NCJ Number
191821
Journal
Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene Volume: 15 Issue: 8 Dated: August 2001 Pages: 592-595
Date Published
2000
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article presents information on some representative web sites that may be particularly useful for information related to chemical and biological terrorism preparedness.
Abstract
In response to the growing concern of biological and chemical terrorism, substantial national preparedness measures have been taken in the United States to define responsibilities, coordinate relationships, and delineate an organizational structure among federal agencies that might be involved in a terrorist attack using these agents. Given the present urgency for communities throughout the nation to improve their emergency preparedness for such events, rapid communication of information and useful guidelines for response on a number of issues is critical. The Internet offers a means where people can gain access to a wealth of information in seconds. Web sites covered include: (1) http://dp.sbccom.army.mil/. The Domestic Preparedness site is maintained by the U.S. Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command, which is the center of the Department of Defense’s chemical and biological expertise. This site includes registration and contact information for their Chemical/Biological (CB) Helpline; (2) http://www.rris.fema.gov. The Rapid Response Information System (RRIS) is maintained by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). With contributions from 12 governmental agencies, the RRIS serves as an interagency planning resource, a references guide, and a training aid for responding to nuclear, biological, or chemical terrorist acts; (3) http://www.bt.cdc.gov. This Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response site is operated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and offers a public health perspective on several aspects of bioterrorism; (4) http://www.nbc-med.org. The Medical NBC Online Information Server is developed and maintained by the Office of the Surgeon General, U.S. Army, for the purpose of providing a learning reference and source for medical information on nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare agents; and (5) http://www.mitretek.org/mission/envene/nbc.html. The Chemical, Biological, and Nuclear systems web site, operated by Mitretek Systems, offers a wealth of information in the areas of chemical and biological warfare agents.