Appendix G. FEMA OET Emergency Response Assets and Teams

Table 15: General FEMA OET Incident Response Assets and Teams

AssetDescriptionAgency/Owner
Chemical Biological Incident Response Force (CBIRF) Provides command and control capabilities, chemical detection and identification, search and rescue, decontamination, and emergency medical care for contaminated personnel.Marine Corps
Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Consequence Management Advisory Division (FEMA OET CMAD) Provides science-based solutions and response services during all phases of crisis and consequence management via deployed personnel and assets.EPA
Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and High-Yield Explosive (CBRNE) Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP) Provides incident response capabilities to the requesting governor, such as search of collapsed buildings and structures, rescue to extract trapped casualties, mass decontamination, medical triage, and initial treatment to stabilize patients for transport to medical facilities.National Guard
Chemical Operations Support Specialist (COSS)FEMA OET capability currently under development that will provide a cadre of chemical emergency prevention, response, and recovery subject-matter experts for assistance during chemical incidents.FEMA
Command & Control FEMA OET Response Element (C2CRE) The C2CRE is composed of two teams. The alpha team provides reconnaissance, decontamination, aviation, engineering, search/extraction, logistics, medical, transportation, fuel distribution, water purification, and legal services. The beta team provides medical, transportation, and fuel distribution services.Army Reserve
Defense FEMA OET Response Force (DCRF) Provides command and control FEMA OET assessment, search and rescue, decontamination, emergency medical care, medical and surgical capability, physical security, engineering, logistics, transportation, air/ground MEDEVAC, and aviation lift.USNORTHCOM
Domestic Emergency Support Team (DEST)Rapidly deployable team of interagency FEMA OET experts that focuses on contingency planning, facilitates interagency crisis management, assesses crisis management based on nuclear weapons/devices, and prioritizes response assets and capabilities.FEMA
Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) Assists during governor-declared states of emergency or disaster by enabling states to send personnel, equipment, and commodities to assist with response and recovery efforts in other states. Through EMAC states can also transfer services, such as shipping newborn blood from a disaster-impacted lab to a lab in another state, and conduct virtual missions, such as geographic information system (GIS) mapping.National Emergency Management Association (NEMA)
Emergency Response Division (ERD) Provides scientific expertise to support incident response, specifically assisting FOSCs.NOAA
Environmental Response Team (ERT) Provides technical and logistical assistance in responding to environmental emergencies, such as oil or hazardous materials spills. Also supports characterization and cleanup of hazardous waste sites.EPA
Homeland Response Force (HRF) Conducts command and control, casualty assistance, search and extraction, decontamination, medical triage and stabilization, and fatality search and recovery. National Guard
Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT)Provides situational awareness and subject matter expertise to determine the level and type of immediate federal support required to assist decision-makers at all levels of government.FEMA
Regional and National Incident Support Teams (RIST and NIST) US Public Health Service (USPHS) Teams, NISTs and RISTs provides continual event need assessments, support and direction for incoming response assets, coordination of deployed field assets, on-site incident management, response asset health and safety, and demobilization support.HHS
National Response Team (NRT) Provides technical assistance, resources and coordination on preparedness, planning, response and recovery activities for emergencies involving hazardous substances, pollutants and contaminants, oil, and weapons of mass destruction in natural and technological disasters and other environmental incidents of national significance. The NRT also provides valuable Quick Reference Guides for various hazardous materials.Interagency
Planning and Response Team (PRT) Provides ice, water, power, debris removal, temporary housing, temporary roofing, and structural safety assessments.Army Corps of Engineers
Rapid Deployment Force (RDF) Provides pre-hospital triage and treatment, mass care, point of distribution operation, medical surge, isolation and quarantine, community outreach and assessments, humanitarian assistance, on-site incident management, medical supplies management and distribution, public health needs assessment and epidemiological investigations, animal health and emergency support, etc.HHS
Regional Response Teams (RRTs) Each of the 13 RRTs (one for each of ten federal regions, plus one each for Alaska, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Basin) maintains a Regional Contingency Plan (RCP) and has state, as well as federal government, representation. Like the NRT, the RRTs are planning, policy and coordinating bodies; they do not respond directly to the scene but provide assistance as requested by the FOSC during an incident.Interagency
Surge Capacity Force (SCF) Assists in various program areas, such as acquisitions, disaster survivor assistance, external fairs, financial management, human resources, individual assistance, information technology, logistics, planning, public assistance, and the national processing service center.DHS

