About Homeland Security

Although most institutions responsible for the security of American territory recognize the necessity for a definition of terrorism, none of these groups have provided one. Although there is no clear definition of terrorism, the various explanations offered by the majority of the agencies share some common characteristics. Themes expressed by these components include planning terrorist attacks that are motivated by social or political agendas, terrorists attacking people, and the idea that terrorists are members of subnational or clandestine groups (Newman & Clarke, 2008). The United States had to deal with terrorism in all its forms, including criminal and religious terrorism. Most recent incidences of acts of terrorism include mass shooting in public places such as schools and the entertainment joints as well as bombings.

The department of the homeland security primary mission is securing the nation from all possible threats through a workforce of dedicated personnel in various fields including border security, cyber security, chemical plants inspector, and emergency response among others. Since terrorism is a morphing process, homeland security should keep looking into all possible threats that may pose a risk to first responders during such events (Homeland Security, 2016). The emergency agencies and other concerned security agencies should provide their personnel with necessary skills and equipment to assess any other threats that may precede or succeed the initial terrorism events. With that knowledge, it feels inevitably compelling to explore pragmatic questions on what are some of the risks that first responders face when countering or responding to an international terrorist event in the United States.

Readiness to unprecedented terrorism emergencies is a prerequisite in engaging various emergency agencies to terrorism attack scenes. Procedural preparation is necessary for averting the terror attacks on the America soil. The risks that are posed by terrorism have necessitated the national preparedness system to the team to develop a threat and hazard identification and assessment process which also includes setting system capability targets (Homeland Security, 2013). Varying communities faces risks and the point of national preparedness engaging in these communities identifying the resources requirement to address the unexpected and expected risks. The national preparedness system core values include the identification and assessment of risks, estimation of capability needs, build and sustain these capabilities, delivery planning, validation capabilities, and review and updating. Similarly, the first responders to terrorism events should have in mind these core responsibilities to ensure their safety and that of the threatened communities (Homeland Security, 2013).

In the event of international terrorism on US first responder should understand the risks that involved in their works to increase their survivability since the terrorist attacks keep on evolving. One of the risks that the first responder is likely to encounter in a terrorism scene is the attempt is the terrorist trying to use secondary devices to harm them and other onlookers on site. In most scenarios, the terrorist will use explosives and other firearms or weapons. Sometimes small amounts of biological, toxin, or radiological agents are employed in ancillary attacks to bring confusion on coordinated response teams. Even in non-terrorist scenarios emergency responders are prone to exposure of offhand explosive devices. Though in the history of US terror attacks there are few incidents of secondary explosives targeting the responders it does not qualify it as a small likelihood risk in future terrorism events due to the unprecedented nature of the attackers. Chemical and biological agents pose risks to emergency respondents mainly health workers and non-trained civilians responders. The effects of such attacks are associated with deaths and other forms on contaminations.

Though nuclear denotation is thought as unlikely events due to the level of technology that is deployed at the state-sponsored level to develop such devices in some way some terrorists are to use radiological dispersal devices (Thompson, Rehn, Lossius & Lockey, 2014). Radiation emitted by such devices the second primary exposure risk that emergency responders. Exposure to even small amounts of radioactive energy can cause detrimental biological consequences. Responders should be on the lookout when attending to terrorism scene to avoid contact with such devices as they may cause multiple organ breakdowns or even death to them and the public or even the environment. In summary, organs in the chemical, biological and secondary explosive and radiation are the primary risk situation that the responder may encounter in terrorism scene in the US.

Besides, the primary risk elements other secondary threats may put the first emergency responders at risk in a rush to offer aid or avert terrorism events. The secondary threats can be categorized into environmental, unstable structures, fire, airborne particles, and mental health. Home security (2016) national preparedness entails involving the community as a whole including families, the private sector, the federal governments and other families. However, terrorism attacks are abrupt tends to destabilize coordination at times. The unstable environment includes those with wobbly energy sources that may pose a risk during emergency responses.

Dust clouds that emanate during an attack carry hazardous particles to the air. Inhaling this chemically contaminated air may have prolonged or delayed health implications to the responders ((Thompson, Rehn, Lossius & Lockey, 2014). The tremor that is caused by the bombings in terror attack may cause weaknesses among the surrounding structures. For instance, the case of twin towers of the world trade center (WTC) most first emergency responders was killed as the buildings collapsed. In some scenario, fire may erupt even after the prolonged incidents causing burns or even deaths. The mental health risk contributes to post-traumatic syndrome disorder (PSTD) among rescue workers or responders in the US as in the case of WTC in the rescue site many responders were diagnosed with PSTD.

In conclusion, response to terrorism events may pose a serious threat to responders. International terrorism is a growing problem in the U.S homeland security which calls for national preparedness. The risk can be either come from primary or secondary elements. The primary risks entail the use of secondary explosives, small firearms, biological or chemical agents and radiation. Secondary hazards that promote risk to first emergency responders include weakened structure, environmental, air contamination or trauma.

References

Homeland Security. (2013). Threat and hazard identification and risk assessment guide (2nd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Dept. of Homeland Security.

Homeland Security. (2016). National response framework (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Dept. of Homeland Security..

Newman, G. R., Clarke, R. V., & United States. (2008). Policing terrorism: An executive’s guide. Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, Center for Problem-Oriented Policing.

Thompson, J., Rehn, M., Lossius, H. M., & Lockey, D. (2014). Risks to emergency medical responders at terrorist incidents: a narrative review of the medical literature. Critical Care,18(5). doi:10.1186/s13054-014-0521-1