Designation:E2770−10StandardGuideforOperationalGuidelinesforInitialResponsetoaSuspectedBiothreatAgent1ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationE2770;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginaladoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscriptepsilon(´)indicatesaneditorialchangesincethelastrevisionorreapproval.INTRODUCTIONAbiothreatisaseriousmatterthataffectspublichealth,publicsafety,theeconomyandthegeneralconfidenceofthepeople.TheNationalStrategyforHomelandSecurityanditsNationalResponseFrameworkfocuseshomelandsecurityeffortsonpreventinganddisruptingterroristattacks,protectingtheAmericanpeople,ourcriticalinfrastructureandkeyresources,andrespondingtoandrecoveringfromincidentsthatdooccurwhilecontinuingtostrengthenthefoundationofournation.AslaidoutbytheNationalResponseFramework,acoordinatedandsynchronousresponsetosuspectedactsofbio-terrorismrequiresadvanceplanning,includingtheequippingandtrainingofemergencyresponderspriortoanincident.Thegoalofthisstandardguideistosupportnationalstandardsforrespondingtoandcollectingsuspectedbiothreatagentswithguidancecenteredoncoordinationamongrepresentativesofemergencyresponseteams,includinghazardousmaterialsresponseteams,lawenforcement,publichealth,includingtheCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention(CDC)nationalLaboratoryResponseNetwork(LRN),andtheFederalBureauofInvestigation(FBI).Thisstandardguideprovidesuniformguidancethatcoversallofthefollowingcomponents:responseplanning,respondertraining,competencyevaluation,proficiencytesting,conceptofoperations,hazardassessment,threatevaluation,samplecollection,fieldscreening,riskcommunicationanddocumen-tationforrespondingtovisiblepowderssuspectedofbeingbiothreatagents.1.Scope1.1Thisguideprovidesconsiderationsfordecision-makerswhenrespondingtoincidentsthatmayinvolvebiothreats.Thisguideprovidesinformationandguidanceforinclusioninresponseplanning,onactivitiestoconductduringaninitialresponsetoanincide...
