NCJ Number
189837
Date Published
July 2000
Length
2 pages
Annotation
The National Domestic Preparedness Office (NDPO) should expand to include the Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPC) in the formulation of statewide and regional preparedness and response plans developed by State and local health departments for bioterrorism.
Abstract
Unlike other terrorist events involving weapons of mass destruction (WMD), a biological attack may not occur within a single jurisdiction. Disease clusters are likely to emerge in several locations before an actual bioterrorist event is identified and confirmed. The response will require early detection, identification, epidemiological investigation, and disease outbreak intervention across multiple jurisdictions within or outside of the State of origin. It is vital that the planning for bioterrorism be comprehensive, geographically wide-ranging, and coordinated through all levels of government. The Governor in each State has designated a State Emergency Response Commission (SERC). The SERCs, in turn, have designated about 4,000 local emergency planning districts and appointed LEPCs for each district. These local resources can provide valuable support to State and local public health departments in the development of comprehensive local, statewide, and regional plans and systems that will prepare for bioterrorism. In a covert bioterrorism event, local health care providers and disease “sentinel” surveillance systems will be the first to observe related unusual illnesses and deaths. LEPCs and SERCs can be a forum for public health officials to communicate with their WMD planning partners. LEPCs that seek to participate in the development of bioterrorism preparedness plans are encouraged to offer to work with State and local public health agencies and their bioterrorism preparedness and response programs, and contact pertinent groups involved in bioterrorism preparedness and response that have received funding for bioterrorism planning from the Centers for Disease Control or other agencies. State and local health agencies, including infectious disease control officials, should actively participate in their respective SERC and LEPC meetings.