Program for Emergency Management

¶ … Terrorist Attack Response and Prioritization When one utilizes power or brutality against individuals or property disregarding the criminal laws of the U.S. For purposes of bringing about fear, compulsion, or ransom it is regarded as terrorism (Homeland Security Advisory System, n.d). Terrorists act this way in an attempt to show citizens that their nation is weak to counteract terrorism, get attention for their causes or just to create fear among the citizens.

There are different kinds of acts that constitute terrorism such as including: bombings and bomb scares; executions; kidnappings; hijackings; cyber terrorism (PC based); and the utilization of atomic and radiological, biological and chemical weapons (Homeland Security Advisory System, n.d) Educating the Citizens on How to Ensure Personal Security The initial reaction to these kinds of terrorist acts ought to be swift and effective hence setting up precautionary measures would enable the government to fight terrorism proactively and not reactively.

The first priority should obviously be protection of human life, this is because everything else can be regained or recovered but not human life. This can be done through coming up with precautions and disseminating this information to the public in all ways possible.

These precautions would include: always being mindful of your surroundings; to vacate the location if your instincts tell you something is amiss; to be mindful of irregular conduct; to be aware when going somewhere either on a plane or train; to not accept any package from someone you don't know; and not to leave your luggage unguarded.

Unusual or bizarre conduct, unattended luggage, and unfamiliar devices ought to be promptly reported to the nearest security personnel or the police; everywhere you go note where the emergency exits are (Homeland Security Advisory System, n.d).

Learn and prepare on how to quickly exit in the occasion of a crisis; anticipate and plan on how to manage without critical services you ordinarily rely upon such as power, phone, gas, ATMs, and online transactions; work with building managers to guarantee that items such as flashlights, battery powered radios, first aid kit, hard caps and dust masks, and neon tapes to demarcate hazardous zones are placed on every floor of the apartment building (Homeland Security Advisory System, n.d).

Improving the Security of Vulnerable Areas The need to counteract terrorist acts depends on locations that are prone to be exceedingly affected. The vulnerable locations as given by the Department of Homeland Security are accorded the first priority. For such zones, people living close to possible targets could be urged to vacate or they could pick their own time to move to a district/area thought to be less vulnerable.

For example in the event of a radioactive occurrence, taking refuge in an underground facility or in a special radioactively impregnable building would be good options (Homeland Security Advisory System, n.d). Key installations that are probable targets for terrorists include: missile launch complexes, military establishments, centers of government such as Washington DC, state capitols, critical transport and communications infrastructure such as airports and waterways, power generation plants e.g. nuclear facilities, petroleum refineries, and financial centers. (Homeland Security Advisory System, n.d).

Agencies that could be contacted The United States Department of Homeland Security's National Terrorism advisory system that replaced the Homeland Security Advisory system was planned to give a federal framework and sweeping means to inform the public of any credible threats to the national government, states and neighboring countries and to serve both the public and private sectors. This system gives warnings in terms of "risk conditions" that are classified in levels depending on the impact of the possible risks (Homeland Security Advisory System, n.d).

Risk entails both the probability of an attack happening and its possible impact (how big it is). Threat levels may be designated for the entire nation, or they may be allotted to a specific region or industrial area. The government apparatus and the private sector such as banks and schools would execute a set of different preventive measures at each particular threat level to further reduce the impact or increase response capability during such times (Homeland Security Advisory System, n.d).

Emergency Management Terrorism just like any other disaster is an emergency that should be handled swiftly. Thus the incident command center should alert the corresponding security organs such as SWAT teams, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fire Department if need be. In view of the main objective of maintaining adequate security, the threats are classified and each is given to a particular security organ. But unlike other emergencies which are controlled by nature, terrorism is people with their own minds who strongly believe in certain teachings.

The fact is that all terrorist organizations have ideologies/what they believe in (HM Government, 2011). Continually propelling that belief online draws empathy resulting in support and radicalization. Some even go ahead and enlist. The key to preventing acts of terrorisms is countering these ideologies with solid points and destroying the capabilities of these organizations to advance their ideologies. A lot more has to be done on this dividing aspect of counterterrorism (HM Government, 2011). In any case counteraction needs to be focused and commensurate.

It ought not to seem to criticize belief or to prescribe only a particular kind of belief as suitable or satisfactory. It must be done in conjunction with religious societies here and abroad who are better equipped and more convincing than the government itself to invalidate the causes or theories advanced by the terrorists and to challenge them and their extremist ideology (HM Government, 2011).

The best way to do this would be to enhance exchange of intelligence between the government apparatus and these societies to negate the claims made about the government by the terrorist; more emphasis should be put on preparations, societies and the justice system to test and bring light to the negative terrorist ideologies. Support from experts.