of incidents that are caused by nature. Train derailments, spilling hazardous materials, and forest fires caused by an accidental spark are examples of emergency events caused by accidents. During the past decade, however, emergency managers have had to begin devoting more time and resources planning EOC operations for a third type of emergency, those incidents related to high consequence violent events, be they instigated by terrorists or others. The difference between the two distinctions is essentially whether the attack is consistent with the definition of terrorism as defined by the Homeland Security Act of 2002. Indeed, since the establishment of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in 2002, significant resources have been provided for state and local jurisdictions to plan and prepare for terrorist events. It is important to note, however, that even with
Contents Preattack Emergency Management Activities ..................................................... 319 Attack Response Emergency Management Activities .........................................323 Personal Actions When Confronting an Active Shooter.....................................325 Summary...........................................................................................................325 References .........................................................................................................326
