Abstract
In February 2003, a panel was convened as part of an invitational summit on leadership during bioterrorism, titled "The Public as an Asset, Not a Problem." The goal of this meeting was to synthesize for government and public health authorities some essential principles of leadership that encourage the public's constructive collaboration in confronting a bioterrorist attack, based on frontline experiences with recent terrorism events and other relevant crises. More than 160 people attended, representing senior operational decision-makers in public health and safety - including bioterrorism coordinators from 35 state and local health agencies - as well as thought leaders in medicine, public health, nursing, hospital administration, and disaster relief. The roundtable discussion, focusing on how to lead a community during times of trouble, was moderated by Dr. Tara O'Toole, Director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Civilian Biodefense Strategies and Coeditor-in-Chief of Biosecurity and Bioterrorism. The other participants were seasoned political and public health leaders, and representative constituents, who had had to confront a recent terrorizing event, including the Washington, DC-area sniper shootings, the anthrax letter attacks, the World Trade Center attacks (2001, 1993), and the Oklahoma City bombing:
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