Which agency is the lead for crisis management during terrorist incidents involving nuclear, biological, and chemical materials?

Which agency is the lead for crisis management during terrorist incidents involving nuclear, biological, and chemical materials?

• A. FEMA
• B. FBI
• C. FRP
• D. PDD-39

Answer: (B)

The leadership for crisis management in terrorist incidents involving nuclear, biological, or chemical materials comes from the agency with the primary counterterrorism and WMD authority: the FBI. This agency is responsible for directing the federal on-scene response to such events, coordinating investigative and law-enforcement actions, and organizing federal resources in partnership with DHS and local authorities. The FBI brings specialized WMD capabilities and established procedures to manage the incident, protect evidence, and ensure rapid containment while coordinating with partners across agencies. FEMA handles general emergency management, not the on-scene crisis leadership for a WMD terrorism event, and references like FRP or PDD-39 are planning directives rather than the on-scene lead agency.

The leadership for crisis management in terrorist incidents involving nuclear, biological, or chemical materials comes from the agency with the primary counterterrorism and WMD authority: the FBI. This agency is responsible for directing the federal on-scene response to such events, coordinating investigative and law-enforcement actions, and organizing federal resources in partnership with DHS and local authorities. The FBI brings specialized WMD capabilities and established procedures to manage the incident, protect evidence, and ensure rapid containment while coordinating with partners across agencies. FEMA handles general emergency management, not the on-scene crisis leadership for a WMD terrorism event, and references like FRP or PDD-39 are planning directives rather than the on-scene lead agency.