National Domestic Preparedness Office 

Thomas G. Kinnally, Administrator

FACT SHEET

NDPO ...by and for 

emergency 

responders

Background

Former Attorney General Janet Reno created the National Domestic Preparedness 

Office (NDPO) on October 16, 1998, following an August 1998, stakeholders conference 

that brought together leading members of the emergency response community. At this 

meeting, stakeholders recommended that all federal WMD preparedness assistance 

programs be coordinated by a single office.

After consultation with the National Security Council, the Federal Bureau of Investigation 

(FBI), and others, the Attorney General directed the Bureau to lead an interagency 

coordination effort now known as the NDPO.

Federal Partners

The NDPO’s federal partners include the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FBI, 

Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Justice, Office 

for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support, Department of Health and Human 

Services, and the National Guard Bureau.

Mission

To coordinate and facilitate all federal WMD efforts to assist state and local emergency 

responders with planning, training, equipment, exercise, and health and medical issues 

necessary to respond to a WMD event.

The NDPO’s program areas encompass the six broad areas of domestic preparedness 

requiring coordination and assistance, including: Planning, Training, Exercises, 

Equipment, Information Sharing, and Public Health and Medical Services.

Vision

The NDPO shall be the open, interdisciplinary, interagency forum to coordinate the 

development of a nationally accepted framework, which facilitates the delivery of federal 

preparedness programs to assist state and local responders to minimize risks to public 

safety in a WMD incident.
National Domestic Preparedness Office 

Thomas G. Kinnally, Administrator

NDPO ...by and for 

emergency 

responders

NDPO Services

• Secure Common Communication Link hosted by Law Enforcement Online

• The Beacon, a monthly newsletter on WMD Preparedness matters

• Special Bulletins

• Information Bulletins

• On-Scene Commander’s Guide for Responding to Chemical and Biological Incidents

• The Compendium of Federal WMD training Courses

• Electronic Helpline at ndpo@leo.gov

• Clearinghouse of WMD preparedness information

• Standardized Equipment List

State and Local Advisory Group

The State and Local Advisory Group provides the federal interagency community with 

practical and general policy advice regarding program strategy and implementation to 

enhance the preparedness and response capabilities of emergency responders for a 

WMD event. 

The group represents the diverse functional areas of state and local entities involved in 

the planning for or response to a WMD terrorist incident (i.e., fire/rescue, HAZMAT, 

emergency medical and public health services, law enforcement, emergency 

management, and state and local governments). The group members were selected 

from nominations by federal partners, members of Congress, professional associations, 

and the Attorney General. 

The group held its first meeting on September 26th and 27th, 2000 in Alexandria, 

Virginia. 

National Domestic Preparedness Office

935 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Room 5214

Washington, D.C. 20535

(202) 324-9026

Fax: (202) 324-2224

Visit us online at www.ndpo.gov

E-mail: ndpo@leo.gov