Triage For Civil Support ― Using Military Medical Assets To Respond To Terrorist Attacks

This RAND research report addresses the provision of US Department of Defense medical assets to support civil authorities in the event of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and conventional high explosives attacks. The report explores the circumstances that might lead to requests for military medical assets, what sorts of assets or capabilities might be requested, the existence of appropriate military medical assets and planning processes for civil support, and legal barriers and how they might be overcome. As part of the research RAND examined historical case studies of military medical support to civil authorities and conducted two exercises of potential military medical support in the event of a large-scale terrorist attack. Annotation c2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)