Educating health professionals, first responders, and the community about bioterrorism and weapons of mass destruction.

T events of September 11, 2001, caused major changes in the lives of Americans, but the full meaning of that day— even as we approach its one-year anniversary—has perhaps not yet been realized. Clearly, the threat of terrorism in all its forms is real. In the medical community, the horrific attacks on New York City and Washington, DC; the thwarted attack on United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed 80 miles east of Pittsburgh, Pa; and the anthrax attacks that followed in close succession all reinforced the need for increased training and education of healthcare professionals in preventing and treating casualties of chemical and biological warfare and other weapons of mass destruction (WMD). These events, just one year hence, continue to magnify the importance of educating healthcare professionals in surveillance, prevention, and the public health issues associated with WMD. Healthcare providers must be provided with up-todate knowledge and training in rapid assessment skills so that they may initiate care when WMD are used against American targets again.