HAZMAT Response

Hazardous Material Response

Mission

The Hazardous Material Response Unit (HMRU) responds to criminal acts and incidents that involve hazardous materials (HAZMAT). The unit also develops technical proficiency and readiness for crime scene and evidence-related operations in cases involving chemical, biological, and radiological materials and wastes and trains U.S. and international law enforcement in these skills. It also provides site safety oversight of FBI personnel operating in other high hazard crime scenes, including collapsed structures and confined spaces.

The Team 

Special agents, physical security specialists (HAZMAT & Nuclear), chemists, microbiologists, management and program analysts, and a logistics management specialist

The Work:

• Assist FBI investigations by deploying to hazardous crime scenes, including reports of ricin, anthrax, and other biological and chemical attacks;
• Support other Divisions within the FBI by providing assessments and 280 conference calls of incidents involving HAZMAT;
• Provide response readiness at special events, including the Republican and Democratic national conventions; Olympic Games; presidential debates; and at each Super Bowl game;
• In coordination with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and the FBI's International Training Unit, support the U.S. government’s counterproliferation program by providing training to law enforcement personnel in former Soviet bloc countries. The training provided includes instruction in HAZMAT operations, incident command, and Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) crime scene operations.
• Provide technical and scientific response to FBI investigations involving HAZMAT, including WMD;
• Provide operational response and scientific consultation for FBI Headquarters divisions, training and equipping field Hazardous Materials Response Team (HMRT) personnel. The HMRU provides support to national security special events and FBI special events, as well as site safety overviews at high hazard FBI crime scenes; and
• Provide HAZMAT operations, WMD crime scene, HAZMAT biology, HAZMAT nuclear, and HAZMAT chemistry training to support HMRU and HMRT operations.