Terrorist Attacks on the Civilian Community

Abstract

Global terrorism is a constant threat in the world today and is probably the most challenging major incident (MI) first responders and medical personnel will have to face. MIs caused by terrorist attacks are planned and organized to produce the maximum number of casualties, sending a message to the society that no one is safe. The purpose of these violent acts is to create maximum fear within the population, attempting to create a situation that can lead to social and/or political changes within a community.

First responders and medical personnel are at risk during terrorist attacks and can be potential targets for secondary devices. The emergency response at the scene and in the hospitals represents a strong system that terrorists want to challenge. Potential secondary devices can cause major disruption of the rescue effort and possibly more victims on the scene, during transport, or in the emergency departments in hospitals. The terrorists’ aim is to affect the public’s confidence in the emergency response by disrupting patient care.

MIs caused by terrorists are not a part of the daily civilian medical routine. There is a need for specific education and training of prehospital and hospital teams to enable an effective medical response. Medical personnel need to have basic knowledge about techniques, tactics, and procedures used by terrorists to avoid additional casualties. The most effective way to train this is to use the multiagency approach where all agencies attending the scene are educated about each other’s needs and requirements. Training together is essential, and proactive governments have recognized the benefits of this approach. To be effective against terrorism we need to develop a systematic and comprehensive approach.