Biological Threat Detection and Response Challenges Remain for BioWatch (REDACTED)

DHS’ Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction’s (CWMD)BioWatch has information sharing challenges that reducenationwide readiness to respond to biological terrorismthreats. According to its mission statement, BioWatch isdesigned to operate a nationwide aerosol detection system.The system is intended to detect potential biological threatagents, identify the agent used, and share information withstakeholders, serving as an early warning system.However, BioWatch does not operate a nationwide earlywarning system. Its biological detection equipment is locatedin just 22 of 50 states (44 percent), which leaves 28 stateswithout coverage. This occurred because BioWatch has notreassessed its strategic posture and designated locationsneeding coverage since 2003. Moreover, BioWatch equipmentin 34 of 35 jurisdictions could not always collect air samplesto test for biological threats because the equipment was notsecured to prevent unplugging or security breaches.Further, BioWatch monitors and detects just 6 of 14(approximately 43 percent) biological agents known to bethreats because it has not updated its biological agentdetection capabilities with the 2017 threat assessmentresults. Also, as of 2018, BioWatch stopped conductingroutine full-scale exercises with its jurisdictions inpreparation for a potential bioterrorism attack. According toBioWatch officials, this occurred because CWMD leadershipdirected BioWatch to no longer conduct these exercises,leaving each jurisdiction discretion to perform its ownexercises.Without implementing changes to address BioWatch’schallenges, the United States’ ability to prepare for, detect,and respond to a potential bioterrorism attack is impeded,which could result in significant loss of human life.