Information on the latest equipment, procurement opportunities, technology, and standards can help you assess and acquire equipment appropriate for your agency's needs and its counter-terrorism strategy. The categories below contain equipment-related resources that may help you or your agency prepare for, mitigate, or respond to a terrorist incident.

• Biometrics
• Communications & Coordination
• Detection & Protection
• Evaluations & Standards
• Procurement

The Biometric Consortium
Consisting of more than 800 members from government, industry, and academia, the Biometric Consortium serves as the U.S. Government's focal point for research, development, testing, evaluation, and application of biometric-based personal identification/verification technology.

Biometrics
U.S. Department of Defense
This web site offers a comprehensive look into the latest developments in the biometrics field, primarily for military use. It provides biometric technology tutorials, test and evaluation updates, policy foundation background, educational program announcements, and information on government and industry partnerships.

The Biometrics Resource Center
Managed by the Information Technology Laboratory at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Biometrics Resource Center focuses on a variety of topics related to biometrics, including the development of standards for the interchange of biometric data.

Facial Recognition Projects (Department of Defense Counterdrug Technology Development Program Office)
The Counterdrug Technology Development Program Office (CDTDPO) has been involved in developing and evaluating facial recognition systems since 1993. The CDTDPO–sponsored Face Recognition Technology (FERET) program has helped move facial recognition from concept to reality. In 2000, CDTDPO and other federal agencies cosponsored the Facial Recognition Vendor Test 2000 to evaluate commercial systems. Other federal agencies have now joined the evaluation team, resulting in a newer and larger evaluation—the Facial Recognition Vendor Test 2002.

International Biometric Industry Association
The International Biometric Industry Association (IBIA) is a trade association that seeks to advance, advocate, defend, and support the collective international interests of the biometric industry. IBIA is governed by and for biometric developers, manufacturers, and integrators, and it is dedicated to impartially serving all biometric technologies in all applications.

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AGILE (Advanced Generation of Interoperability for Law Enforcement)
Communication is vital to coordinating law enforcement response efforts. The AGILE program helps state and local law enforcement agencies effectively and efficiently communicate with one another across agency and jurisdictional boundaries. AGILE solves interoperability problems involving wireless public safety telecommunications and information technology applications.

Emergency Response Synchronization Matrix (ERSM)
Designed by researchers at the Argonne National Laboratory Decision and Information Sciences Division, this software tool helps emergency managers develop crisis plans that coordinate actions across jurisdictions for an extended period of time. ERSM includes custom-designed analytical tools that aid in data collection, analysis, reports, and displays.

National Emergency Number Association
Consisting of more than 7,000 members, the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) provides an effective and accessible 9-1-1 service for North America. NENA's mission is to foster the technological advancement, availability, and implementation of a universal emergency telephone number system and to promote research, planning, and training opportunities to emergency communication specialists.

Regional Information Sharing Systems (RISS) Program, Bureau of Justice Assistance
RISS offers law enforcement and criminal justice agencies an information sharing and communication network, including a secure intranet for electronic networking of law enforcement agencies throughout the country, electronic linking of the six RISS center criminal intelligence databases, and electronic linking to state intelligence systems. RISS services also include loan of sophisticated investigative equipment not otherwise available or too costly for one agency; regional conferences on cybercrime, terrorism, firearms trafficking, and other topics; and funding for investigative expenses to support multijurisdictional investigations.

SAFECOM
SAFECOM works with existing federal communications initiatives and key public safety stakeholders to improve public safety responses through more effective and efficient interoperable wireless communications.

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Airborne Sensor Technology Assists Emergency Responders
Los Alamos National Laboratory, August 27, 2003
The Airborne Spectral Photometric Collection Technology (ASPECT) is a high-tech sensor package that can be installed on board a small aircraft operated by the Environmental Protection Agency that allows for timely surveillance of gaseous chemical releases from a safe distance. It gives emergency first responders on the ground critical information about the size, shape, composition, and concentration of gas plumes emanating from disaster scenarios.

National Protection Center (NPC)
NPC is a central source of expertise in protective technology; the center researches, develops, tests, and evaluates advanced/multithreat protective clothing and equipment. NPC also provides an integrated systems approach to improve component interoperability and tailorable protective equipment/systems that can be adapted to address specific threats.

