To the Editor:
The events of September 11, 2001 fundamentally changed the lives in our nation and among our allies—the lives of our law enforcement community, our health care providers, and our emergency managers all have changed. Our government institutions at the federal, state, and local levels have had to adopt new collaborative relationships with each other and with the private sector. This need for collaboration and coordination is the reason why the Department of Homeland Security was created. DHS cannot own the solution to every problem that might befall our nation, but we are responsible for making sure that all of the forces of this great nation are brought to bear on the prevention of, protection against, response to, and recovery from catastrophic incidents.
This new journal, Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, is an example of the collaborative approach we must take to prepare for catastrophic incidents with medical consequences. Its interdisciplinary nature lends itself to research and best practices that are cross-cutting among different specialties in medicine, allied health professions, and emergency management. We in government depend on new knowledge to meet new challenges, whether created by an adversary or natural forces. We must be able to base our actions on best practices and sound scientific findings.
The journal will not only serve as a source of state-of-the-art information for those already part of the community of disaster professionals and emergency managers but also for every health professional and the public. The unique challenges of disaster medicine are not well known to the public, so the value of the journal will be to educate the professional community so that they can share this information with the public.
We at DHS appreciate the commitment of the American Medical Association to support the integration of health care and the public response to enhance the security of our homeland. I congratulate you on the initiation of Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness.
Michael Chertoff, JD
Secretary, US Department of Homeland Security
