A recent General Accountability Office (GAO) study pointed to the fact that the US government was not prepared to clean up in the aftermath of a terrorist’s use of a radiological dispersion device or a “dirty bomb’. The study highlighted that our efforts have been focused on responding to such an event (ie. evacuations and treatment) and have paid less attention to recovery such as cleaning up the radioactive contamination to permit people to return to their homes and businesses. The threat of a “dirty bomb’ has a significant psychological aspect as the rampant fear in the aftermath of such an attack could be worse than the attack itself. It is essential for the government to move quickly to diminish the panic and fear that could result from such an attack. That is why I have contacted several of my friends in Congress and have strongly urged that we develop, as the GAO study has recommended, a national recovery strategy as soon as possible. Our company, through our SEC subsidiary, has done extensive work in the UK and we agree with the GAO’s assessment that the UK is taking more proactive measures in developing a recovery strategy for a dirty bomb. We need to be prepared as we cannot allow another Katrina disaster to occur in this country. A dirty bomb can be managed with adequate preparation. Please join me in contacting your members of Congress on this important issue.

Link to the GAO report.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d10204.pdf