NCJ Number
191181
Date Published
2000
Length
326 pages
Annotation
This manual offers recommendations to prevent terrorist attacks against buildings, hospitals, utilities, transportation and educational systems, entertainment facilities, and special events.
Abstract
Although the trend in recent years has been towards an overall decrease in international terrorism, deaths from terrorism are on the increase. The United States is not invulnerable to terrorism. Terrorism involves the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government in furtherance of political or social objectives. Antiterrorism is defined as defensive measures to reduce the vulnerability of individuals and property to terrorist acts. Counter terrorism is defined as offensive measures taken to prevent, deter, and respond to terrorism. Terrorist tactics include assassination, bombing, and hijacking. Targets include airports, elected government officials, business leaders, and computer terminals. Businesses should assess a facility's present security status, identify existing security deficiencies, and suggest improvements to make it more difficult for terrorists to commit an act against a facility. A bomb incident plan within a physical security plan can greatly reduce the risk of casualties and damage. The manual provides a checklist of various activities that ensure security. To protect against attacks against buildings a vulnerability analysis needs to be taken, then steps need to be taken to harden the facility, such as erecting barriers. Hospitals need to plan for an attack, develop an emergency operations plan, define emergency actions, develop an incident management system, and plan how to protect the public's safety. Similar actions need to be taken to reduce the harmful effects of terrorist attacks against utilities and entertainment facilities. Educational institutions need to know how likely a hazard may occur, their vulnerability, the frequency of threats, warning time, and duration. An action-planning checklist is provided as well as items needed for a command post. An incident action plan is essential in the planning and documentation of the actions that will be necessary to effectively resolve an incident against transportation systems. Threats to special events and large crowds include arson, assaults, and terrorism. Crowd composition can range from cohesive crowds, which gather for a specific purpose, to expressive mobs, which release pent-up emotions. Symptoms of a biological attack may show up after people leave the focal point of a special event. The manual provides a summary of tasks and responsibilities of a first responder. No single agency can address a terrorist attack alone; departments must work together. Incident commander roles are outlined. Appendix