Underground Transport Restoration Operational Technology Demonstration

Supporting a Major Operational Exercise to Restore a Subway/Mass Transit System

A successful field-scale remediation test requires both scientific expertise and comprehensive planning. CSS provided both technical and logistical support for the Underground Transport Restoration Operational Technology Demonstration. The multi-agency exercise was designed to develop scalable decontamination techniques and test off-the-shelf technologies that could be used in the event of a biological agent release. Over 18 months, we planned for the test bed operations, ambient air monitoring, decontamination, sampling and analysis, waste management, and release of the surrogate biological agent. We worked with EPA to develop the specifications for the equipment and supplies needed, then assisted with procurement and expediting to meet tight deadlines. During the successful six-week event held at a mock subway station at Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia, our staff provided onsite assistance for all activities. We collected and shipped 300 wash samples, led personnel decontamination, and managed wastes generated during the demonstration.