The many recent news articles about the latest foiled terrorist plots have prompted me to once again confront what I really hate thinking about -- terrorist attacks.

William McCarthy, Ph.D, president of Threat Research, Inc., international security management consulting firm (www.threatresearchinc.com), told me recently that he expects to see multiple terrorist events -- a "moving event," with an increase in the use of fabricated explosives like TATP. Such an attack, Bill believes, is imminent... not IF but WHEN. (One consolation -- Bill believes that a nuclear attack is unlikely.)

Bill also believes that the greatest threat in America is from home-grown terrorists. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, there are over 900 registered hate groups in the United States -- the largest growing area is white supremacists. (For a map of the various registered hate groups, go to http://www.splcenter.org/intel/map/hate.jsp.)

What's a person to do? Have a plan. Don't just rely on local government officials to take care of you. Such a plan is helpful for any kind of emergency -- floods, fire, etc. -- not just a terrorist attack. Here are some basics. The more you can do, the safer you'll be.

• Don't go where big groups of Americans go.
• Avoid traveling at rush hour. If you have a long wait for a train or public transportation, stay away from crowds and areas of congestion. Sit in a nearby coffee shop if possible.
• Be vigilant about unattended bags. Alert law enforcement immediately.
• Have a week's worth of food and drinking water in your home, as well as an ample supply of medication and first-aid supplies.
• Keep comfortable shoes at the office (in case you need to evacuate your building).
• Arrange with a friend or family member in a different part of the country to receive everyone's calls in an emergency, and to disseminate your instructions on where to go and what to do. Or set up an answering machine you can all access.
• Carry a printed list of your emergency phone numbers. Don't simply rely on accessing information from your computer or even your cell phone.

For more details on emergency planning, go to http://www.ready.gov. It's got advice on emergency planning for business and for personal, including a section that teaches children about security. Also contact your local government office to learn what emergency plans are in place for where you live. Searching "Emergency Plan" in an online search engine will also yield many useful links.

Be sure to discuss your emergency plan with your family so that everyone knows what to do.