Because natural and manmade disasters can occur at any time, individuals, communities, and governments must be prepared. RAND has developed guidelines for individual preparedness in response to terrorist attacks; evaluated, modeled, and enhanced preparedness policy options for government officials at all levels; and recommended actions that communities should take to prepare for bioterrorist attacks, pandemic flu outbreaks, and other large-scale emergencies.
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RAND Gulf States Policy Institute;
RAND National Security Research Division;
Homeland Security and Defense Center
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Individuals can take simple steps to protect themselves from the harmful effects of potential terrorist attacks involving chemical, radiological, nuclear, and biological weapons.
News Releases (15)
Hospital emergency departments play a growing role in the U.S. health care system, accounting for a rising proportion of hospital admissions and serving increasingly as an advanced diagnostic center for primary care physicians.
Federal support for health security research is heavily weighted toward preparing for bioterrorism and other biological threats, providing significantly less funding for challenges such as monster storms or attacks with conventional bombs.
The U.S. Forest Service should upgrade its large airborne firefighting fleet to include more amphibious scooper aircraft, with air tankers and helicopters in a supporting role during the initial attack of fires before they become large.
Communities can build resilience to disasters through efforts such as joint planning of government and non-governmental organizations and the development of community networks.
Law enforcement agencies in areas where terrorist threats are considered to be high have expanded their focus beyond traditional crime prevention and investigation to include counterterrorism and homeland security operations.
State and local health departments get mixed marks for efforts to convey information about the H1N1 virus to the public using their Web sites immediately after U.S. officials declared a public health emergency in April.
A federal program designed to help metropolitan public health agencies prepare to deliver essential medicines to the public after a large-scale bioterror attack or natural disease outbreak has succeeded in improving the level of readiness.
Non-fatal injuries to police officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians and other public safety workers are common, but little is done to track these incidents in order to improve prevention efforts.
The U.S. Army should change the way it plans for domestic emergencies — both natural disasters and terrorist attacks — to better support state and local first responders, according to a RAND Corporation report issued today.
April 5, 2007 news release: RAND Panel Identifies Key Components of Public Health Emergency Preparedness.
February 12, 2007 News Release: RAND Study Identifies Ways Shopping Centers Can Sharply Reduce Terrorism Risk.
January 18, 2007 News Release: Report Finds Nearly Half of California Hospitals Unprepared to Meet Deadlines for Seismic Safety
October 23, 2006 News Release: RAND Report Stresses Importance of Advanced Planning for Flood Recovery.
April 24, 2006 News Release: RAND Study Proposes Guidelines to Better Protect Emergency Responders at Large Building Collapses
Study Finds Most Los Angeles Residents Unprepared for Terrorist Attack; African Americans and Latinos Best Prepared
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