| Consequence management is intended to identify cost-effective countermeasures that would result in an acceptable level of risk for those terrorist acts identified in the threat and vulnerability assessment as being of greatest concern to a customer. Countermeasures considered typically include operational changes that could be implemented in the near-term and technologies that are commercially available or have near-term availability. A consequences management assessment is a screening analysis that identifies representative countermeasures that have successfully passed a risk/cost/benefit analysis and are, therefore, recommended for more detailed analysis and subsequent development/implementation, if warranted. It also acknowledges three general risk management principles: |
- While risk generally cannot be eliminated, it can be reduced by enhancing protection from credible threats.
- Although many threats are possible, some are more likely to occur than others.
- All assets are not equally critical.
Taking countermeasures
Countermeasures can be broadly classified into four areas where specific actions may be taken either to reduce the risk of introducing hazards into the customer's operations or facilities or to mitigate the potential effects of such an event:
- Prevention - Reduce the risk that someone could use the customer's process or facilities as a tool of terror.
- Protection and Health Risk Reduction - Reduce the risk of exposure to biological, chemical, radiological, and explosive threat agents from the customer's process or facilities.
- Detection - Detect and identify potential threat agent materials as early as possible in the customer's process, preferably before they impact the customer.
- Decontamination/Disposal - Eliminate known contaminants, in the customer's process, equipment, and facilities, as well as dispose of contaminated or secondary wastes generated during the process.
These classifications are not mutually exclusive; for example, detection technologies can be employed in the role of prevention or as confirmation of decontamination.
Technology database
Noblis maintains a database of technologies that can be applied as countermeasures against terrorist WMD.