TERRORIST EVENT CHECKLIST

Emergency Management / Incident Commander
 
Planning:
 
Develop comprehensive terrorism response plans and guidelines.
Ensure the public is well informed regarding the factual potential for terrorist incidents by developing and distributing factual information.
At the Elevated (yellow) condition, coordinate with business, government agencies, schools, daycare centers, hospitals, etc. in proper precautions and emergency actions prior to a terrorist incident.
Coordinate with the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Center for Disease Control and other federal agencies for information and warnings affecting local jurisdictions. Also coordinate with State Emergency Management, public health and others for similar warnings and information.
Conduct hazard analysis of vital facilities and the impact of a terrorist incident on one or more of those facilities.
Procure or produce information pamphlets for distribution to the public.
Coordinate and plan at least one terrorist incident exercise (table top or practical) every three years.
Determine the availability of shelters and obtain shelter agreements if the Red Cross (or designated lead agency) has not.
Coordinate with local broadcast media to ensure timely and accurate Emergency Alert System activation.
   
Response:
 
Identify type of terrorist incident (i.e., chemical, biological, explosive, etc.).
Identify immediate action or response requirements.
Ensure response forces have as much information as possible.
EMS may activate mass casualty plan if appropriate.
Health may activate bioterrorism plan if appropriate.
Hospitals may activate radiation contamination or other contamination plans if appropriate.
Immediately carry out those action requirements necessary to preserve life and/or property, including the deployment of required resources.
Activate the EOC as appropriate.
Organize or establish the EOC, based on operational procedure or guideline.
Issue alert and warning based on procedure or guideline, as warranted.
On order, evacuate affected areas with assistance from available response forces.
Establish communications with responding agencies.
Establish traffic control and security with law enforcement.
Through communications with responding agencies determine as quickly as possible: 
 
The specific type of incident and it involves additional incidents such as bio-chemical, explosives, radioactive materials, toxins, etc.
The location of any established command post:
  Has incident command been established? If not, establish incident command.
  Has the incident commander been appointed or assumed command? Who is it?
  Have incident communications been fully established?
What is the two way radio frequency being used by incident command?
Number of killed or injured.
General boundary of the affected area.
The general extent of damages.
The general extent of power or other utility disruption.
Immediate needs of response forces.
If voluntary evacuations of the population have begun.
Location of any triage area.
Location of any congregate care area established or ad hoc.
Evaluate overall county situation, including weather conditions and patterns that may affect the incident or the further dispersal of material.
Request a technical liaison from the Health Department, and from law enforcement, both knowledgeable of terrorist activity; report to the EOC (or command post). Liaisons should also have knowledge regarding chemical, biological, nuclear and explosive weapons or other weapons of mass destruction.
Establish communications with the State.
Request hazardous materials team response if appropriate.
Establish communications with and request a liaison from State Transportation and electric, telephone and gas utilities as necessary.
Establish communications with area schools, medical facilities and/or businesses that might be affected.
Establish ongoing reporting from the response forces, private agencies and utilities.
Establish command post(s) as needed.
Coordinate with Red Cross (or designated lead agency) the opening of appropriate number of shelters in the appropriate areas, based on shelter procedure or guideline.
Conduct first staff briefing as soon as practical after EOC / Command post activation.
Activate or establish rumor control through the public information officer (PIO).
Establish a schedule for briefings.
Brief city/county/agency/utility executives.
Provide PIO with updated information.
Establish, as appropriate, a Joint Information Center (JIC) with the facility.
Provide response forces with updated information, as appropriate.
Cause public information to be released, via the public information officer (PIO) as soon as practical.
Issue action guidance as appropriate.
Establish 24/7 duty roster for the EOC and/or command post.
Develop and post any required maps or diagrams.
Activate an events log.
Ensure all appropriate forms (ICS) are being used to track personnel and resources.
Review and follow resource procurement procedure or guideline.
Inventory additional resources that may be used or called upon for use.
Activate formal resource request procedure or guideline and resource tracking.
Coordinate all resource requests being forwarded to the State.
Activate financial tracking system coordinated by the Finance Officer.
Activate damage assessment and follow damage assessment procedure or guideline.
If incident continues, develop a 12 hour incident action plan outlining actions that must be accomplished in the next 12 hours.
Conduct a "second shift" or relieving shift briefing, if you are being relieved.
Discuss with and present to your relief, the incident action plan for the next 12 hours.
   
Recovery:
 
Gather damage assessment information (public, housing, business) from damage assessment teams.
Obtain information from technical sources regarding explosive effects, biological or other effects duration.
Obtain information from Red Cross (or designated lead agency) regarding number of shelterees and support necessary for continued operation.
Obtain from Red Cross (or designated lead agency) an estimated duration period for continued shelter operations, if any.
Obtain information from utilities regarding outages, length of repair, safety, etc.
Assess citizen / community needs for individual assistance and/or public assistance.
Activate local unmet needs committee if appropriate.
Gather financial information from the Finance Officer.
As appropriate gather additional information to include:
 
Personnel that responded and the time involved in the response.
Time sheets or time logs.
Supplies used.
Contracts issued.
Purchase orders issued.
Any other expenditures.
Damages to public buildings, equipment, utilities, etc.
Loss of life or injury of any responder.
Documents regarding economic impact.
Develop or generate reports for the following, as appropriate:
 
FEMA
State
Local elected officials
County/City /Town Managers
Others requiring or requesting reports
Coordinate recovery organizations including federal and state agencies and private or volunteer relief organizations, as appropriate.
Establish donated goods management based on policy and procedure or guideline.
If a Presidential declaration of disaster is made, file "Request for Public Assistance" to apply for assistance as soon as possible with the proper state or federal agency.
Ensure public officials are made aware of the assistance application process, if applicable.
Ensure the general public is made aware, through the public information officer, of the assistance application process, if applicable.
Perform an incident critique as soon as possible with all possible response organizations.
Review agency and self performance.
Review the weaknesses of the plan.
Correct weaknesses.
Implement hazard mitigation or modify hazard mitigation plan accordingly.
Brief elected officials with updated information and disaster recovery progress.
   
*** End Terrorist Event Checklist ***
Last updated: May 09, 2008