Disaster preparedness goes far beyond drafting a plan. As a healthcare leader, you must ensure that your organization has the appropriate programs and trained staff in place to respond quickly to any disaster event or threat. But you may be struggling with questions such as, "Where does my facility fit into communitywide preparedness systems?"; "Who is in charge, and what do they expect of me?"; and "What do I need to do first?" These questions and more are answered throughout this book.

This resource focuses on planning and preparedness, with a special emphasis on issues of terrorism. Leaders in the fields of emergency medicine, law, and terrorism response provide guidance in the areas of:

• Understanding the legal and ethical issues surrounding disaster planning and preparedness
• Obtaining disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency
• Navigating the confusing web of governmental and agency direction, control, and oversight
• Achieving and maintaining local interagency cooperation
• Integrating civilian and military response
• Meeting the preparedness needs of special populations