CWMD Meets with Chicago Area BioWatch and STC Partners

WASHINGTON – On March 27 - 28, the Assistant Secretary for the DHS Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD), David Richardson, traveled to Chicago, Illinois, to meet with state and local representatives for the BioWatch and Securing the Cities (STC) programs. 

During the March 27 BioWatch meeting, A/S Richardson met with the Chicago area BioWatch program representatives to discuss the future of the program, its value, and what actions CWMD could take to strengthen this valuable program further.  

The BioWatch program operates 24/7/365 in over 30 major metropolitan areas to provide an early indication of any potential airborne biological attack. DHS CWMD manages the program, supported by other federal agencies. The program is operated by a network of scientists and laboratory technicians, along with emergency managers, law enforcement officers, and public health officials across federal, state, and local levels of government.

On March 28, A/S Richardson met with the Chicago STC program leadership. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss detection equipment needs, the program's status, and to see if there are any areas CWMD can improve upon in supporting the state and local team.

The STC Program was established in 2007 and included in the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Act of 2018. STC's mission is to prevent the illicit possession, movement, and use of radiological or nuclear materials and weapons in the United States by enhancing the nuclear detection capabilities of state, local, tribal, and territorial agencies. 

Through STC's coordinated planning and operations, federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners work together in the STC regions to defend against the threat of radiological or nuclear terrorism. CWMD provides radiological and nuclear detection equipment, training, exercise support, and operational and technical subject matter expertise to the STC regions through cooperative agreement grants.

CWMD supports STC implementations in broad areas centered on high-risk urban areas across the Nation. Urban areas include New York City/Newark, Los Angeles/Long Beach, National Capital Region, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, Denver, Phoenix/Maricopa County, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, and New Orleans.

CWMD serves as the Department of Homeland Security's focal point for countering weapons of mass destruction efforts. By supporting operational partners across federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial levels, CWMD coordinates DHS efforts to safeguard the United States against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats.