Tompkins DRNC 546 - Grade: A PDF

Preview

Summary

DRNC assignment...

Description

DRNC Tina Tompkins Saint Leo University CRJ-546 Dr. Burkard 10/14/20

Abstract

Terror attacks have plagued the United States for decades. Many of these attacks seemingly occurred with no prior warning, including the 9/11 terror attacks as well as many mass shootings that have recently occurred. These attacks have caused security measures to become tighter to ensure that these attacks do not occur again. These measures often include the use of metal detectors and full body scans, as used widely in airports. However, some weapons may not be as easily detected in full body scans and can go completely undetected by metal detectors. These weapons include biological weapons that can be used to attack people through spreading illnesses with high mortality rates. These types of attacks do not occur as frequently, which can cause confusion in regards to prevention and response to these attacks. When large events occur, it is important that these types of attacks are addressed and the prevention and response to these attacks are clearly communicated to any stakeholders that would be involved.

DRNC There are many ways terrorists can follow through with attacks against their targets. These methods include the use of suicide bombers, hijacking vehicles and aircraft and even completing mass shootings during public events. However, there is also a threat that terrorists will use biological weapons to follow through with their attacks. Biological weapons can include Anthrax, Ricin and even viruses like the plague or smallpox (Middlebury, n.d.). Unlike bombs and other weapons that can be detected with body scans or metal detectors, biological weapons are unable to detected in the same manner, making the threat more unknown and much more difficult to control than other types of methods used by terrorists. If a biological weapon is released at sporting, political or other large events it could cause mass casualties and preventing this from occurring should be a top priority for those organizing these events. The Democratic-Republican National Convention (DRNC) is scheduled to occur in Miami, Florida. Many high-profile political leaders will be an attendance as well as many of the general public. There are many issues surrounding the security of this political event due to extremists that are threatening to target large events with biological weapons to cause mass casualties. There are many issues concerning the security of the event as well as the lack of guidelines to help prevent these attacks from occurring. A stakeholder meeting will take place to address these security concerns to help prevent an attack from occurring. What Would Happen? If a biological weapon were to be used during the DRNC, the casualties would depend on the substance that was used. Many biological weapons have a delayed effect on the victims and do not produce an immediate mortality (Riedel, 2004). There would likely not be an immediate

mass casualty during this event if a biological weapon were to be used, however within a short period of time following the attack, there could be many casualties as treatment can be limited depending on the type of substance used to commit the attack (Riedel, 2004). The hospitals would become overrun with sick patients that were affected by the biological weapon and the medical treatment for all victims would be diminished due to the lack of personnel and medication to treat them as well as limited room in the hospital for them to be treated. Stakeholders to Attend Meeting There are many personnel that should be present at the stakeholder meeting for the DRNC. Local law enforcement agencies should be present. This includes the Miami-Dade Police Department, Miami Beach Police Department, Broward County Sheriff's Office, as well as their specialized units. These units should include crime scene investigators, SWAT, HAZMAT teams and the bomb squad. Liaisons for the FBI, Department of Defense, National Guard and Homeland Security should also be involved in this meeting as they deal directly with these threats and can use international intelligence to help prepare for these types of attacks. They can also communicate the measures being taken to prevent these attacks and make any resource needs known. The Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, emergency medical services should also be present as they would be necessary when providing immediate medical assistance to victims as well as transportation to local hospitals. Leaders from Jackson Memorial Hospital, Kendall Medical Center and the Miami Medical Center should be present. These facilities would be receiving victims of a biological attack and should be briefed about how many patients could arrive at their facilities as well as the type of biological weapon that could be used to ensure they have a treatment plan put into place. This would help prepare the hospitals for a sudden influx of patients if an attack were to occur.

Key Issues There are many issues that these stakeholders must address. These key issues include prevention of an attack through security and surveillance, collection of evidence, ensuring the biological material does not infect first responders, ensuring victims can be safely transported from the scene and preparing local hospitals for these victims and the necessary treatments. The first being the security available at the DRNC event. The Miami-Dade Police Department and Miami Beach Police Department should identify personnel they have available to provide security at all entrances of the building. There should also be dedicated personnel to monitor surveillance video as well as provide surveillance on foot inside of the building. This is important because placing trained officers at entrances to identify suspicious behavior can prevent an attack. Also, having surveillance can also detect this behavior if the individual was able to get past the original security check. The Broward County Sheriff’s Office should be placed on standby to respond if an attack were to occur. Crime scene investigators should be prepared for any attacks to occur as some individuals may have an immediate adverse response to the biological weapon or there could be a secondary attack with physical weapons. They should also be able to identify and collect any evidence related to the attack. SWAT and the bomb squad should be made available to ensure that hostage situations or secondary bombs can be addressed and taken care of as needed. HAZMAT teams are important to secure the biological weapon that has been detected or deployed to prevent responding personnel from becoming infected with the substance. If an attack were to occur, the victims would need immediate medical attention. This would be the responsibility of firemen as well as EMS personnel. They would be responsible for checking the victim’s vitals and transporting them to medical facilities for treatment. Hospitals in the area should be prepared to deal with the

issue of large amounts of sick patients that will need to be treated for exposure to the biological weapon. These hospitals should ensure the necessary personnel are staffed during the event and they have treatment options available for the types of viruses that could be used for an attack. Guidelines For CSI When responding to a biological terror attack, a crime scene investigator should be prepared. Upon arrival, a crime scene investigator should wait for the HAZMAT team to clear the area or provide guidelines that will allow them to safely enter the crime scene. From there, the personnel should focus on locating evidence related to the attack. This evidence could include containers the biological substance was located in, clothing or other evidence left behind by the attacker. If the individual responsible for the attack was not caught, fingerprints, hair or DNA should be collected from any surfaces the individual may have come into contact with. All evidence and information should immediately be documented and reported to the law enforcement agency in charge to ensure the chain of custody and to prevent loss of evidence. Conclusion To prepare for terror attacks involving biological weapons, it is important to understand what the potential targets may be. Political events may be more susceptible to these attacks due to political extremists or terrorists taking advantage of large crowds for the maximum amount of damage. It is important for all agencies involved in the prevention of attacks and response in the case of an attack occurring have communication and their roles in these scenarios are completely understood. This can be established in meetings that should take place leading up to the events. All personnel should be briefed in regards to their role in responding to the event and possible terror attack to ensure the least number of casualties as possible.

References Middlebury. (n.d.). Geographies of Bioweapons. Retrieved October 14, 2020, from https://sites.middlebury.edu/bioweapons/types-of-bioweapons/ Riedel, S. (2004). Biological Warfare and Bioterrorism: A Historical Review. Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings, 17(4), 400-406. doi:10.1080/08998280.2004.11928002...