EVENTS
Our meetings provide a national forum for leaders in the field to explore and discuss priorities, challenges, and policy implications in health security.
Preparing to Save Lives and Recover
After a Nuclear Catastrophe: Implications for US Policy
Overview
"Two decades after the end of the Cold War, we face a cruel irony of history - the risk of a nuclear confrontation between nations has gone down, but the risk of nuclear attack has gone up."
President Barack Obama, Remarks at the Nuclear Security Summit, April 13, 2010
On April 29, 2010, the Center for Biosecurity of UPMC convened an invitational conference in Washington, DC, to examine critical issues associated with response to and recovery from a nuclear detonation and to consider the policy implications of those issues. The meeting was attended by more than 150 participants, who included federal, state, and local government officials, congressional staff, policy analysts, academics, members of the media, and experienced practitioners from the public health, medical, and emergency management communities. The conference was sponsored by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
Among the day's presenters were Joan Rohlfing, President, NTI; Brooke Buddemeier, Global Security Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL); John Fortier, Executive Director, AEI/Brookings Continuity of Government Commission; and White House officials David Marcozzi and Tammy Taylor, both of whom spoke off-the-record. The meeting also featured 3 distinguished panels that explored some of the most difficult challenges that would face policymakers in the event of a nuclear detonation. Panelists discussed proposals for strengthening preparedness efforts. See the Conference Agenda for a complete list of speakers, panels, and presentations.
Suggested background reading:
- Mowatt-Larssen R. Nightmares of nuclear terrorism. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. 2010;66(2):37-45.
- Coleman CN, Hrdina C, Bader JL, Norwood A, Hayhurst R, Forsha J, Yeskey K, Knebel A. Medical response to a radiologic/nuclear event integrated plan from the office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Department of Health and Human Services. Annals of Emergency Medicine. February 2009;53(2):213-22.
- Courtney B, Toner E, Waldhorn R. Preparing the healthcare system for catastrophic emergencies. Biosecur Bioterror. 2009 Mar;7(1):33-4.
- Franco C, Toner E, Waldhorn R, Inglesby TV, O'Toole T. The national disaster medical system: Past, present, and suggestions for the future (Article Brief). Biosecur Bioterror. 2007;5(4):319-325.
- Florig HK, Fischhoff B. Individuals' decisions affecting radiation exposure after a nuclear explosion. Health Phys. 92(5):475-483, 2007.
- Becker SM. Emergency communication and information issues in terrorist events involving radioactive materials. Biosecur Bioterror. 2004;2(3):195-207.
- Sorensen J. Risk communication and terrorism. Biosecur Bioterror. 2004;2(3):229-31. Accessed April 15, 2010.
- Weinstock DM, Case C, Bader JL, Chao NJ, et al. Radiologic and nuclear events: Contingency planning for hematologists/oncologists. Blood. 2008;111(12).
- Hrdina CM, Coleman CN, Bogucki S, Bader JL, Hayhurst RE, Forsha JD, Marcozzi D, Yeskey K, Knebel AR. The "RTR" medical response system for nuclear and radiological mass-casualty incidents: A functional TRiage-TReatment-TRansport medical response model. Prehospital Disast Med. 2009;24(3):167-178.
- Graham R, Talent J, Larsen R. We all have a role: Working with your community to prepare for natural and man-made disasters. Washington, DC: Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism; 2010.
Agenda
Welcoming and Opening Remarks
Tom Inglesby, Director and CEO, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
Nuclear Dangers—"A Strange Turn of History"
Joan Rohlfing, President, Nuclear Threat Initiative
National Response to a Nuclear Detonation
David Marcozzi, Director, All-Hazards Medical Preparedness Policy, National Security Council Staff, The White House
Mr. Marcozzi's talk was off the record.
State and Local Roles in Response to a Nuclear Detonation
Tammy Taylor, Senior Policy Analyst, National Security and International Affairs Division, OSTP Policy, Executive Office of the President, The White House
Ms. Taylor's talk was off the record.
Brooke Buddemeier, Global Security Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Video: Effects of a Nuclear Detonation in a Major City • Handout
Panel Discussion—What Are the Most Important Policies and Programs to Reduce Casualties from Nuclear Fallout?
