August 2008

https://web.archive.org/web/20111201022541/http://www.atf.gov/

Contact: ATF Public

Affairs Division

(202) 648-8500

ATF NATIONAL RESPONSE TEAM

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) developed the 

National Response Team (NRT) in 1978 to meet the challenges faced at the scenes of fire 

and explosives incidents by bringing together federal, state and local investigators and their 

resources.

Since its inception in 1978, the NRT has been activated more than 700 times.

The NRT is organized by region and can respond within 24 hours to initiate an 

investigation.

Worldwide Capability

ATF deploys its NRT and International Response Teams (IRT) to explosives and 

fire incidents throughout the country and around the world.

The NRT works in conjunction with and alongside state and local investigators to 

reconstruct the scene, identify the seat of the blast or origin of the fire and determine the 

cause. In the case of bombings and arson, NRT members gather evidence to support criminal 

prosecutions. A deployed team is generally broken down into two components: a group that 

processes the scene and an investigative-lead element. In the course of the overall 

investigation, both components maintain a constant dialog to ensure investigative continuity.

Composition of Teams

Each NRT consists of veteran special agents, including certified explosives 

specialists; certified fire investigators; forensic mappers and schematic artists, and accelerant 

and explosives detection canine teams. Other members of the team include explosives 

enforcement officers (EEO) and laboratory personnel to include fire protection engineers, 

electrical engineers and forensic chemists. All special agents are experienced explosives and 

fire investigators who have worked numerous fire or explosives scenes and have extensive 

training.

The NRT is comprised of 119 special agents and EEOs, 18 laboratory personnel 

and 11 supervisors.

The NRT is supported by a fleet of fully equipped response vehicles that are 

strategically located throughout the United States and allow the NRT to be self-contained for 

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Fact Sheet

At The Frontline Against Violent Crime Public Affairs Division – Washington, DC

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the forensic examination of explosives and fire scenes.

Responses

The NRT has responded to such incidents as the terrorist attacks on the World 

Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in 2001; the Vail Mountain, Colo., fires in 

1998; the Birmingham, Ala., abortion clinic bombing in 1998; the Otherside Lounge 

bombing in Atlanta, Ga., in 1997; the Atlanta Olympics bombing in 1996; the Oklahoma 

City bombing in 1995; the World Trade Center bombing in 1993; the Alabama church arsons 

in 2006; and the Super Sofa furniture store fire in Charleston, S.C. in 2007 that resulted in the 

deaths of nine firefighters.

The NRT continues to assist with national special security events, including 

presidential inaugurations, the Super Bowl, the Olympics, Republican and Democratic 

national conventions, the G-8 Summit and World Trade Organization conferences.

For more information on ATF’s programs, please visit the website at 

https://web.archive.org/web/20111201022541/http://www.atf.gov/.

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