What to Do in the Event of Terrorism

Terrorism is the use of force and violence to intimidate to further political or social agendas. A cyber-terrorist attack is the disruption of computer networks, telecommunication systems, or internet services, intended to cause widespread damage and impacts in the community.

Quick Facts

• Domestic terrorism is terrorism that is practiced in your own country against your own people.
• International terrorism is terrorism that is practiced in a foreign country by terrorists who are not native to that country.
• There are many different types of terrorism, such as agroterrorism, biological, chemical, nuclear, radiologic, narco, state-sponsored, and cyber-terrorism.
• Terrorist planning activities include surveillance, seeking information, tests of security, acquiring supplies, suspicious behavior, dry run, deploying assets, and terrorism funding.

Potential Impacts

Vulnerability of the county and its municipalities to the consequences of a terrorist attack on these facilities or systems is due to the potential for the following to occur:

• Disruption to the ability to initiate and sustain emergency response operations.
• Increased safety risks to the community from the release of hazardous materials or dangerous substances.
• Disruption to the ability to maintain all types of governmental functions, including law and order, public safety, education, and similar critical operations.
• Threats to institutions serving large numbers of individuals with higher vulnerability to the health and safety consequences.
• Threats to the economic vitality of the community and its businesses.
• Damage or disruption to components of the transportation or utility infrastructure resulting in additional physical or economic consequences.

Information on Dealing with These Hazards