# 2508
Last week the UK's IPPR's Commission on National Security for the 21st century warned that one of the biggest emerging threats comes from terrorists using biological warfare.
I blogged on that here.
Today the AP is reporting that a bi-partisan commission will report tomorrow that the United States is at a growing risk of biological attack.
First the story, then some discussion.
Panel warns biological attack likely by 2013
Report recommends Obama administration prepare for germ warfare
updated 11:00 p.m. ET, Mon., Dec. 1, 2008
WASHINGTON - The United States can expect a terrorist attack using nuclear or more likely biological weapons before 2013, reports a bipartisan commission in a study being briefed Tuesday to Vice President-elect Joe Biden. It suggests the Obama administration bolster efforts to counter and prepare for germ warfare by terrorists.
"Our margin of safety is shrinking, not growing," states the report, obtained by The Associated Press. It is scheduled to be publicly released Wednesday.
The commission is also encouraging the new White House to appoint one official on the National Security Council to exclusively coordinate U.S. intelligence and foreign policy on combating the spread of nuclear and biological weapons.
The report of the Commission on the Prevention of WMD Proliferation and Terrorism, led by former Sens. Bob Graham of Florida and Jim Talent of Missouri, acknowledges that terrorist groups still lack the needed scientific and technical ability to make weapons out of pathogens or nuclear bombs. But it warns that gap can be easily overcome, if terrorists find scientists willing to share or sell their know-how.
"The United States should be less concerned that terrorists will become biologists and far more concerned that biologists will become terrorists," the report states.
Unlike many of the ominous news stories we hear each day, this is one that every family can do something about.
Not to prevent an attack, but to prepare for one.
The primary focus of this blog has been on preparations for a pandemic, but just about all of the preparedness steps recommended for a pandemic would prove invaluable during a biological attack.
The truth is, if you are pandemic ready . . . you are ready for just about anything.
Disasters happen.
Earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, floods, blizzards, extended power outages . . . and occasionally . . . even pandemics and terrorist attacks.
The odds that any one of these events might happen to you or your community may be remote, but when you combine all of the threats, together they constitute a clear and present danger.
We may not be able to control how or when disasters strike - but we can be ready for them.
Every family should have a realistic, solid disaster plan. They should practice and drill on what they will do if . . .
Good places to get started include:
FEMA http://www.fema.gov/index.shtm
READY.GOV http://www.ready.gov/
AMERICAN RED CROSS http://www.redcross.org/
For Pandemic Preparedness Information:
For more in-depth emergency preparedness information I can think of no better resource than GetPandemicReady.Org.
Admittedly, as a minor contributor to that site, I'm a little biased.
But whether you are preparing for a hurricane, an earthquake, a pandemic, or a terrorist attack - the important thing is not to delay.
