United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2001-10-15 monographic deposited born digital 13 p. GA 1.13:GAO-02-145T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-145T P0b002ee1803863c9 f:d02145t DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-23 GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-145T machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-145T GAO-02-145T Emergency medical services Emergency preparedness Interagency relations Terrorism Federal Radiological Emergency Response Plan Testimony A02321 The federal government, including the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), plays a key role in managing the medical and other consequences of domestic terrorist incidents. One of VA's health care missions is to provide backup medical resources to the military health system and communities following domestic terrorist incidents or other major disasters. VA currently assists other agencies that have lead responsibility for responding to disasters, including terrorism. Its areas of responsibility include disaster simulation exercises and maintaining medical stockpiles. VA has enhanced national emergency preparedness evaluating disaster simulation exercises to improve medical response procedures and to strengthen the security of federal pharmaceutical stockpiles to ensure rapid response to local authorities. VA also has resources that could play a role in future federal homeland security efforts. Its assets include the bricks, mortar, and human capital components of its health care system, graduate medical education programs, and expertise involving emergency backup and support activities. In managing large-scale medical emergencies arising from terrorist attacks, VA's emergency response capabilities have strengths and shortcomings. Determining how VA can best contribute to homeland security is especially timely, given the extraordinary level of federal activity underway to manage large-scale disasters. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-145T/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-145T.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-145T/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-145T.pdf GAO-02-145T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-145T Testimony GAO-02-145T; Homeland Security: Need to Consider VA's Role in Strengthening Federal Preparedness; Emergency medical services Emergency preparedness Interagency relations Terrorism Federal Radiological Emergency Response Plan Public Law 93-288 Public Law 97-174 Public Law 105-114