Hazardous Devices Operations
Hazardous Devices Operations
Programs within the Hazardous Devices Operations Section (HDOS) play a vital role in the Bureau’s strategic objective to prevent and effectively respond to terrorist or criminal use of hazardous devices explosives and weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
Since 1971, the section has managed the nation’s only facility to train and certify public safety bomb technicians to render safe hazardous devices. The FBI’s Hazardous Devices School (HDS) at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama is often referred to as the National Academy for bomb technicians. HDS has provided training to over 20,000 state and local first responders. National standards published by the FBI for training state and local bomb squads provides the necessary foundation for an effective response to federal crimes involving hazardous devices, terrorist bombing campaigns, or use of a WMD.
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A natural extension of the FBI’s bomb tech school is the Special Agent Bomb Technician (SABT) Program. SABTs provide training to local and state bomb squads and serve as the workforce for the FBI’s explosives-related operations and activities worldwide. SABTs undertake some of the most dangerous duties in the FBI. They respond to actual and threatened improvised explosive device (IED) incidents domestically and internationally. They provide assistance during major cases, special events, and federal, state, and local training events. Additionally, they enable first- and middle-tier response to WMD incidents involving chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear devices.
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HDOS is also responsible for responding to WMD incidents around the country and carrying out render safe procedures as required. HDOS fulfills this mission in partnership with the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, and a variety of state and local agencies.
The Bomb Data Center (BDC) is the FBI’s focal point for sharing hazardous-devices related information among federal, state, and local bomb technicians, investigators, general audiences, and international bomb data centers. The center publishes bulletins, guides, and other materials designed to provide continuing education to bomb technicians beyond the structured learning provided by the Hazardous Devices School. It also publishes and posts explosives-related information to investigators and general audiences through bulletins and the resources available on the LEO network at www.leo.gov.
