Individual Preparedness and Response to Chemical, Radiological, Nuclear, and Biological Terrorist Attacks

There is much the nation must do-and is doing-to guard against and prepare for terrorist attacks. In some possible situations, individuals may have to rely on themselves to protect their own health and safety-perhaps even their own lives. Thus, individual preparedness is an important element of our nation's strategy for homeland security. Many people know how to respond in such disasters as fires and earthquakes, but few would know what to do if someone were to use a chemical, radiological, nuclear, or biological weapon in their vicinity. Although the characteristics of such attacks may vary widely and their likelihood is highly uncertain, they can all create unfamiliar and very dangerous circumstances. Consequently, individuals need an overall strategy they can use to prepare for and respond to such attacks. This guide emerged from a detailed what-if, scenario-driven analysis we conducted to examine four types of terrorist attacks: chemical, radiological, nuclear, and biological. In each case, the response strategy is guided by a fundamental objective, which we refer to as an overarching goal, which in turn depends on taking certain actions. We have distilled our findings into this guide to offer individuals a series of actions they can take to save lives, even in catastrophic situations.