Table 16: Criminal/Terror Investigation Assets and Teams

AssetDescriptionAgency/Owner
Hazardous Evidence Response Team (HERT) Supports response to incidents or threats involving weapons of mass destruction or the criminal use of CBRN materials. Provides training, leadership, and subject-matter expertise in hazardous evidence collection, crime scene management, and the processing of forensic evidence in CBRN crime scenes.FBI
National Criminal Enforcement Response Team (NCERT) Supports environmental crime investigations involving chemical, biological, or radiological releases to the environment. Collects forensic evidence in contaminated zones, serves as law enforcement liaisons, and provides protective escorts for EPA FOSCs and other EPA personnel.EPA
Weapons of Mass Destruction – Civil Support Team (WMD—CST) Supports civil authorities at domestic CBRNE incident sites by identifying CBRNE agents/substances, assessing current or projected consequences, advising on response measures, and assisting with requests for follow-up from state and federal military forces.National Guard

Table 17: Medical Assets and Teams

AssetDescriptionAgency/Owner
Applied Public Health Team (APHT)Provides resources and assistance to local health authorities. Primary activity and reporting areas include epidemiology/surveillance, preventive medical services delivery, and environmental public health issues.HHS
Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) Assists with healthcare delivery, disease control and prevention, biomedical research, and food and drug regulation. Corps emergency response teams are trained and equipped to respond to public health crises and national emergencies such as natural disasters, disease outbreaks, or terrorist attacks.HHS
Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) A team of advanced clinicians (nurse practitioners/physician assistants), medical officers, registered nurses, respiratory therapists, paramedics, pharmacists, safety specialists, logistical specialists, information technologists, communication specialists, and administrators, available for emergency response. HHS
Disaster Mortuary Operations Response Team (DMORT) Provides technical assistance and consultation on fatality management and mortuary affairs, such as tracking and documenting remains and personal effects, establishing temporary morgue facilities, assisting in determination of cause of death, collecting ante-mortem data, performing forensic dental pathology, etc. HHS
International Medical Surgical Response Team (IMSURT)Responds to acts of terrorism to treat and stabilize injured survivors. Outfitted with mobile equipment, supplies, and pharmaceuticals. HHS
Joint Patient Assessment and Tracking System (JPATS) The ESF #8 federal patient tracking system. Tracks and records patients’ current and prior locations, destinations, requirements for transport, transport types, reasons for location changes, and times of departure and arrival. States and local health departments are encouraged to consider using JPATS for their patient tracking application needs. HHS
Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) A corps of medical and public health professionals that prepares for and responds to natural disasters and other emergencies affecting public health. Supports mass dispensing, emergency sheltering, disaster medical response, health screenings, etc. HHS
Mental Health Team (MHT) In response to emergency incidents, provides mental health assessment, diagnosis, and treatment, screens for suicide risks, acute and chronic risk reactions, substance abuse, and mental health disorders, supports development of behavioral and health training programs for impacted populations, provides specialized counseling, psychological first aid, and crisis intervention. HHS
National Disaster Medical Systems (NDMS) Supplements SLTT healthcare response and medical systems, including providing medical care and patient transportation services. HHS
National Medical Response Team (NMRT) Provides medical care following a nuclear, biological, and/or chemical incident. Capable of providing mass casualty decontamination, medical triage, and primary and secondary medical care to stabilize survivors for transportation to tertiary care facilities in a hazardous material environment. HHS
National Veterinary Response Team (NVRT) Provides expert veterinary care to service animals, including security animals, during disasters and certain national security events. Also assesses environmental and zoonotic diseases. HHS
Readiness and Deployment Operation Group (RedDOG) Response capabilities vary by tier, but include Rapid Deployment Force Teams (RDFs), Applied Public Health Teams (APHTs), Mental Health Teams (MHTs), Service Access Teams (SATs), National Incident Support Teams (NISTs), Regional Incident Support Teams (RISTs), and Capitol Area Provider Teams (CAPTs). HHS
Service Access Team (SAT) Assesses and monitors ongoing health and human services needs of affected populations, particularly serving at-risk individuals and populations. HHS
Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) Provides medicine and medical supplies when a public health emergency overwhelms local supplies. Contains unique supplies to respond to certain CBRN agents, such as medical countermeasures (MCMs). HHS

Table 18: Infrastructure Assets and Teams

AssetDescriptionAgency/Owner
249th Engineer Battalion Generates power for military units and federal relief organizations during full-spectrum operations.Army Corps of Engineers
Transportation Disaster Assistance (TDA) Coordinates disaster response resources for federal, state, local, and volunteer agencies. TDA Specialists work closely with these agencies and transportation carriers to meet the needs of disaster survivors.National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

Table 19: Search and Rescue Assets and Teams

AssetDescriptionAgency/Owner
Office of Search and Rescue (CG-SAR) Conducts maritime search and rescue operations.USCG
Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) Task Forces Supports state and local emergency responder efforts to locate victims and survivors and manage recovery operations.FEMA

Table 20: Federal Coordination Assets and Teams

AssetDescriptionAgency/Owner
Consequence Management Coordination Unit (CMCU) Ensures information sharing and coordination between FBI-led Protection and Prevention operations and FEMA-coordinated consequence management Response operations.Interagency

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