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Other Hazards of Interest The Health Alert Center for San Mateo County allows community members to view all alerts and emergencies put out by the County Health Department (San Mateo County Health, 2021b). 18.2 TERRORISM Terrorism is the use of force or violence against persons or property in violation of criminal laws for purposes of intimidation, coercion, or ransom. Terrorists often use threats to accomplish the following (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2021):  Create fear among the public.  Try to convince community members that their government is powerless to prevent terrorism.  Get immediate publicity for their causes. Acts of terrorism include threats of terrorism; assassinations; kidnappings; hijackings; bomb scares and bombings; cyber-attacks (computer-based); and the use of chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological weapons. High-risk targets for acts of terrorism include military and civilian government facilities, international airports, large cities, and high-profile landmarks. Terrorists might also target large public gatherings, water and food supplies, utilities, and corporate centers. Terrorists can spread fear by sending explosives or chemical and biological agents through the mail (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2021). The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Homeland Security Division works daily to prepare and protect community members from a range of threats. These threats include terrorism, natural disasters, hazardous materials, global disease outbreaks and other emergencies. These operations are carried out 24/7 through the Area Office of Emergency Services and the Emergency Services Bureau. 18.3 CYBER ATTACKS Cyber-attacks are malicious attempts to access or damage a computer or network system. Cyber-attacks can lead to loss of money or the theft of personal, financial, and medical information that can damage personal reputation and safety. Cyber-attacks can fall under the definition of terrorism if they are large enough in scale to cause widespread social and economic impacts. In December 2019 the Grand Jury of the Superior Court of California sent an online survey to public entities in San Mateo County. More than 25 of the public entities responding reported that they have been a victim of one or more ransomware attacks (malware designed to encrypt files on a device). Experts agree t hat there will be more attempts to violate the integrity of local governments’ electronic infrastructure (San Mateo Court, 2019). 18.4 COMMUNICATION FAILURE The failure of communication systems is widely known to occur in almost all extreme conditions. The breakdown of telecommunications infrastructure, whether complete or partial, causes inefficiency and delays in emergency relief efforts and response, which leads to loss of life and preventable injuries. Due to increasing dependence upon communication systems during extreme events, the risk of communication failure is high, despite increasing immunity and protection of these means against disasters, harsh environments, and calamities. An extreme event situation with a severely disrupted telecommunications infrastructure amplifies chaos and uncertainty. Poor 18-5