Domestic Nuclear Detection Office: Exercises

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO), Operations Support Directorate is responsible for establishing and operating a real-time situational awareness and support capability. In this capacity, the Exercise Program provides exercise support as a validation instrument to test and evaluate the radiological/nuclear (RN) detection, deterrence, prevention, reporting, vulnerability reduction, and capabilities in a risk-free environment.

The utilization of these services assist in validating that the equipment is properly employed and the alarm adjudication process is in accordance with federal, state, and local alarm adjudication protocols and appropriate notifications are escalated to the proper agencies at the national and international level, as appropriate.

DNDO Exercises

The Exercise Program assists in the development and implementation of improvement plans and protocols, as well as the design, development, and conduct of radiological/nuclear prevention exercises for state and local entities, in compliance with the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) methodology. DNDO exercise support is available to states and designated Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) jurisdictions to help develop, test, and improve their radiological/nuclear prevention and detection capabilities.

Operation Intercept. September 2006: New Jersey “Operation Intercept” was a multi- jurisdictional RN prevention functional exercise that included CBRNE response assets, law enforcement, fire/hazmat, and intelligence analysts at the federal, state, and local levels.

SETCP Technology Demonstrations. October 2006: Technology Demonstration with the Southeastern Transportation Corridor Project (SETCP). The demonstration tested and baselined the equipment deployed to the field and the state alarm adjudication process and the technical reach back to the Joint Analysis Center (JAC) and conduct Regional Reachback (RRB).

2008: Follow-on exercise program in support of the SETCP that includes nine Southeastern states and the District of Washington, DC.

New York StatePolice. September 2007: New York State Police Bomb Disposal Units and other specialized response assets.

Government Participation

The Exercise Program also coordinates and facilitates DNDO exercise involvement with interagency and national level exercise programs.

• Pinnacle, White House Military Office
• Vigilant Shield, Department of Defense
• Ardent Sentry/Northern Edge, Department of Defense
• Top Officials (TOPOFF) functional and full scale series exercises, Department of Homeland Security