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The Municipality is not immune to acts of terrorism. While a significant attack is considered unlikely, the consequences of a major incident could be catastrophic and would require a coordinated multi-jurisdictional law enforcement and emergency management response.

An act of terrorism may include kidnapping, hijacking, attack involving chemical, biological, radiological/nuclear or explosive weapons (CBRNE), cyber attack, assassination, extortion, or intentional contamination of food sources, water, or air and threats to commit such acts.

OPERATIONAL CONCEPTS

Mitigation

A.      The Municipality will coordinate with state and local partners to identify potential targets and determine their vulnerability and impact if attacked.

B.      The Municipality will provide representation to the Joint Terrorism Task Force to monitor intelligence regarding potential terrorist groups and maintain profile information on groups suspected active in the local area.

C.      The Municipality will establish appropriate security programs for public facilities that are potential targets and will recommend such programs to private property owners.

D.      Under most threat conditions, private business is responsible for protecting itself from terrorist attacks.

E.      Individual citizens and families can help prevent terrorist attacks by being observant in their communities, reporting suspicious activity, and being aware of federal threat levels.

Preparedness

A.      The Municipality uses the US Department of Homeland Security color-coded threat level system as a guideline to establish the existing local terrorism threat level. The mayor may choose whether to adopt the recommended threat level based on a credible local threat. As threat levels rise, the Municipality will establish appropriate increased readiness actions.

B.      The Municipality will arrange regular terrorism awareness training for law enforcement, fire service, public health workers, emergency responders, and emergency management staff.

C.      The Municipality will establish mutual aid agreements to enhance response capabilities.

D.     The Municipality will conduct drills and exercises to test plans, procedures, and training and will encourage public and private partners to participate.

Response

A.      A terrorism response may be triggered if any of the following events occur:

• Credible threat or incident involving CBRNE agents
• Incident of unknown origin that creates mass casualties within in a short period
• Incident where victims display signs or symptoms of a CBRNE event with an unknown or suspicious origin
• Sudden or repeated occurrences of any illness or disease not typically seen in a geographical area
•  Incident or series of incidents that indicate cyber intrusions or cyber attacks

B.      The Municipality will immediately notify the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management upon identification of a specific threat or terrorist event.

C.      The National Response Plan will activate during any terrorism incident and the Department of Homeland Security will coordinate federal response. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the lead agency for the law enforcement component of terrorism response.

D.     When a credible threat exists, the Municipality will activate its EOC to facilitate response and will invite the FBI and the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to provide liaison personnel. The Municipality will also activate its EOC in response to a terrorist threat or incident outside its jurisdiction

E.      The Municipality will assist in the establishment of a joint field office to provide a central location for coordination of federal, state, and local agencies.

F.      The Alaska State Troopers will coordinate the state's law enforcement response to a terrorist incident or threat.

G.     Any chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosive event should be treated as a crime scene until authorities determine it is not a terrorist attack.

H.    If there is a local incident site, an incident command post will be established by first responders. Incident command will transition into a unified command as state and federal responders arrive to augment local response.

I.        If there is no local incident site, such as during incidents involving biological agents or cyber attacks, response activities will be directed and controlled from the EOC.

J.        A terrorist incident may be simultaneously a crime scene and a hazardous materials (HazMat) site and may cross jurisdictional boundaries. The incident command team will establish operating areas and formulate a plan of action that considers the needs of all jurisdictions and agencies.

• A crime scene area may be established to protect evidence. Access may be restricted by state, federal, or local law enforcement personnel.
• A HazMat area may include a portion of or the entire crime scene. Access may be restricted to response personnel equipped with personal protective equipment and using decontamination procedures.
• The incident area includes the crime scene, the HazMat area, and areas used for incident support operation. Access may be controlled and egress restricted if quarantine is implemented.

K.      The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services retains isolation and quarantine authority.

L.      During municipal emergency requiring dispensation of mass prophylaxis or Strategic National Stockpile assets all municipal employees from all agencies are subject to be called for service. All requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act will apply and compensation will be in accordance with existing rules and bargaining agreements.

M.    Evacuation of an area or facility may be ordered because of a credible threat.

N.    Evacuation may be required from inside the perimeter of the scene to guard against further casualties from initial agent release, additional agents, or secondary devices. Long-term relocation may be ordered if an area is contaminated by a CBRNE agent.