- Ann Norwood, Senior Associate, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC, Moderator
- Baruch Fischhoff, Howard Heinz University Professor, Department of Social and Decision Sciences and Department of Engineering and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University
- Tammy Taylor, Senior Policy Analyst, National Security and International Affairs Division, OSTP, Executive Office of the President, The White House
- Kathleen Kaufman, Director, Radiation Management Program, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
Reconstitution of the Federal Government After an Attack: Gaps and Ways Forward
John Fortier, Executive Director, American Enterprise Institute-Brookings Continuity of Government Commission
Panel Discussion—Saving Lives After a Nuclear Detonation: Making the Best Use of Medical Resources
- Richard Waldhorn, Distinguished Scholar, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC, Moderator
- C. Norman Coleman, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, HHS
- David Weinstock, Department of Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Medical Advisor, Radiation Injury Treatment Network
- Irwin Redlener, Director, National Center for Disaster Preparedness, Columbia University
- Ann Knebel, Deputy Director, Preparedness Planning, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, HHS
Roundtable Discussion: What Is the Response and Role of the Press Following a Nuclear Terrorist Event?
Note: At the request of the panel, this discussion was off the record.
- Randall Larsen, Former Executive Director, Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism, Moderator
- Mimi Hall, Journalist, USA TODAY
- Jeanne Meserve, Correspondent, CNN
Panel Discussion—What Policies Could Enable Communities to Recover After a Nuclear Detonation?
- Monica Schoch-Spana, Senior Associate, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC, Moderator
- Ann-Margaret Esnard, Professor and Director, VPT Lab, Florida Atlantic University School of Urban and Regional Planning
- Louisa Vinton, Senior Programme Manager and Chernobyl Coordinator, Western CIS and Caucasus Countries, United Nations Development Programme
- Gavin Smith, Executive Director, Center for the Study of Natural Hazards and Disasters, UNC Chapel Hill; DHS Center of Excellence for the Study of Natural Disasters, Coastal Infrastructure and Emergency Management
- Brian Flynn, Former Assistant Surgeon General, Associate Director, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
The Dead Hand—The Untold Story of the Cold War Arms Race and Its Dangerous Legacy
David Hoffman, 2010 Pulitzer Prize-winning author
Concluding Remarks
Thomas V. Inglesby, Director and CEO, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
Speakers























Attendees
Gary Ackerman, START
Terry Adirim, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
George Alexander, GA Alexander Solutions
Bruce Altevogt, Institute of Medicine
Carol Apelt, George Washington University Medical Center
Manuel Aponte, Office of the Secretary of Defense
Randy Atkins, National Academy of Engineering
Sheila Avruch, U.S. Government Accountability Office
Judy Bader, U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
Tali Bar-Shalom, Office of Management and Budget
Cindy Bascetta, U.S. Government Accountability Office
Kavita Berger, American Assn. for the Advancement of Science
Daniel Blumenthal, U.S. Department of Energy
Arnold Bogis, Harvard University
Nidhi Bouri, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
Brooke Buddemeier, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Jerome Cardt
Ellen Carlin, House Committee on Homeland Security
John Caves, NDU, Center for the Study of WMD
Andrew Chen, ASPR/OPEO/U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
Anita Cicero, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
Norman Coleman, National Institutes of Health
Bernard Courtney, The Tauri Group
Brooke Courtney, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
Brian David, U.S. Department of Defense
Robert Davis, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Molly D'Esopo, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
Dan Dodgen, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
John Donnelly, DC Fire and EMS
Joe Donovan, Beacon Capital
Michael Dunaway, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Joanna Engstrom-Brown, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
Gerald Epstein, American Assn. for the Advancement of Science
Ann-Margret Esnard, Florida Atlantic University
Julie Fischer, Stimson Center
Baruch Fischhoff, Carnegie Mellon University
Daniel Flynn, Radiation Oncol. Dept., Holy Family Med. Ctr.
Brian Flynn, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
John Fortier, American Enterprise Institute
Jackie Fox, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
Crystal Franco, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
Costanza Galastri, National Assn. of City & County Health Officials
Andrew Garrett, NDMS/U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
Scott Graham, American Red Cross
Kent Gray, U.S. Department of Energy
Michael Gresalfi, FEMA/U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security
Gigi Kwik Gronvall, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
Kenneth Groves, S2-Sevorg Services, LLC
Nathaniel Hafer, NIH/NIAID/DAIT
Mimi Hall, USA TODAY
Dan Hanfling, Inova Health System
Cynthia Hansen, U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
Mary Beth Hansen, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
Andrew Heighington, U.S. Department of Defense
D. A. Henderson, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
Bill Hendrickson, Issues in Science and Technology
Gerard Hoetmer, Public Entity Risk Institute
Erin Hoffman, House Committee on Homeland Security
Chris Holbrook, California Emergency Management Agency
Chad Hrdina, U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
Tom Hu, ASPR/U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
Adam Hutter, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Thomas V. Inglesby, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
William Jenkins, Jr., U.S. Government Accountability Office
Til Jolly, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Peter Jutro, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Kathleen Kaufman, Los Angeles County Dept. of Public Health
Beth Kennedy, Office of the Secretary of Defense Policy
Lynne Kidder, Business Executives for National Security
Tara Kirk Sell, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
Ann Knebel, U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
John Koerner, ASPR/U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
Jonathan Kraden, Senate Homeland Security Committee
Randy Larsen, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
Mary Lasky, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
John Lathrop, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Mark Lauda, U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
Mark Levine, VA State Health Department
Dara Lieberman, Trust for America’s Health
Davia Lilly, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
Carl Lindgren, North Arlington County Fire Dept. Office
Alicia Livinski, NIH/U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
Micah Lowenthal, National Academy of Sciences
David Lysy, U.S. Government Accountability Office
Ernest Maestas, Albuquerque Emergency Management
Ben Mallory, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Sarah Maloney, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Ronald Manning, BARDA/ASPR/U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
Monique Mansoura, BARDA/ASPR/U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
David Marcozzi, National Security Staff
Richard Martinello, U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs
Derek Matthews, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Danny McClung, U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs
R. Allen McCurry, The McCurry Group
Michael McDonald, Global Health Initiatives, Inc.
Mike McGeary, Institute of Medicine
Dave McIntyre, ThinkingEnemy
Richard McNally, U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
Michael Meit, NORC at the University of Chicago
John Mercier, Noblis
Jeanne Meserve, CNN
Elizabeth Miller, de Beaumont Foundation
Paula Murrain-Hill, U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
Jessica Nagasako, HSGAC
Rick Nelson, CSIS
Ann Norwood, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
Jennifer Nuzzo, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
Gregg Pane, ASPR/U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
Ryan Paris, VA Dept. of Health, Div. of Radiological Health
Steven Payne, DTRA
R. Eric Petersen, Congressional Research Service
Sally Phillips, AHRQ
Lewis Radonovich, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Laurel Radow, Federal Highway Admin., USDOT
Murad Raheem, U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
Kunal Rambhia, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
Irwin Redlener, Columbia Univ. National Ctr. for Disaster Prep.
Joan Rohlfing, NTI
Al Romanosky, Maryland DHMH
Deborah Rosenblum, NTI
Bob Ross, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Benjamin Rusek, Committee on International Security & Arms Control, National Academy of Sciences
Marjorie Russell, Georgetown University
Julie Sadovich, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Adela Salame-Alfie, New York State Dept. of Health
Monica Schoch-Spana, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
Thomas Seed, Tech Micro Services
Fred Selck, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
Alla Shapiro, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Aarisha Shrestha, U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
Gavin Smith, University of North Carolina
Brad Smith, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
Steve Sternberg, USA TODAY
Clare Stroud, Institute of Medicine
Kate Summers, U.S. Senate Sergeant at Arms
Charles Swan, U.S. Department of Defense
Benn Tannenbaum, American Assn. for the Advancement of Science
Tammy Taylor, White House Office of Sci. & Tech. Policy
Thomas Tenforde, NCRP
Eric Toner, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
Price Tyson, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
RADM W. C. Vanderwagen, Martin Blanck and Assoc.
Jen Venero, National Marrow Donor Program
Dan Vergano, USA TODAY
Louisa Vinton, United Nations
Richard Waldhorn, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
Matthew Watson, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC
David Weinstock, Harvard University
Scott Wells
Bob Whitcomb, U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prev.
Jordy Wommack, NMDHSEM
Kevin Yeskey, U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services