The Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Office website has been updated to reflect realignment of the CBRN Office to Office of Emerging Threats (OET). All preexisting CBRN tools, products, and documents will remain available under the OET banner.
FEMA has developed and sponsored a standardized suite of response capabilities for federal, state, local, tribal and territorial emergency responders and planners to rapidly and effectively minimize loss of life, protect the environment and maintain the economy.
National Common Operating Platform for Responding to CBRN Hazards
The CBRNResponder Network is a single, secure platform for all chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) incident data-sharing and multi-hazard event management, integrating multiple federal assets and national-level policy guidance.
CBRNResponder includes ChemResponder for chemical incidents, RadResponder for radiological/nuclear incidents, and BioResponder for biological incidents.
With RadResponder and ChemResponder, more than 1,500 organizations nationwide can view a common event space and robustly prepare for and respond to radiological or chemical threats.
Key Planning Factors
Key planning documents help local and state planners identify key planning factors (KPF) that could substantially aid the recovery process by decreasing recovery timeline and costs, improving public health and safety and addressing major resource limitations and critical decisions.
Biological Incident
- Key Planning Factors: Guidebook | Fact Sheet
The Biological Incident Key Planning Factors Guide is now also available in digital book format
Biological Incident Key Planning Factors online course now available!
Chemical Incident
- Key Planning Factors: Guidebook | Fact Sheet
- Planning Framework for Chemical Incident Consequence Management (2022): Guidebook | Fact Sheet
The Chemical Incident Key Planning Factors Guide is now also available in digital book format.
Chemical Incident Key Planning Factors online course now available!
Nuclear Incident
- Key Planning Factors: Guidebook
- Planning Guidance for Response to a Nuclear Detonation (2022):
PDF Guide | Fact Sheet - Planning for the First 72 Hours (2023): PDF Guide
Radiological Incident
- Key Planning Factors: Guidebook
Interactive Web Tools
Interactive, web-based strategic planning tools provide more realistic visualizations of hazardous material release behavior and impact estimates to help planners understand how an event may unfold, an event’s impact and possible response actions.
The Improvised Nuclear Device City Planner Resource (iCPR) and Chemical City Planner Resource (chemCPR) are currently in beta testing, available to planners via the Department of Energy's CMweb portal. A Biological CPR is in development.
Features include:
- Animations, maps, movies and editable reports
- Multiple scenarios for 60 U.S. cities
- Resource planning
- Animated fallout effects
- Maps for evacuation and shelter planning
- Interactive GIS display
Regional Emerging Threat Coordinators
FEMA's Regional OET Coordinators operate out of each of FEMA’s 10 FEMA regional offices and serve as a point of contact for OET preparedness and incident response activities for all stakeholders and partners.
To identify and reach your local Regional OET Coordinators, contact your local FEMA Regional Office. You may also reach out to FEMA Headquarters for the Regional OET Coordinators Program Manager by sending an email to FEMA-OET@fema.dhs.gov.
View the Regional OET Coordinator Fact Sheet
Operational Specialists
You can also request the support of a Radiological Operations Support Specialist (ROSS), which are subject matter experts trained to assist emergency managers and first responders in dealing with the unique challenges presented in an IND incident or other large radiological emergencies using the Incident Command System structure. Similar support is being developed for chemical and biological incidents.
The ROSS can deploy as a single asset or strike team depending on the need by contacting fema-ross@fema.dhs.gov.
Visit the Office of Emerging Threats to learn about the team's mission and operations.
Additional FEMA Resources
National Response Framework
The CBRN Annexes to the National Response Framework provide guidance and serve as a reference for federal agency planning efforts.
- Oil/Chemical Incident Annex
- Biological Incident Annex
- Nuclear/Radiological Incident Annex
- Incident Annex for Adversarial Threats
Technological Hazards Resource and Reference Library
View the Technological Hazards library for related reports, regulation, policy and guidance documents.
Community Lifelines
The Hazardous Materials Lifeline is part of the Community Lifelines Toolkit developed by FEMA to increase effectiveness in disaster operations and better respond to catastrophic incidents.
See All Community Lifelines