I met my favorite author: In fact, I got my picture taken with her, hugged her, and told her how her book changed my life. Her name is Amanda Ripley and she writes on Disaster Psychology. Her book is "The Unthinkable: Who Survives Disaster and Why", of course available at amazon.com. She told the compelling story of a young man who survived the Indonesian earthquake and tsunami but has serious post traumatic stress disorder. He wanted Amanda to tell his story and I think everyone in attendance was feeling drawn into his ordeal. One minute you are enjoying a tropical vacation on a beautiful beach, the next you are watching two thousand people being washed under sea water by a 26 foot wall of water. Survivor's guilt. I can't imagine. But Amanda goes on to tell how this young man stayed on and helped survivors as best he could. Not long after the tsunami he was traveling a highway and saw a bus full of people tumble over a cliff. He didn't hesitate to run down and start pulling people out of the bus while so many others on the road behind him stopped, got out and just stood and watched him. He finally yelled at the bystanders to help and they did - many filling their vehicles with survivors and following him and his full truck to the nearest hospital, 45 minutes away. That day he was able to save lives. I'm sure he doesn't feel 'vindicated' and will always carry the fate of the tsunami victims within his heart and mind. But he saved lives and that matters to each and every one of those crash victims and their families. If I ever find his story written somewhere I will post it. Very moving.
That has nothing to do with bioterrorism. Perhaps I should have a separate blog about disasters but for now I'll just be happy to digress to other subjects from time to time. Too many other things to do to keep up two blogs.
I was asked by several people, after introducing myself as a grad student specializing in bioterrorism, what I thought was the biggest threat to America. After explaining the facts behind smallpox and its possible reintroduction through bioterrorism or biowarfare, (see previous post), and a bit on anthrax, I had to admit that I think our biggest threat - at this point in time - is not biological agents but explosives. I've long said that I believe we will see suicide bombers and the use of car bombs and IEDs within our borders. We've thwarted some well publicized plots and no doubt there are many we without security clearances have no idea of. But today the U.S. thwarted another possible attack:
It's my gut-feeling we will see much more of this type plot. Thankfully we were successful at thwarting an attack once again. Some may question whether "gut-feelings" have a place in terrorism analysis and that can be debated later but for now I just want to point out that bioterrorism is a bigger challenge to terrorists and in the year ahead I believe we will see many more home-grown jihadists with explosive intentions. The bioterrorism event will come from a well seasoned biologist who has an extremist ideology - something we should not dismiss the possibility, or eventuality, of. There has been quite an increase in training classes on suicide bombing response for EMS and law enforcement personnel, signaling a suspicion that the threat is very real for us here in the U.S. I, of course, will continue to study anthrax and smallpox and hemorrhagic fevers, but with an eye on other types of terrorism methods and our counterterrorism measures in those respects."New York City Mayor Bloomberg confirms the arrest of U.S. citizen Jose Pimentel, 27, seen left, a suspected Al Qaeda sympathizer, in what New York City police say was an alleged plot to bomb police cars and U.S. troops returning home." ~ Fox News Headline~
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