Table 1.

Response and recovery phases to a chemical terrorist attack. Current assessment focus is on developing guidelines to direct Remediation/Cleanup and Restoration/Re-occupancy decisions and activities.^a

Response and recovery
		Remediation/Cleanupbc
Notification	First response	Characterization	Decontamination	Clearance	Restoration/Reoccupancy
Receive information on chemical incident Identification of suspect release sites Notification of appropriate agencies	Initial threat assessment HazMat and emergency actions Forensic investigation Public health actions Initial environmental sampling Determine agent type and concentration Risk communication	Detailed characterization of CWA or TIC Characterization of affected site Site containment Prompt source reduction Continue risk communication Characterization, environmental sampling and analysis Initial risk assessment Clearance goals	Decontamination strategy Remediation Action Plan Worker health and safety Site preparation Continued source reduction Waste disposal Decontamination of sites, items, or both Verification of decontamination parameters	Clearance environmental sampling and analysis Clearance decision	Renovation Reoccupation decision Potential long-term environmental and public health monitoring

^aDerived from Figure 1-1 in DHS (2009a);

^bWithin 24 hours post-release, full operation restored to all 3 Tokyo (Japan) subway lines in which nerve agent GB had been released by chemical terrorists on March 20, 1995; phased operations allowed full-service restoration on 2 subway lines within 10 hours post-release (Komiya and Kamakura 1995; Lillibridge 1995; Tu 2002, 2007; Ember 1995);

^cWithin 16 days post-release, full re-occupancy of all homes and businesses previously evacuated following 70-ton chlorine release from overturned train tank car in Graniteville, SC, on January 6, 2005; phased operations allowed re-occupancy of certain residences within 6 days post (Mitchell et al. 2005).