| Identify agents | IDENTIFY nuclear, biological or chemical agents from signs and clinical history, autopsy and other evidence. |
| Generate bioterrorism response plan | GENERATE a public health bioterrorism (BT) response plan for epidemiology and surveillance (OR Environmental Health OR Public Health Laboratory OR Medical Examiner’s Office OR Public Health Information Office) that is integrated with the emergency response plan for the agency by applying the following competencies: |
| Establish communications roles | ESTABLISH emergency communications roles and responsibilities for bioterrorism response. |
| Maintain resource directory | MAINTAIN a directory of materials and resources on bioterrorism. |
| Prepare for crime scenes | PREPARE public health personnel responding to a bioterrorism event regarding procedures of crime scene preservation, proper handling, transportation and storage of criminal evidence. |
| Identify response resources | IDENTIFY specific resources needed for response to critical biologic agents (Category A, B, C). |
| Specify safety measures | SPECIFY safety measures to be taken by public health responders in a bioterrorism event, including use of personal protective equipment. |
| Ensure lab bioterrorism plans | ENSURE that laboratories within the jurisdiction or agency have bioterrorism response plans. |
| Delineate environmental protocols | DELINEATE protocols for patient decontamination, and environmental remediation, including populations with special needs. |
| Design enhanced surveillance protocols | DESIGN bioterrorism specific protocols for enhanced surveillance, including activating additional personnel (e.g., infection control practitioners, public health nurses, epidemiologists, and data entry clerks from other institutions, jurisdictions and/or agencies). |
| Establish surge capacity protocols | ESTABLISH protocols to address public health surge capacity, including the use of volunteers. |
| Ensure gaps are filled | ENSURE that knowledge/skill gaps are identified through emergency response planning, drills and evaluation are filled. |
| Ensure response practice | ENSURE that the agency regularly practices all parts of emergency response. |
| Evaluate public health laws | EVALUATE/REVIEW the public health laws of the jurisdiction on a regular schedule, to assess that they are current and up-to-date pertaining to bioterrorism events. |
| Authority for risk assessments | GENERATE regulations that provide the authority to conduct risk assessments in bioterrorism events. |
| Integrate bioterrorism and overall emergency plans | IDENTIFY the needed components of a public health bioterrorism (BT) response plan that is integrated with the overall emergency response plan for the agency. |
| Define further investigation needs | DEFINE algorithms that trigger further epidemiological investigation. |
| Manage psychological impact | RECOGNIZE and TREAT the psychological impact of bioterrorism event on victims and health care professionals. |
| Ensure psychological support | ENSURE ongoing support for the psychological impact of a Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) event on the families of victims. |
| Handle human remains | HANDLE human remains appropriately, addressing safety, psycho-social, and forensic needs. |
| Address training gaps | ENSURE that knowledge/skill gaps identified through emergency response evaluation are filled. |
| Evaluate event response | EVALUATE every emergency response to identify needed internal/external improvements. |
| Apply recovery measures | APPLY appropriate science-based public health measures to ensure continued population protection appropriate to the biological threat involved, including follow up of those exposed, vaccinated, or quarantined. |