O.     Every measure will be taken to assure the utmost respect for the families of victims while containing the spread of CBRNE agents.

Recovery

A.      Incident sites and other affected areas may require decontamination. State or federal agencies may oversee this effort.

B.      The Municipality will identify and restrict access to all structurally unsafe buildings.

C.      The Municipality will attempt to remediate and clean up any hazardous materials affecting local water, sewer, or drainage systems.

D.      The Municipality will provide traffic control for the return of evacuees.

E.      The Municipality in coordination with the American Red Cross will assist in arranging temporary housing for evacuees who cannot return to their homes.

F.      For areas that cannot be decontaminated and returned to normal use in the near term, the Municipality will develop and implement appropriate access controls.

G.      The Municipality will cooperate with state and federal agencies to investigate the cause of a terrorism incident.

H.      The Municipality will conduct critical incident stress management for emergency responders.

I.      The Municipality will debrief response personnel, prepare an incident report, and update plans and procedures based on lessons learned.

J.      The Municipality will restore normal services as soon as practicable after a terrorism incident.

Responsibilities

The responsibilities listed herein are not intended to be departmental checklists. Each agency will develop internal policies and procedures to perform its assigned duties. At the discretion of the incident commander not all functions may be performed and nor all agencies used.

Primary Agencies

Anchorage Office of Emergency Management / Emergency Operations Center

1. Coordinates overall strategic disaster response during a major emergency or disaster.
2. Coordinates with state or federal agencies to secure additional resources and advises responding agencies of those available resources.
3. Participates on the Alaska Critical Infrastructure Protection group to identify potential targets within the Municipality and determine their vulnerability and impact if attacked.
4. Coordinates with law enforcement agencies to determine appropriate readiness actions during periods of increased threat.
5. Recommends appropriate training for emergency responders and emergency management personnel in coordination with other local officials.
6. Conducts periodic exercises to test plans, procedures, and training.
7. Activates the Emergency Alert System as needed.
8. Establishes a joint information center to coordinate dissemination of public information concerning terrorism events or threats.
9. Monitors federal threat levels to determine appropriate readiness actions.
10. Coordinates terrorism awareness training for appropriate municipal staff.
11. Ensures establishment of appropriate mutual aid agreements with neighboring communities and partner agencies.
12. Coordinates regular exercises and drills and establishes partnerships with public and private partners to encourage participation.
13. Manages all facets of response activities when there is no local incident site.
14. Notifies the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the FBI upon identification of a specific threat or terrorist event and ensures they are integrated into response activities.
15. Assists in the establishment of a joint field office to provide a central location for coordination of federal, state, and local agencies.
16. Ensures restoration of municipal services as soon as practicable.
17. Coordinates with the American Red Cross to arrange temporary housing for evacuees unable to return to their homes.

Health and Human Services

1. Assumes the lead role for protecting public health during a bioterrorism incident.
2. Enforces municipal codes concerning environmental, public health, or safety issues.
3. Advises the incident commander of decontamination protocols, symptoms, and recommended medical treatments related to CBRNE.
4. Dispatches a medical officer to the site as necessary.
5. Maintains medical surveillance for CBRNE signs and symptoms.
6. Coordinates with the State of Alaska to activate the Strategic National Stockpile.
7. Acts as the lead agency for the dispensation of mass prophylaxis or inoculations, including Strategic National Stockpile assets when activated.
8. Coordinates isolation and quarantine measures with appropriate state agencies.
9. Coordinates dissemination of critical public health information.

Fire Department

1. Acts as the lead agency and establishes an incident command post if first on scene.
2. Conducts all fire suppression and rescue operations.
3. Coordinates search and rescue operations as needed
4. Deploys EMS teams and implements mass casualty protocols as required.
5. Deploys hazardous materials response teams and decontamination units as needed.
6. Integrates all supporting EMS agencies into on scene medical operations.
7. Identifies and restricts access to unsafe structures as able.
8. Identifies requirements for debris clearance to expedite fire and rescue operations.
9. Orders evacuations as necessary and provides evacuation support as able.
10. Provides regular training for hazardous materials mitigation and emergency response.
11. Tracks local inventories of hazardous materials and develops awareness programs for businesses that handle inventories of potential weapon-making materials.
12. Coordinates with Health and Human Services to establish appropriate actions to protect the public when a CBRNE event has occurred.
13. Provides information to the public under the Community Right-to-Know Act.
14. Coordinates necessary actions to decontaminate hazardous material sites and remains on site until immediate health and safety risks have been resolved.
15. Develops and implement appropriate access controls for areas unable to be decontaminated in the near term.
16. Provides personnel support as able to assist Health and Human Services with dispensation of Strategic National Stockpile supplies.
17. Coordinates dispensation of Metropolitan Medical Response System prophylaxis to emergency responders, EOC staff, and their immediate families and household members.

