Are We Ready?

Book excerpt: "History is a harsh teacher. A single incident, natural or created by human minds and hands, can change how Americans think, feel, and respond to public health disasters. Rosner and Markowitz's Are We Ready? Public Health Since 9/11 serves as a primer for all policymakers and implementers. Ultimately it’s the citizens of cities and states who will benefit or be harmed."—Senator Leticia Van de Putte (D-TX), Chair, Veteran Affairs and Military Installations Committee "This book provides insight into the events of 9/11 and the anthrax attack through the experiences of numerous players at the federal, state and local levels. In so doing, it offers a better understanding of the events, the complexities, the challenges and the responses than have previously been conveyed in press accounts. The result is a picture of public health under stress and in action. The reader will have a better appreciation of what "readiness" and "being prepared" mean in the context of a public health emergency."—Jeffrey Koplan, MD, MPH, Vice President, Academic Health Affairs, Emory University.