Philip Coyle, Senior Advisor to the President of the Center for Defense
Information, and Dr. J. Eric Dietz, from the Indiana Department of
Homeland Security will join us for a discussion of national plans for
emergency response. In November 2005, the National Pandemic Influenza
Plan, was released by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
which explicitly lays out the roles of national and state actors during
a pandemic influenza emergency. HHS has highlighted its use of the
influenza plan as a framework for response to all health hazards. Since
Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in August 2005, the government at
all levels has been criticized for lack of leadership, coordination and
appropriate response, and Congress has been focusing much of its
discussion on first responder problems to natural or man-made
disasters. Post Katrina, are we really prepared for a chemical,
biological, or radiological attack, public health emergency, or natural
disaster?
“Security for a New Century” is a bipartisan study group for Congress.
We meet regularly with U.S. and international policy professionals to
discuss the post Cold War and post 9/11 security environment. All
discussions are off-the-record. It is not an advocacy venue.