Municipal Light and Power

1. Monitors and alerts the EOC and incident commander to significant outages that may affect emergency response.
2. Prioritizes restoration of power to critical facilities and facilities that support emergency operations.
3. Establishes liaison with other power utilities through the utilities desk at the EOC.

Police Department

1. Acts as the lead agency and establishes an incident command post if first on scene.
2. Acts as the lead local agency in anti-terrorist operations.
3. Participates in statewide Joint Terrorism Task Force activities.
4. Coordinates with privately owned high-risk and critical facilities to recommend appropriate security programs.
5. Conducts terrorism response training for law enforcement personnel.
6. Supports public education and awareness activities.
7. Coordinates the deployment and operation of counter-terrorist response elements.
8. Establishes control zones and orders evacuation from the hot and warm zones.
9. Secures scene, reroutes traffic, and implements crowd control measures as needed.
10. Provides security at incident site, operational areas, and critical facilities including Strategic National Stockpile dispensing sites.
11. Provides requested support for evacuation operations.
12. Conducts reconnaissance in vicinity of the incident site to identify threats from delayed action and secondary weapons.
13. Cooperates with state and federal agencies to investigate the incident and to identify and apprehend suspects.
14. Coordinates with the EOC Behavioral Health Unit to provide chaplains to deliver comfort and solace for emergency workers and disaster victims as able.

Water and Wastewater Utility

1. Conducts regular monitoring of the municipal water supply.
2. Carries out emergency repairs to water and wastewater systems required to support emergency operations and restore essential public services.
3. Identifies any needs for emergency drinking water supplies from outside sources and initiates water conservation procedures if required.
4. Facilitates remediation and decontamination of any hazardous materials affecting local water or sewer systems.

Supporting Agencies

American Red Cross of Alaska

1. Acts as the lead agency for sheltering operations and the services associated therein.
2. Operates a disaster welfare inquiry system to document the location and welfare of victims and displaced persons.
3. Provides food services at the incident site, congregate care facilities, or other sites as able.
4. Activates its Air Incident Response Team to perform the mental health and volunteer coordination functions at an aviation disaster.

Area Hospitals

1. Maintains medical surveillance for CBRNE signs and symptoms.
2. Provides emergency and routine medical care.
3. Provides updates to the EOC regarding hospital capabilities and capacity.
4. Supply a medical liaison to the EOC.
5. Establishes onsite decontamination capabilities whenever decontamination is necessary.

Maintenance and Operations Department, Street and Park Maintenance Division

1. Provides equipment and operators for debris removal.
2. Provides barricades and temporary fencing as requested.
3. Conducts emergency repairs to streets and bridges as necessary.
4. Facilitates remediation and decontamination of any hazardous materials affecting municipal drainage systems.

Public Transportation

1. Provides transportation services as directed by the incident commander or the EOC.

School District

1. Provides for the safety of students and notifies the EOC of any student relocation.
2. Augments congregate care operations by making facilities and resources available when school is not in session or when the needs of students have been met.
3. Assists the EOC with transportation services after ensuring the transportation needs of students have been met.
4. Augments nursing services as directed by the EOC and as appropriate based on the availability of nurses after student needs have been met.

MUTUAL AID, STATE, OR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE

All state and federal assistance is coordinated through the State Emergency Coordination Center. 

The Alaska State Public Health Laboratory may provide laboratory analysis during a biological incident.

The Alaska Army National Guard can provide mobile laboratory assistance to conduct exposure and sampling services at the incident site.

The Alaska State Defense Force may be deployed by the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

REFERENCES

Anchorage Emergency Operations Plan, Annex 1: Evacuation

Anchorage Emergency Operations Plan, Annex 3: Congregate Care

Anchorage Emergency Operations Plan, Annex 5: Mass Casualty

Anchorage Emergency Operations Plan, Annex 6: Mass Fatality

AS 18.15.360 Data Collection

National Response Plan

Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986

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