By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
September 11, 2001
Filed at 1:21 p.m. ET
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Health and Human Services Department has activated a national medical emergency system in an unprecedented move that would dispatch roughly 7,000 volunteer doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other medical staff to areas affected by Tuesday's attacks.
HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson said all of the agency's 80 disaster teams, based at various locales nationwide, are ready to go where needed.
HHS, the '911' for all national disasters -- natural or manmade -- was awaiting specific orders from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA, which coordinates national responses to disasters, has opened its operations center to respond to the attacks.
``This is the biggest deployment,'' said HHS spokesman Campbell Gardett, adding this was the first time all 80 teams have been put on alert.
HHS is the primary agency for sending medical help in a federal crisis. It is responsible for treating victims directly, evacuating patients in immediate danger and helping hospital staffs overwhelmed by events.
It coordinates more than 7,000 preselected private doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other medical staff who are organized into the 80 teams.
``They have been picked strategically according to their skills. They make themselves available to go at a moment's notice,'' Gardett said.
The agency also provides other medical services, including the handling of mortuary services for casualties and veterinary care for service animals.
In recent years, HHS has dispatched some of its staff to floods, earthquakes and ice storms. It has specifically helped in events like the TWA Flight 800 crash and the Oklahoma City bombing.
HHS also sends medical teams to help the FBI, the Secret Service and the State Department.
The agency also coordinates four teams around the country to handle emergencies involving bioterrorism. Acts involving explosions usually raise fears of potential use of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.
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On the Net:
HHS Office of Emergency Preparedness:
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2001pres/01fsemergencyresponse.html
09/12(Wed) 8:05
President Kim Dae-jung ordered an emergency alert to military and police and called a National Security meeting following the series of terrorists' attacks on New York and Washington D.C. Wednesday. The President sent a condolence cable to President George Bush condemning any kind of terrorists' activity.
The US Forces Command in Korea also ordered "Force Protection Condition D", the highest level of alert and carried out extensive check into their facilities in the country. The National Police announced it had deployed police forces around US bases and facilities to protect them from any possible attack against them. Ministry of Justice issued an order to strengthen immigration control check at all of airports and harbors against entry of possible terrorists.
Koreans were shocked by the tragic news late at night and stayed overnight to watch developments of the incidents on live-casting TVs. The Chosun Ilbo carried the story in its city edition with the banner headline of "US Under Attack" using full 11 pages of of 39-page news section.
Details of situation in Korea are as follows;
► US armed force in Korea ordered highest level of terrorism alert on its bases and 37,000 American soldiers and their family, and tightened its security. Currently, some 100,000 American soldiers and their family and civilians are estimated to reside in Korea.
Except for commander of US Force in Korea Thomas Schartz, all high ranking generals of US army and their counterparts of Korean army, including Lee Jong-ok, Deputy Commander of joint force, discussed multilateral measures at emergency meeting held in 8th US base in Yongsan. US army raised its "Threatcon", a alert against terrorism, to "Force Protection Condition D", the highest level of alert. Also, the inspections around the army bases have been reinforced with added forces deployed around the area.
A source from the US army said that there has been no attack case reported outside of the US, including dispatched army bases. However, they are in full alert to prepare for possible attack and the accident is treated very seriously, added the source. Especially, US army is conducting through inspection on some 90 bases all over Korea to search for possible explosives. US Armed force has been threatened for bombing of school in Yongsan 8th Base.
► Minister of National Defense Kim Dong-sin and chairman of Joint Chief of Staff reported to the government complex and JCS commander's control to examine alert status against North Korea around 1:20 am Wednesday.
Some 50 officials in defense ministry and JCS formed emergency task force around 11:30 Tuesday and the emergency team was also called in all units around 0:40am Wednesday.
Military authorities are checking possible break-away of airplane from their routes and reinforced information gathering related to North Korea. An official at the ministry of National Defense commented that Korean army is considering aiding their force to US army bases.
► National Police Agency is also strengthening the security forces near American facilities including embassy, consuls and US army bases. Also, police agency called all the chiefs of district police agencies and stations to return to work immediately. In addition, police has installed barricades around major US military facility to prevent the possibility of terrorist acts using automobiles at late hour. Seoul District Police dispatched one additional unit each to around the US Embassy in Sejong-ro, Jongno-gu, US base in Youngsan and their construction battalion base Tuesday night.
In addition, Ministry of Justice ordered airports and harbor port authorities to reinforce the immigration to prevent possible entry of terrorists to the country based on the intelligence record.
(Yu-yong-won, kysu@chosun.com; Choi Yu-sik finder@chosun.com)
http://www.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200109/200109120002.html