The Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD) supports our Federal, State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (FSLTT) partners with funding, equipment and support.
This is primarily accomplished through our flagship chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) programs BioWatch, Securing the Cities, and the Mobile Detection Deployment Program and through our Training and Exercise program.
The BioWatch Program helps communities prepare to respond to bioterrorism threats. The combination of detection, notification, preparedness, and planning helps federal, state, and local decision-makers in over 30 BioWatch jurisdictions across the country take steps to save lives and mitigate potential damage.
Through the STC Program, CWMD provides equipment, training, and expertise to 14 high-risk designated urban areas – including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Phoenix, Los Angeles/Long Beach, Miami, Newark/Jersey City, New Orleans, New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, D.C. – to enhance preventative radiological/nuclear detection and preparedness. CWMD assists state and local partner agencies in building regional capabilities to detect, analyze, and report nuclear and other radioactive materials.
Through MDDP, CWMD deploys detection and monitoring capabilities across the country to support state and local law enforcement agencies so that they have what they need to counter CBRN threats. MDDP units, which including detection equipment and technical support personnel, are typically deployed to support FSLTT law enforcement partners as they secure special, large-scale events such as concerts, marathons, parades, and college and professional sports.
Through its Training and Exercises (T&E) program, CWMD trains law enforcement officers on using radiation detection and identification equipment and chemical defense. The T&E team also coordinates, develops, and supports national, interagency, and State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) level exercises. These include full-scale exercises and fully integrated radiological/nuclear tactical assessments for federal, state, and local partners.