On constant alert: lessons to be learned from Israel's emergency response to mass-casualty terrorism incidents

In its short modern history, Israel has had to contend with numerous mass-casualty incidents caused by terrorism. As a result, it has developed practical national preparedness policies for responding to such events. Israel's Supreme Health Authority, a committee of the Ministry of Health, coordinates emergency management nationwide. All emergency personnel, health care providers, and medical facilities operate under national policies designed to ensure a swift and coordinated response to any incident, based on an "all hazards" approach that emphasizes core elements commonly encountered in mass-casualty incidents. Israel's emergency management system includes contingency planning, command and control, centrally coordinated response, cooperation, and capacity building. Although every nation is unique, many of the lessons that Israel has learned may be broadly applicable to preparation for mass-casualty incidents in the United States and other countries.