NCJ Number
190518
Date Published
February 2000
Length
47 pages
Annotation
This document examined the current environment of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) response and preparedness in the State of Maryland.
Abstract
The use of WMD in the United States or Maryland is an event for which the health and medical response system is unprepared. It is not likely that there is sufficient hospital capacity to handle a significant WMD event in Maryland. A Mass Casualty event with casualties in the hundreds would quickly overwhelm the health system. A Catastrophic Mass Casualty event would swamp the health care system almost immediately. In the event of an actual, major terrorism attack, the proximity of the hospitals in the metropolitan corridor including Washington and Baltimore may increase the overload as victims attempt to obtain care from providers outside their customary locations. The ambulance capacity for both public and commercial ambulances is not sufficient for transporting victims of a Mass Casualty event. To adequately prepare for and respond to a WMD event, a sustained commitment by government and health care leaders will be necessary. The major areas of emphasis should include: improving awareness within the health and medical community about terrorism and the impact of explosives, chemical, biological, or radiological agents; improving surveillance, monitoring, and detection capability by the public health community and private health care industry; and building on the response capability and better coordinating of health and medical resources in preparation for a WMD incident. There should be improvement in coordination of local public health, emergency medical services, and emergency management agencies, and the State and Federal counterparts, to assure adequate levels of preparation and readiness for an incident.