Lessons Learned From The Boston Marathon Bombings PDF Download

As the events of April 15, 2013 unfolded, we wrestled with the fact that we were witnessing the first successful terrorist bombing on U.S. soil since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Just as we did in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, we must learn from the Boston Marathon bombing. We will examine the preparations made by the city of Boston and by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to deal with a crisis of this nature. We will also assess how the city, State, and Federal Government responded once Boylston Street was rocked by the two homemade explosives. For more than a decade, our country has worked to promote effective emergency response systems that help cities and States to mitigate the effects of a terrorist attack. In the years since September 11, 2001, we have learned that it takes preparation, training, effective leadership, and a coordinated response plan to minimize the impact and devastation caused by disaster. By all accounts, Boston had many of these elements in place on April 15, and lives were saved as a result. Today's hearing will take a step toward identifying the lessons learned from the preparedness for and response to the marathon attacks.