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120 Cities Most at Risk [Surviving Terrorism]
Surviving Terrorism.com ^ | 2-10-03 | Jarret B. Wollstein

Posted on 02/10/2003 9:41:40 AM PST by Salvation

120 Cities Most at Risk
Of Terrorist Attacks

For the past few years, the federal government has been providing training and assistance to police and emergency response workers in the 120 cities considered most at risk of terrorist attacks. A complete list of those cities appears at the end of this report.

As you will see, the list includes major government centers (Philadelphia, Miami, Sacramento, Washington, D.C.), cities with extensive industry (Detroit, Houston, San Jose), major business centers (Chicago, Miami, Philadelphia), important media centers (New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C.), major seaports (Newport News, Oakland, San Diego, Tampa), and important military facilities (Colorado Springs, Honolulu, Long Beach, Norfolk, San Francisco).

The federal government is providing extensive training for police and emergency workers in these 120 cities, including preparation for conventional (e.g., bomb), biological, chemical, and radiological (“dirty bomb”) attacks. However ...

Are the “At Risk Cities” Now Prepared?

The short answer is no, they are not. So if you live in or within 50 miles of these cities, you should consider yourself at significant risk for the duration of the War on Terror, which President Bush says could last as long as 50 years.

Fifty miles should be considered the minimal safe distance from an “at risk” city. The reason is that in event of even a small radiological or nuclear attack (5-20 kiloton weapon), lethal radiation and fallout will be carried by prevailing winds at least that far. In plain English, if the winds are blowing away from you, you will probably survive if you are 10-20 miles away. However, if winds are blowing toward you, you will probably be dead in a few days. Similarly, in event of a major biological attack, winds and fleeing survivors could easily carry pathogens at least 50 miles.

In the event a more serious attack, you may need to be as much as 100-300 miles away from a target city to survive.

While the government is now attempting to train emergency personnel in the 120 cities at greatest risk, please recognize it will take many years before most cities are even minimally prepared. Even then, government assistance is absolutely no guarantee that there will be enough drugs, water and food to go around for everyone in the event of a radiological, nuclear, or biological attack, which could put hundreds of thousands, even millions of people at risk. In many cases, the consequences will be nationwide.

Furthermore, there are many biological weapons for which no effective treatments exist, and the only protection is to not be anywhere in the area when people are exposed, and to get out before you and your family are exposed.

Also, in a crisis, expect emergency facilities—including hospitals and medical clinics —to be quickly overwhelmed. In fact, they are likely to be reservoirs of disease and contagion.

Dark Winter: What to Expect in the
Event of a Bioterrorist Attack

On June 22-23, 2001, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) conducted what they term “a senior-level war game” examining the likely consequences of a smallpox outbreak in the U.S. Again, let me emphasis this is an exercise based on high-level computer analysis and prediction, not an actual occurrence.

The results were alarming: During the exercise, smallpox was projected to spread to 25 states and 15 foreign countries. By the 13th day of the exercise, “A total of 16,000 smallpox cases have been reported in 25 states.” But that’s just the beginning.

By the end of the exercise, the National Security Council projects “that in worst-case conditions, the third generation of cases could conceivably comprise as many as 3,000,000 cases of smallpox and lead to as many as 1,000,000 deaths.” (“Shining Light on ‘Dark Winter’,” Center for Civilian Biodefense Strategies, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, Electronically published 19 February 2002.)

Other conclusions of the Dark Winter study:

  • “States have restricted nonessential travel.”
  • “Food shortages are growing in some places, and the national economy is suffering.”
  • “Residents have fled and are fleeing cities where new cases emerge.”
  • “Canada and Mexico have closed their borders to the United States.”
  • “The public demands mandatory isolation of smallpox victims and their contacts, but identifying contacts has become logistically impossible.”
  • “The individual actions of US citizens will be critical to ending the spread of contagious diseases.”

This last point to me is the most important lesson of Dark Winter: To survive you need to prepare in advance.

For more information on Dark Winter, check out the collection of articles here and here. The last link is from the University of Chicago.

