Defense Department task forces to beef up disaster response

摘要

The Defense Department is creating special units to assist state and local governments in the event of a major catastrophe, said Paul McHale, assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense and America's security affairs. The department is establishing task forces to respond to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, high-yield explosive attacks or accidents. McHale said previously that the Defense Department will step in to assist when the homeland suffers "catastrophic" events similar to Hurricane Katrina or a terrorist attack where a weapon of mass destruction is used.