The Rising Risk of a Terrorist Attack - Could It Happen Today
Released on = July 10, 2006, 10:25 am
Press Release Author = Paulo J. Reyes
Industry = Government
Press Release Summary = With every explosion comes the fear of another terror
attack. Dr. Paulo J.
Reyes has written a book on terrorism and the threat of a biochemical attack using
smallpox. Sledgehammer is a gripping tale of one such plot.
Press Release Body = Los Angeles, CA July, 2006. You've read about it, you've seen
it: terrorist attacks on trains, in nightclubs and the worst terrorist attack in U.S
history on September 11th in New York City. Every explosion brings forth the added
fear that it is terrorist related. But will the next terrorist attack strike even
closer to home - your own hospital's emergency room.
Dr. Paulo J. Reyes, a First Responder in California, ER Doctor, and author of the
fiction thriller, Sledgehammer fears there exists a clear and present danger today
and has written a book on the possibilities of a biochemical attack with smallpox.
It clearly outlines how unprepared our nation is and what could happen if we don't
prepare now.
Dr. Reyes contends that our government continually acknowledges that it's not a
matter of "if" we are attacked again, but "when." He supports voluntary smallpox
vaccinations, which the military and President Bush himself have already received,
but feels more needs to be more done to educate the nation of the risks involved in
order to be adequately prepared for a biochemical attack. Reyes states, "As is
evidenced with Hurricane Katrina and the reports that are now publicly known, the
government needs to step up its disaster recovery efforts especially for First
Responders and Emergency Personnel."
Also of equal importance is the fact that First Responders and medical doctors can
be ill equipped to handle such an attack. A study listed in Archives of Internal
Medicine showed 631 doctors, mostly medical residents, were given a test prior to
completing an online training course. On the pretest, half the doctors misdiagnosed
botulism; 84 percent misdiagnosed plague and a case of routine chickenpox was
misdiagnosed as smallpox by 42 percent of the doctors. "We've got a dangerous gap
here and we need a much clearer strategic game plan," said Shelley Hearne, executive
director of Trust for America's Health, which tracks how well states are prepared
for bioterrorism or a pandemic.
Reyes' book, Sledgehammer, although a fictional account of a small pox outbreak in a
Los Angeles emergency room, is based on extensive research by Reyes and his
experience and terrorist training as a First Responder. In Sledgehammer the hospital
staff of a Los Angeles emergency room face the daunting challenge of preventing the
contagious disease from quickly spreading and affecting their patients and
colleagues alike. What adds further drama is the discovery that this particular form
of smallpox is an aggressive type - sledgehammer smallpox or a malignant smallpox,
which although it starts as non-typical rash, it quickly turns into a
life-threatening situation. The terrorist's threats also expand to several sports
arenas, airports and shopping malls. The 5 star review book begs to ask the
question, what if? What if this happened today, are we ready? After reading this
medical thriller, you'll want to do everything you can to ensure we are.
Dr. Reyes is available for media interviews to discuss further his findings on
Smallpox. Also, his site at http://www.pauloreyes.com offers detailed information
as well as current news events of today's leading stories. His book, Sledgehammer
(ISBN, #097713870-4, Virtual Word Publishing, 200 pgs.) is available at Virtual
Word Publishing, http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com and also at Amazon and other
leading bookstores.
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