Hazardous Materials Response Team Unit
Operational
Response
Section
Our Mission
HM Units provides technical
and scientific support to
FBI investigations
involving hazardous
materials, including
Weapons of Mass
Destruction
• Hazardous Materials Response Team Unit
• Hazardous Materials Science Response Unit
• Hazardous Materials Operations Unit
Support to FBI Investigations
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WMD Threat assessment
Scientific or technical assessment
Hazmat crime scene management
Hazard risk assessment
Site safety and medical support
Incident Command support
Evidence collection
Decontamination
– Chemical, biological, radiological
• Hazardous evidence transportation
• Domestic and international missions
FBI Responsibilities
• Identify, detect, deter and disrupt terrorist
operations before they occur
• Primary jurisdiction to investigate, apprehend
and bring to prosecution those responsible
for acts of terrorism
• WMD Crime Scene Operations
• WMD Forensics
• Render Safe Operations
• Terrorism Investigations
Hazardous Materials Response Teams
• 28 Teams
• Respond to incidents with
support of HMRU
• Collateral duty – SA’s,
Task Force Officers
including JTTF,
professional support staff
Hazardous Materials Response Teams
• Initial assessment
• Identify, preserve, document, and collect
evidence in a hazardous environment
Evidence Recovery
• Effective laboratory analysis depends on
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Recognition
Recovery
Packaging
Documentation
Quality Control
• Avoid cross-contamination
– Do not re-use sterile equipment or supplies
– Change gloves between each sample
• Control Blanks
– Always include for every lot number
• Control Samples
– Uncontaminated environmental samples
WMD Coordinators
• Liaison with Federal, State, and local
response agencies
• Conduit to FBIHQ for technical information,
advice, and assistance
• Pre-Event Planning and Prevention
• At least one WMD Coordinator in each office
• Contacted by State and local Emergency
Responders for WMD threat or incident
SSA Lisa J. Ference
Lisa.Ference@IC.FBI.gov