Reducing the Harmful Consequences of Terrorist Attacks

Abstract

If a terrorist attack cannot be avoided, the next preventive mechanism is to reduce the harmful consequence through interventions which are planned, prepared and trained before an attack takes place. The goal is to save lives, alleviate suffering, reduce fear, restore social functions and infrastructure, and maintain confidence in institutions and authorities. Many actors play important roles in such an effort, with the police, medical emergency units, fire brigades in lead roles but a number of other public and private agencies and actors are also involved. Coordination of these agencies and personnel is often a main challenge in major crisis, typically due to capacity problems, insufficient communication, lack of training, irrelevant emergency plans or failure to implement such plans.