APHIS Factsheet

Veterinary Services March 2013

Questions and Answers: 

The National Veterinary 

Stockpile and 3D Response 

Support Services 

The National Veterinary Stockpile (NVS) program, 

coordinated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 

(USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 

(APHIS), provides support to States, Tribes, and 

Territories responding to damaging animal disease 

outbreaks. Within 24 hours, the NVS can provide 

veterinary countermeasures—including certain types 

of animal vaccines, antivirals, supplies, equipment, and 

response services—to animal health officials in affected 

areas. To learn more about this program, see the NVS 

factsheet on APHIS’ Web site at www.aphis.usda.gov/

publications/animal_health/content/printable_version/

veterinary_stockpile.pdf.

NVS provides depopulation, disposal, and decontamination 

(3D) response support through a variety of contractors.

Q. What are 3D response support services?

A. “3D” refers to depopulation, disposal, and 

decontamination activities. These activities commonly 

require the rapid deployment of large numbers of 

response personnel and equipment. The NVS 

maintains contracts with all-hazards emergency 

response companies to assist with 3D operations as 

needed and serves as the single point-of-contact within 

APHIS for 3D response support services.

Q. What types of services can 3D contractors 

provide?

A. 3D response support services include:

• surge personnel fully equipped with personal 

protective equipment; 

• decontamination equipment and mobile teams

to support fi eld responders onsite; 

• waste management and disposal, including 

carcass and debris recovery, handling, and 

disposal; 

• hazardous and infectious material 

transportation and access to landfi lls; 

• staging area setup and operations for distribution 

of equipment and materials; 

• certifi ed operators for special equipment,

including forklifts, skid loaders, and heavy 

trucks/equipment; and

• special equipment such as mobile command 

centers, emergency power and lighting, 

pumps/pressure washers, and satellite terminal 

and radio communications.

Q. How experienced are the 3D contractors in 

responding to agricultural emergencies?

A. All of our 3D contractors receive annual training 

from NVS specifi c to agricultural emergency response. 

We design this training to ensure that our contractors 

are profi cient—and efficient—in responding to these 

types of emergencies and in using NVS equipment and 

resources. Our contractors also participate in the NVS 

exercise program, which reinforces lessons learned and 

prepares them on an operational level for responding to 

agricultural emergencies. 

The 3D contractors are also highly trained in all-hazards 

emergency response and are capable of deploying with 

their own equipment and supplies. They are experts 

in decontamination and disposal operations, including 

State requirements for transporting and disposing of 

hazardous materials. The contractors operate within the 

National Incident Management System. 

Q. How quickly will 3D contractors arrive onsite? 

What is their surge capacity?

A. The 3D contractors will arrive within 24 hours of 

receiving the approval to deploy and report to Incident 

Command. Depending on services required, the 

contractors can deploy approximately 600 personnel 

within 72 hours and 1,000 personnel within a week.

Q. What happens if there are simultaneous events 

and multiple requests for 3D services? 

A. We work with multiple 3D contractors to ensure 

redundancy in coverage.

It is a common business practice in the all-hazards 

emergency response industry for companies to work 

together to get the job done. For example, during 
the fi rst days of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, 

NVS conducted an unannounced notifi cation exercise 

with our 3D contractors while conducting a full-scale 

deployment exercise with one of the 3D companies 

in attendance. All 3D contractors indicated they had 

the capability to respond to an agricultural emergency 

while responding to the oil spill at the same time.

Q. How do I request 3D services during an animal 

disease event?

A. Call our 24/7 emergency hotline at 1-800-940-6524.

Q. If I have questions about NVS or 3D services, 

who should I contact?

A. Email us at nvs@aphis.usda.gov with any 

questions. More information is also available on 

our Web site at www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/

emergency_management/nvs.shtml.

United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.