Spies That Fly
Unarmed aerial vehicles have evolved from the 1800s hot-air balloons to modern remote transport capable of ferrying surveillance and weapons equipment. For those interested in following the progress of this technology, PBS has a web site based on the Nova program "Spies That Fly" with comprehensive information and technical links and resources.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV)—U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)
UAV technology plays a significant role in homeland defense because of its surveillance and research applications. This site, which offers information on the history of UAV and examines current developments in UAV technology, links to multimedia presentations, news items, and pertinent DoD briefings.

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InterAgency Board (IAB) for Equipment Standardization and InterOperability
Composed of officials from local, state, and federal government organizations and agencies, IAB was created to ensure equipment standardization and interoperability, encourage research and development of advanced response technologies, and assist first responders at the state and local levels in establishing and maintaining a robust crisis and consequence management capability.

National Fire Protection Association Standards for Personal Protective Equipment for First Responders
National Fire Protection Association, February 26, 2004
By following the standards, the first of their kind to be adopted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, organizations can ensure that their first responders are protected against chemical, biological, and other hazards at emergency incidents. All five standards are available online.

Responder Knowledge Base
This database contains information on currently available products and related standards, training, and grants specific to the needs of emergency responders.

Standard for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Air-Purifying Escape Respirator
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
This standard specifies minimum requirements to determine the effectiveness of air-purifying escape respirators that address chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear materials identified as inhalation hazards from possible terrorist events for use by the general working population.

Standard for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Full Facepiece Air Purifying Respirator (APR)
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
This standard specifies minimum requirements to determine the effectiveness of full facepiece APRs used during entry into chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear atmospheres not immediately dangerous to life or health.

Standard for Self Contained Breathing Respirators (SCBA) for Emergency Workers in Terrorist Attacks
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
SCBA products that meet this standard are expected to protect first responders in situations where an act of terror has released harmful chemicals, pathogens, or radioactive materials into the air. Approvals are based on positive results from rigorous tests on sample units submitted to NIOSH by manufacturers and from stringent evaluations of manufacturers' quality-control practices, technical specifications, and other documentation.

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Homeland Defense Equipment Reuse (HDER) Program, Office for Domestic Preparedness (ODP), U.S. Department of Justice, and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
HDER provides emergency responder agencies nationwide with surplus radiological detection instrumentation and other equipment, as well as training and long-term technical support, to enhance their domestic preparedness capabilities. See the July 2002 ODP fact sheet (ASCII or PDF) for more information.

Law Enforcement Support Office (LESO)
LESO transfers excess U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) equipment to federal and state law enforcement agencies. The 1033 program (formerly the 1208 program) allows law enforcement agencies to receive DOD excess property. The 1122 program gives state and local governments the same discounts that are available to the Federal Government due to its large-volume purchases.

National Association of State Agencies for Surplus Property (NASASP)
NASASP transfers surplus government property to public and private organizations that improve quality of life such as law enforcement agencies, health-care organizations, and school systems. The web site includes contact information for state agencies through which applications for surplus property must be made.

Office for Domestic Preparedness (ODP) Equipment Grant Award Program
ODP's equipment acquisition grants provide funding to improve state and local response to incidents of domestic terrorism involving the use of a weapon of mass destruction (WMD). Specialized equipment authorized for purchase under the Equipment Grant Award Program includes personal protective equipment; chemical, biological, or radiological detection equipment; decontamination equipment; and communications equipment. ODP's Domestic Preparedness Equipment Technical Assistance Program provides technical information and training on calibration, operation, and maintenance of WMD response equipment.

Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization (OLETC)
OLETC works toward commercialization of innovative technology for use by the law enforcement and corrections communities. OLETC actively solicits manufacturers to commercialize technologies (based on established standards) to put affordable, market-driven technologies into the hands of law enforcement and corrections personnel.

Technology Transfer Program, U.S. Army Electronic Proving Ground Special Programs Office
This program provides equipment and training for deployments and operations at no cost to state and local law enforcement agencies. Equipment is transferred to each recipient agency and becomes the permanent property of that organization. To be considered for the Technology Transfer Program, begin the online application process at www.epgctac.com/application.htm.

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