Terrorism and Homeland Security
As mentioned in the text, while emergency responders and others were familiar with traditional hazards, the non-traditional threat that struck the American homeland on September 11, 2001, has posed a number of challenges in terms of prevention, preparedness, response, and mitigation. This is particularly true when one considers the devastating impact of a terrorist attack that might be able to utilize a Weapon of Mass Destruction (i.e., Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, or High Explosive CBRNE) or launch a cyber-attack on critical infrastructure. Notwithstanding the severity inflicted by a WMD or cyber-attack, it seems more likely that the United States would be exposed to a series of attacks using personal borne (i.e., suicide) or vehicular improvised explosive devices (PBIEDs or VIEDs) that have been the weapon of choice for insurgents in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.