120 Cities Most at Risk
State City
Alabama Birmingham
Mobile
Montgomery
Alaska Anchorage
Arkansas Little Rock
Arizona Phoenix
Mesa
Tucson
California Anaheim
Bakersfield
Fremont
Fresno
Glendale
Huntington Beach
Long Beach
Los Angeles
Modesto
Oakland
Riverside
San Bernardino
San Diego
San Francisco
Santa Ana
San Jose
Sacramento
Stockton
Colorado Aurora
Colorado Springs
Denver
District of Columbia Washington
Florida Fort Lauderdale
Hialeah
Jacksonville
Miami
Orlando
St. Petersburg
Tampa
Georgia Atlanta
Columbus
Hawaii Honolulu
Illinois Chicago
Indiana Fort Wayne
Indianapolis
Iowa Des Moines
Kansas Kansas City
Wichita
Kentucky Lexington
Louisville
Louisiana Baton Rouge
Metaire
New Orleans
Shreveport
Maryland Baltimore
Massachusetts Boston
Springfield
Worcester
Michigan Detroit
Grand Rapids
Warren
Minnesota Minneapolis
St. Paul
Mississippi Jackson
Missouri Kansas City
St. Louis
Nebraska Lincoln
Omaha
Nevada Las Vegas
New Jersey Jersey City
Newark
New Mexico Albuquerque
New York Buffalo
New York
Rochester
Syracuse
Yonkers
North Carolina Charlotte
Greensboro
Raleigh
Ohio Akron
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Columbus
Dayton
Toledo
Oklahoma Oklahoma City
Tulsa
Oregon Portland
Pennsylvania Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Rhode Island Providence
Tennessee Chattanooga
Knoxville
Memphis
Nashville
Texas Amarillo
Arlington
Austin
Corpus Christi
Dallas
El Paso
Fort Worth
Garland
Houston
Irving
Lubbock
San Antonio
Utah Salt Lake City
Virginia Arlington
Chesapeake
Newport News
Norfolk
Richmond
Virginia Beach
Washington Seattle
Spokane
Tacoma
Wisconsin Madison
Milwaukee



TOPICS: Activism/Chapters; Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections; US: Alabama; US: Alaska; US: Arizona; US: Arkansas; US: California; US: Colorado; US: Connecticut; US: Delaware; US: District of Columbia; US: Florida; US: Georgia; US: Hawaii; US: Idaho; US: Illinois; US: Indiana; US: Iowa; US: Kansas; US: Kentucky; US: Louisiana; US: Maine; US: Maryland; US: Massachusetts; US: Michigan; US: Minnesota; US: Mississippi; US: Missouri; US: Montana; US: Nebraska; US: Nevada; US: New Hampshire; US: New Jersey; US: New Mexico; US: North Carolina; US: North Dakota; US: Ohio; US: Oklahoma; US: Oregon; US: Pennsylvania; US: Rhode Island; US: South Carolina; US: South Dakota; US: Tennessee; US: Texas; US: Utah; US: Vermont; US: Virginia; US: Washington; US: West Virginia; US: Wisconsin; US: Wyoming
KEYWORDS: attacks; food; medicine; prayer; preparedness; terrorism; usa; water
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To: Robert A. Cook, PE
**So when these "blue" counties get nuked and smallpoxed by Iraqi weapons, can we hold a new census early to replace the democratic Congressmen who no longer have constituents?**

I like the way you think!
21 posted on 02/10/2003 10:49:50 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Salvation
So you're at risk if you live within 50 miles of one of these 120 cities, eh? Well, that pretty much covers at least 90% of the entire country, Sherlock. (Not you, Salvation, the author of this article.)
22 posted on 02/10/2003 10:52:47 AM PST by savedbygrace
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To: Salvation
Well this is going to get interesting.
23 posted on 02/10/2003 10:56:10 AM PST by Centurion2000 (Chance favors the prepared mind.)
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To: Tacis
You are so on target!

Notice the article above says that in the event of these dire predictions/possibilities, the Mexican border and Canadian border will be closed ... from the outside, of course! No more illegal aliens coming into the US!!

I can hear the 20/20 hindsight from the guv'mint now!!!

g in AZ

24 posted on 02/10/2003 10:58:10 AM PST by Geezerette (... but young at heart!)
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To: Rebelbase
"No true patriot would leave his wine cellar unguarded in times like these."

