Terrorist attacks in Madrid, London, and most recently Amman, Jordan, as well as threats to the New York City transit system and financial institutions in New York and New Jersey, have demanded the attention of public safety officials.¹ The devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina²and the public health threat posed by emerging infectious diseases such as the avian flu³ add to the demands on emergency responders and tax already stretched resources. These incidents and issues, individually and collectively, suggest that political leaders and public safety officials must think differently and explore alternative models to prevent, respond to, and mitigate a crisis.