U.S. unprepared for terrorist attack, Nunn says

ATLANTA - If a bioterrorism attack is being formulated, the United States is inadequately prepared to prevent or respond to it, former Sen. Sam Nunn said Wednesday. <br> <br> The only way the nation can effectively pre-empt such an attack is through local and global cooperation, with increased training and education involving all levels of the government and public health organizations, Nunn said. <br> <br> Nunn was a member of a panel discussing public health preparedness at a meeting sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. <br> <br> Preparing the legal and health systems for possible bioterrorism attacks was the focus of the two-day meeting. About 500 people from various fields attended the event. <br> <br> The four-member panel discussing preparedness included Lawrence Gostin, Georgetown University public health professor; Dr. John Agwunobi, Florida&#39;s chief health officer; and Republican Sen. Peter Mills of Skowhegan, Maine. <br> <br> Since the Sept. 11 attacks, many have criticized states&#39; lack of preparedness plans. <br> <br> Officials from the CDC said state governments need the ability to declare a health emergency, close roads and buildings, commandeer hospitals, begin vaccination campaigns and isolate individuals and groups. <br> <br> During the anthrax crisis last year, it became obvious that states were not prepared to handle such emergencies, said Gene Matthews, the CDC&#39;s legal adviser and Wednesday&#39;s panel moderator. <br> <br> Nunn, who heads the nonprofit Nuclear Threat Initiative in Washington, said a biological attack on the United States fits no existing category. <br> <br> ``We now have an opportunity to take a series of strong measures and we must do it,&#39;&#39; he said. <br> <br> Nunn has been working for more than a decade to draw attention to the nuclear, chemical and biological weapons left from the Cold War. He believes the nation&#39;s capacity to respond to an attack will remain woefully inadequate unless there is widespread change in the way the country handles terrorist threats. <br> <br> ``The administration&#39;s top public officials should not have to ask for directions to the White House situation room in the event of a biological attack,&#39;&#39; Nunn said. <br> <br> Agwunobi also said educational materials need to be distributed to health care professionals and citizens alike. <br> <br> ``The awareness campaign is a vital component of our preparedness efforts,&#39;&#39; he said, adding relationships between counties, states and the federal government also need to be strengthened.