25 posted on 02/10/2003 11:00:13 AM PST by Noumenon
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To: Centurion2000
My first take is that it's interesting that Jacksonville, NC and Fayetteville, NC (Camp LeJeune and Fort Bragg, respectively) didn't appear on the list for North Carolina. Have a hard time believing this one.
26 posted on 02/10/2003 11:01:14 AM PST by cincinnati65
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To: Salvation
Heh, it's quite funny to see my own hometown on that list. I somehow get the feeling that when the Islamofascists travel halfway around the world to set off a suitcase nuke and strike at the heart of the infidel, they'll find a better target than Modesto :\
27 posted on 02/10/2003 11:01:38 AM PST by Arthalion
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To: Salvation
When the sky falls, we'll all catch larks. irish proverb
28 posted on 02/10/2003 11:01:39 AM PST by uncbuck (Sen Lawyers, Guns and Money.)
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To: RayBob
Oh, so you don't see this scenario as a possibility? I think you're suffering from an attack- of the dumbass!
29 posted on 02/10/2003 11:05:05 AM PST by Destructor
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Comment #30 Removed by Moderator

To: Alouette
Dearborn (southern suburb of Detroit where Ford Motor and a gazillion Arabs are located)

That city would be found on the list of municipalities comprising the "most at risk from a response to terrorism" group.

31 posted on 02/10/2003 11:06:25 AM PST by Freebird Forever
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To: Robert A. Cook, PE

11 Political Parties Most at Risk Of Terrorist Attacks

Should a terrorist attack wipe out an American city, the following political parties would not survive:
  1. Democrat Party
  2. Communist Party
  3. Freedom Socialist Party
  4. Green Party
  5. Labor Party
  6. New Union Party
  7. Socialist Labor Party
  8. Socialist Party
  9. Workers Party
  10. Workers World Party
  11. Young Socialist Democrats

32 posted on 02/10/2003 11:06:50 AM PST by Reeses
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To: Salvation
History Book Test in 2025 reads: One Hunderd Twenty US Cities were destroyed by the Islamic Jihad was the complete unknown key to American Victory in the Ten Years Terrorism War and made the total collaspe of the Social Welfare States in Europe become more like the Asia and American. It was total destruction of the Democrat Voting base that allowed American to become united once again. Today the major political parties in the US are Repbulicans Right, Republicans Center, and the Greens:)
33 posted on 02/10/2003 11:07:34 AM PST by Jumper
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To: Living Free in NH
No city in beautiful New Hampshire is worthy of attack?

That's because they are launching their attacks from one of those three story tenaments along the river in Manchester.

34 posted on 02/10/2003 11:07:44 AM PST by MassExodus (They're not going to $#!T where they eat.)
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To: Living Free in NH
OK, NOW I'm pissed off at these terrorist!!!! No city in beautiful New Hampshire is worthy of attack? Surely, Manchester or Nashua are better than Portland, Oregon.

Actually, Portland is one of the new "hot" cities, as I understand it. Better to wonder why Newark, NJ made the list. Have you ever seen Newark? It would have to be one heck of an attack to even get noticed in that dump.

35 posted on 02/10/2003 11:07:49 AM PST by pepsi_junkie
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To: Alouette
Darn! And I moved away from the Detroit area 17 years ago thinking I was going to be safer! Guess I'll have to move near Dearborn to be safe from the terror. LOL BTW is "Miller's Bar" still in Dearborn? They had the best "almost raw" burgers around...
36 posted on 02/10/2003 11:09:20 AM PST by laker_dad
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To: RayBob
Don't watch Fox...that's When Animals Attack.

Hey, Ray....LMAO

37 posted on 02/10/2003 11:11:31 AM PST by MadelineZapeezda
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To: Salvation
"120 Cities Most at Risk [Survinging Terrorism]"


Beaware of speling errors.
Also puncution

;¬)
38 posted on 02/10/2003 11:12:39 AM PST by MaryFromMichigan
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To: Reeses
Good list!
39 posted on 02/10/2003 11:12:40 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Tooters
This could be vey series!
40 posted on 02/10/2003 11:13:42 AM PST by jpl
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