What can we do to protect ourselves from a terrorist attack, and how can communities respond most effectively if the unthinkable should happen? The next large-scale terrorist attack on the United States could be carried out using any number of agents and delivery methods, including anthrax, smallpox, the water system, the agriculture industry; threats to bridges, tunnels, trains, airlines, and other transportation systems; suicide bombings in crowded cities, convention centers, and shopping malls; the possibilities are many, but not endless. Local preparation is critical. Until now, scant attention has been paid to the role of communities in preparing for and responding to terrorism. This invaluable set covers chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive scenarios. Throughout, the focus is on community preparedness and response.

Volume I, The Terrorist Threat and Community Response, focuses on local, state, regional and federal coordination of efforts and interaction. Volume II, The Role of Community Organizations and Business, includes chapters on the public health system, counterterrorism training, cyberterrorism, negotiating with terrorists, nonprofit organizations, and schools. Volume III, Communication and the Media, addresses the role of the media in alerting the public to a terrorist attack, and the need to prevent terrorists from using public information against the very citizens the media is trying to serve in times of crisis.