Domestic Terrorism, fueled by extremist groups, are a major concern for emergency and disaster services in 2021, especially due to the events caused at the United States Capitol Building on January 6th and the federal response coordination surrounding the events of President Joe Biden's Presidential Inauguration. Clearly the threat of violence was strong enough to cause swift reaction by law enforcement and military groups.

Whether it's a peaceful protest, turned riot, or indications of a national security threat... emergency managers and first responders must understand the complexities of response to keep all involved safe.

Joe Hernandez is an Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), subject matter expert. Calling on his experiences to events such as the Oklahoma City Bombing, he is able to walk us through the preparations that responding parties must consider. This week we address terrorism as a way to reduce the threat of occurrence and impact to life, property, and continuity of operations.