Advisory Team Capabilities
The Advisory Team for Environment, Food and Health (Advisory Team or A-Team) is a radiological emergency response group tasked with providing protective action recommendations to state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) and federal governments on behalf of its member agencies. The permanent membership includes representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The permanent members may invite other agencies to participate in Advisory Team activities.
The Advisory Team was incorporated into the Nuclear/Radiological Incident Annex of the National Response Plan (NRP) in December 2005. The NRP has been replaced by the National Response Framework. The Nuclear/Radiological Incident Annex was revised in May 2023.
Capabilities
The Advisory Team provides advice in matters related to:
The A-Team provides advice on matters related to the following subjects:
- Protective Action Guides (PAGs) and their application to the incident .
- Protective action recommendations using data and assessment from Federal Radiological Monitoring and Assessment Center (FRMAC).
- Information needed to perform FRMAC environmental assessments (field monitoring) in support of protective action recommendations.
- Health and safety advice or information for the public and for workers.
- Estimated effects of radioactive releases on human health and the environment.
- Measures to prevent or minimize contamination of milk, food, and water.
- Recommendations for minimizing losses of agricultural resources from contamination.
- Recommendations regarding the health, the management, and the disposition of livestock, poultry, pets, and other animals and the disposition of contaminated foods, especially perishable commodities.
- Availability of food, animal feed, and water supply inspection programs to ensure wholesomeness.
- Relocation of survivors, re-entry into the contaminated area, and other radiation protection measures.
- Recommendations for recovery, return, and remediation activities of the contaminated area.
- Other matters, as requested by the Incident Command or lead federal agency. (Note: The Advisory Team provides protective action advice and recommendations, not decisions.)