由Jerome Hauer.
President Obama should be commended for making nuclear nonproliferation a priority of his administration. At the 2010 Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, D.C., in April, the president was right to urge global cooperation on isolating non-secure nuclear materials that could be used to make a weapon.1
这是核的威胁恐怖主义continues to grow. However, some proliferation experts disagree with the president’s assertion that nuclear weapons represent one of the biggest threats to U.S. security. They are concerned the White House’s focus on nuclear weapons will unintentionally draw attention and resources away from other, more likely terrorist threats, such as biological and chemical agents, conventional explosives, or a combination thereof.2
Two recent events in New York City validate these concerns. The first was an attempt by an individual to detonate an explosive device in midtown Manhattan using gasoline and propane.3The second was the arrest of a suicidal college student wandering the city’s subway system with a backpack loaded with sodium cyanide and flares.4
在威胁范围内，安全官员最关心一个孤独的罪犯，具有传统的爆炸性。5The use of chemicals with or without conventional explosives also is a serious threat, and not just military-grade nerve agents like Sarin or VX.5
Unlike nuclear or biological weapons, chemical weapons are relatively easy and inexpensive to acquire and deploy.5商业上可获得的化学品，如常用于农业的Malathion和Polathion - 有机磷农药 - 是高度毒性的，并且有可能在几分钟内造成显着伤亡，特别是如果被愿意在努力中死亡的人使用。6,7在美国，通过我们的城市每天通过道路和铁路途中易于访问杀虫剂，氰化物和其他毒药。8
如果有机磷酸盐（神经剂）或氰化物攻击公共交通系统，室内体育场，游乐园或办公楼，已中毒的个体可能只有几分钟才能受益于治疗。9
Fortunately, firefighters and other emergency responders in the U.S. have access to antidotes for organophosphate and cyanide poisoning. The problem is that in many cities, emergency responders may have only enough antidotes to treat themselves and/or will not be able to treat victims in time.
Given the rapidity of symptom onset, and the logistical challenges of providing immediate medical assistance to potentially large numbers of victims – particularly if the antidote is not readily available – the response is likely to be too little, too late. To further complicate matters, federal government stockpiles of antidotes may not be accessible for immediate use, as they are intended for the most part for replenishment purposes only.10
少于18个月前，随后国会授权的两招全的两次武器武器预防大规模杀伤性扩散和恐怖主义（现为Bipartisan WMD恐怖主义研究中心）发出了威胁评估：“除非世界界行为果断，迫在眉睫的行为，它更有可能在2013年底之前在世界某个地方的恐怖主义攻击中使用大规模杀伤武器。“11
尽管如此，委员会的调查结果陈述了州和城市官员告诉我他们对“回归基础”的压力很大training。他们应该继续评估当地一级的风险，包括审查威克斯的准备，并培训并装备警察，fire， 和EMSpersonnel accordingly.
为了化学威胁，这意味着武装第一个响应者，具有个人防护装备和迄今为止的解毒剂，使他们成为伤亡人员。它意味着培训和锻炼，专门用于处理化学恐怖主义。各个团体的专门练习，以及涉及医疗界和地方，国家和联邦机构的大规模练习，有助于确定响应议定书中的差距，并加强机构之间的伙伴关系，以便更有效地共同努力。
Jerome Hauer是美国卫生和人类服务部公共卫生应急准备的前助理助理秘书。他还担任纽约市紧急管理局长，担任印第安纳州的紧急医疗服务和消防服务主任。Hauer是Hauer集团的首席执行官，该公司是一家咨询公司，其客户包括经络医疗技术。
REFERENCES
1.America.gov. Obama’s Closing Remarks, Press Conference at Nuclear Summit (4/13/2010).http://www.america.gov/st/texttrans-english/2010/april/20100413195648Ihecuor8.899653e-02.html.。访问2010年5月3日。
2.华尔街日报。白色房子专注于核恐怖主义获得审查（4/22/10）。http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703763904575196040000877392.html。2010年4月23日访问。
3.The New York Times. A Dread Revived: Terror in the Trunk (May 2, 2010).http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/03/nyregion/03threat.html。Accessed May 2, 2010.
4.The Yesheva World News. Security Issues Arise Following NYC Subway Scare (5/3/2010).http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/General+News/55901/Security+Issues+Arise+Following+NYC+Subway+Scare.html。访问2010年5月3日。
5.CRS Report for Congress. Weapons of Mass Destruction: The Terrorist Threat. (CRS, March 7, 2002).http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/9184.pdf.。访问2010年5月3日。
6.潘北美。甲基脱硫事实（2008）。http://www.panna.org/files/factsMethylParathion.dv.html。2010年5月7日访问。
7.潘北美。PANNA: Malathion Facts (2008).http://www.panna.org/node/805.。Accessed May 10.
8。美国运输管道和危险材料安全管理部。Hazmat安全社区：风险管理。http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/risk。访问2010年5月3日。
9。联邦紧急管理机构（FEMA）。管理恐怖事件的紧急后果（PG。10，2002年7月10日）。http://www.fema.gov/pdf/plan/managingemerconseq.pdf。访问2010年5月3日。
10.疾病预防与控制中心。公共卫生准备办公室和反应：战略国家库存（SNS）。http://www.bt.cdc.gov/Stockpile/。Accessed May 11, 2010.
11.预防大规模毁灭性扩散和恐怖主义武器委员会。http://www.preventwmd.gov/home/。访问2010年5月3日。
