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Appendix E: Federal Assets for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Incidents

Department of Homeland Security Assets for CBRN Incidents

AssetDept./AgencyDescription
Incident Management Assistance Teams (IMAT)FEMAProvide on-scene incident command capabilities and identify and satisfy initial requirements for federal assistance. Serve in core responsibilities in Incident Command System (ICS) structure for federal assistance to local disasters and for federally led incidents.
Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) TeamsFEMAProvide specialized assistance locating and rescuing victims after buildings or other structures collapse, or in response to natural hazards such as landslides or earthquakes.
Consequence Management Coordination Unit (CMCU)FEMAEnsures information sharing and coordination between DOJ FBI-led Protection and Prevention operations and FEMA-coordinated consequence management Response operations.
Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response (VIPR) TeamsTransportation Security Administration (TSA)Deploys transportation security assets (e.g., security inspectors, air marshals, and canine teams) to specific locations and events as needed.
Protective Security Advisors (PSAs)DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)Anticipate and assess damage to the area’s critical infrastructure assets, including assessing the potential for cascading effects due to interdependencies among those assets. Also help prioritize re-entry and recovery efforts related to critical infrastructure.
National Response System (NRS)U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and EPACoordinates federal actions and deployment of federal assets to respond to discharges of oil into U.S. waters and adjoining shorelines, and releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants into the environment.

Department of Health and Human Services Assets for CBRN Incidents

AssetDept./AgencyDescription
U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned CorpsAssistant Secretary for Health (ASH)Provides medical and public health workforce surge capacity in response to mass casualty incidents and other public health emergencies.
Strategic National Stockpile (SNS)HHS ASPRProvides medicine and medical supplies when a public health emergency has overwhelmed local supplies. Also contains unique supplies to respond to certain CBRN agents.
International Medical Surgical Response Team (IMSURT)HHS ASPR, National Disaster Medical System (NDMS)Deployed at the request of the Department of State (DOS) to treat U.S. citizens injured as a result of terrorism, consisting of 50 members with flexible and mobile equipment, supplies, and pharmaceuticals.
National Veterinary Response Team (NVRT)HHS ASPR, NDMSProvides expert veterinary care treating ill or injured pets, companion animals, service animals, working animals (including security animals), laboratory animals, and livestock impacted by natural and technological disasters, acts of terrorism, disease outbreaks, and during certain national special security events. NVRTs also provide veterinary health screening at points of embarkation and debarkation for any animals and conduct environmental and zoonotic disease assessments.
Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT)HHS ASPR, NDMS Provides medical care at a fixed or temporary medical care site. Special teams include pharmacy, nurse, burn, pediatric, crush, and mental health.
Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT)HHS ASPR, NDMS Provides temporary morgue facilities, victim identification, forensic dental pathology, forensic anthropology, processing, preparation and disposition of remains.
National Medical Response Team (NMRT)HHS ASPR, NDMS Provides mass decontamination, medical triage, and primary and secondary medical care to stabilize victims for transportation to tertiary care facilities in a hazardous material environment.
Trauma and Critical Care Teams (TCCTs)HHS ASPR, NDMS Provide critical, operative, and emergency care to help people in the wake of natural and man-made disasters and public health emergencies. TCCT members are medical professionals deployed at the request of local authorities to supplement FSLTT resources.
Laboratory Response Network (LRN)HHS CDCA network of laboratories that can respond to biological and chemical threats and other public health emergencies. The network consists of federal, state, and local public health; military; food testing; environmental; veterinary; and international laboratories.
Victim Information Center (VIC) TeamsHHS ASPRProvide support to local authorities in the aftermath of a natural or man-made disaster or public health emergency by helping to identify the victims and serving as a liaison to the victims’ families or other responsible parties in support of another NDMS team.

Department of Defense Assets for CBRN Incidents

AssetDept./AgencyDescription
Planning & Response Teams (PRTs)United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)Provide ice, water, power, debris removal, temporary housing, temporary roofing, and structural safety assessments.
249th Engineer Battalion (Prime Power)USACEProvides operational assistance in power generation and distribution for facilities like hospitals, shelters, water and sewer facilities, and police and fire stations.
Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team (WMD-CST)State/Territory National GuardsComprised of 22-person teams, prepared to deploy in three hours to provide rapid detection, assessment, and identification of hazardous materials. There are 57 WMD-CSTs located in each state, U.S. territory, and Washington, D.C. (with two in California, Florida, and New York).
CBRN Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP)State/Territory National Guards Provides search & recovery, decontamination, and emergency medical care. Comprised of 17 units of 197 personnel each, located throughout the country and prepared to deploy in 6 hours.
Homeland Response Force (HRF)State/Territory National Guards Provides command & control, search & extraction, decontamination, emergency medical care, and casualty assistance. Comprised of 10 units of 577 personnel each, located throughout the country and prepared to deploy in 6‒12 hours.
Defense CBRN Response Force (DCRF)United States Army North (ARNORTH)Provides command & control, CBRN assessment, search & rescue, decontamination, emergency medical care, medical and surgical capability, physical security, engineering, logistics, transportation, air/ground medical evacuation, and aviation lift. Deploys in two force packages (FP). FP-1 is 2,100 personnel prepared to deploy in 24 hours. FP-2 is 3,100 personnel prepared to deploy in 48 hours.
Command & Control CBRN Response Element - Alpha and Bravo (C2CRE-A and C2CRE-B)ARNORTHProvide command & control, CBRN assessment, search & rescue, decontamination, emergency medical care, physical security, engineering, logistics, and transportation. Comprised of two units of 1,500 personnel each prepared to deploy in 96 hours.

Other Federal Assets for CBRN Incidents

AssetDept./AgencyDescription
Domestic Emergency Support Team (DEST)DOJ FBIRapidly deployable team of interagency CBRN experts that provide decision-making, contingency planning and technical support, pre-incident consequence management, and state and local engagement.
Forest Service (FS) Firefighting AssetsUSDA FSProvide response assistance through firefighting support, fire suppression and assistance planning, command and control support, emergency road clearing, logistics facility support, radio/communications system support, and cache support for mass care shelters.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Transportation Disaster Assistance Division (TDA)NTSB TDAProvides assistance to families of passengers involved in major aviation and passenger rail disasters.
Emergency Communications and Outreach Team (ECOT)EPAComprised of community involvement and public affairs specialists who have experience in emergency and removal response that can support public outreach for extended periods of time. ECOT has the ability to set up and/or function in a Joint Information Center (JIC), work with the media, address public inquiries and community involvement issues, develop and implement communication strategies, and craft press releases and fact sheets.
Advisory Team for Environment, Food, and Health (A-Team)EPA/USDA/HHS CDC/HHS FDADevelops recommendations on environmental, food, health, and animal health matters.
National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL)USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)Safeguard U.S. animal health and contribute to public health by ensuring that timely and accurate laboratory support is provided by their nationwide animal-health diagnostic system.
National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN)USDA APHISProvides animal health diagnostic testing to detect biological threats to the nation’s food animals, thus protecting animal health, public health, and the nation's food supply.
Integrated Consortium of Laboratory Networks (ICLN)DHS Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD)Coordinates federally sponsored analytical laboratory services for CBRN incidents. Provides timely, credible, and interpretable data in support of surveillance, early detection, and effective consequence management.