Multiagency Disaster Response

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Anthrax is an infectious acute disease that is caused by bacterium. Human beings become infected with Anthrax through ingestion of or contact with the bacterium spores. Spores are durable and can be stored for a lengthy period. They can be delivered in the form of aerosols making them ideal biological warfare tools. The contaminated air-conditioning disposable filters are a clear indication that the biological attack in high-rise buildings in the mid-Atlantic region relied on aerosols to spread the anthrax through inhalation. An anthrax attack is categorized as both a criminal activity and a terrorist activity. This paper identifies the command centre structure and provides an overview of the roles of the multiple agencies required to respond to the attack.

During an anthrax attack, the lead federal agency for emergency support function is the Department of Health and Human Services as provided for by the National Response Plan because an anthrax attack is primarily a medical and public health issue. (Landesman, 2011). The Department of Health and Human Services is supported by a number of federal departments and agencies because an anthrax attack is also a homeland security issue. The internal agencies and departments include the National Disaster Medical System, the Office of the Surgeon General, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Department. The external agencies and departments include the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); the Department of Agriculture; the Department of Defense; the Department of Homeland Security; the Department of Justice; the Department of Labor; the Department of State; the Department of Transportation; the Environmental Protection Agency; the General Services Administration; the U.S. Postal Service, and the American Red cross (Landesman, 2011).

The main role of the Department of Human and Health Services is to provide medical and public health staffing under FEMA’s direction in the affected place. The department also has to provide medical equipment, supplies, and pharmaceuticals (Reissman &Howard, 2008). The National Disaster Medical System agency is tasked with the functions of deploying mass response assets and the highest priority critical infrastructure. The office of the Surgeon is responsible for deploying incident response coordination teams to the emergency management group and determining the epidemiological situation by deploying random assessment teams The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is tasked with the function of providing additional resources for detailed and comprehensive public health assessments and supporting containment measures (Reissman & Howard, 2008). The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Unit provides psychosocial support to the affected communities and to responders.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is a critical player in an anthrax attack. It is tasked with the obligation of providing a center for distribution of equipment and supplies to the affected region (Landesman, 2011). It also provides necessities and facilities such as hygiene amenities, meals, trailers, trucks, desks, offices, and material handling equipment. It also provides all the required nonmedical base operations and logistic support for personnel, including fuel, shelter, food, ground transportation, and resupplies.

The department of agriculture provides aviation, communication and base camp support. It also provides nutrition assistance and conducts assurances of food security and control. The Department of Defense alerts the Navy, Army, and Air force coordination centers, coordinates the evacuation of patients in fatal conditions, takes patients and victims to reception areas, provides logistical support, deploys national guard and reserve medical units, avails military medical personnel and treatment facilities, assists in the management of human remains, and provides comprehensive risk management (Arora & Arora, 2013).

The Department of Homeland Security provides a single point for the dissemination and coordination of hazard management solutions and predictions as well as providing communication coordination and urgent transportation support (Guillemin, 2011). The Department of Justice provides 24 hour security at medical base operating camps and federal medical stations. The Federal Bureau of Investigations under the auspices of the Department of Justice assists in victim identification as well as investigating the source of the threat, and giving information on any other threats to public health (Guillemin, 2011). It also provides additional logistics, transport, and communication support. The Department of Labor monitors the occupational health and safety of the responders to ensure that they are not exposed to the biological warfare agent. The Department of State mitigates trans-border threats to contain disease transmission through techniques such as travel restrictions, isolation, and quarantine. It also communicates the international and diplomatic consequences of the attack as well as the actions that the United States has taken to mitigate it.

The Department of Transportation provides on demand transportation resources, including motor vehicle, marine, rail, and air. It works with the Federal Aviation Administration to ensure air traffic control for urgent top-priority missions. The Environmental Protection Agency provides expertise for the assessment of the environmental aspects surrounding hazardous materials ((Landesman, 2011). The General Services Administration coordinates private-sector air and ground transportation, food and medical supplies, equipment, and facilities. The U.S. postal Service assists in the transportation and distribution of pharmaceuticals and medicine to the affected general public. The American Red Cross provides emergency first aid, supportive counselling, personnel, and coordination for inputting the patient and casualty information and details into the Disaster Welfare Information Database

References

Arora, R., & Arora, P. (2013). Disaster management: Medical preparedness, response, and homeland security. Wallingford, Oxfordshire: CABI.

Guillemin, J. (2011). American anthrax: Fear, crime, and the investigation of the nation’s deadliest bioterror attack. New York: Times Books.

Landesman, L. Y. (2011). Public health management of disasters. American Public Health Association.

Reissman, D. B., & Howard, J. (2008). Responder safety and health: preparing for future disasters. Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine: A Journal of Translational and Personalized Medicine, 75(2), 135-141.