Taking the terror out of bioterrorism: planning for a bioterrorist event from a local perspective.

There is a growing concern in the public health community over the potential for domestic biological and chemical acts of terrorism. These types of events do not respect city limits, county lines, or other geopolitical borders and pose a unique challenge for local health departments that have a critical role in detecting, preparing for, and responding to such events. Because direct support for most public health service, including bioterrorism preparedness, occurs primarily at the local level, this is the logical starting point for all planning activities.