Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

    • Environmental Topics
    • Air
    • Bed Bugs
    • Chemicals and Toxics
    • Climate Change
    • Emergency Response
    • Environmental Information by Location
    • Environmental Justice
    • Greener Living
    • Health
    • Land, Waste, and Cleanup
    • Lead
    • Mold
    • Pesticides
    • Radon
    • Science Topics
    • Water Topics
    • A-Z Topic Index
    • Laws & Regulations
    • By Business Sector
    • By Topic
    • Compliance
    • Enforcement
    • Guidance
    • Laws and Executive Orders
    • Regulations
    • Report a Violation
    • Environmental Violations
    • Fraud, Waste or Abuse
    • About EPA
    • Our Mission and What We Do
    • EPA Administrator
    • Headquarters Offices
    • Regional Offices
    • Labs and Research Centers
    • Planning, Budget, and Results
    • Organization Chart
    • EPA History
    • Staff Directory
Contact Us

Emergency Response Research

EPA's emergency response and homeland security research provides science and technology needed to effectively respond to and recover from disasters. Natural and man-made disasters, whether intentional or unintentional, can result in contamination that threatens human health, the environment, and our economy. Communities must be resilient to avoid such catastrophes. Resilience requires scientific information to support good decisions.

Read about EPA's research on COVID-19 in the environment.

Research Areas

Water treatment plant
  • Water Security 
  • Environmental Sampling & Analysis
  • Contaminant Fate, Transport & Exposure
  • Cleanup & Remediation
  • Waste Management
  • Community Resilience
  • Oil Spills
  • Wildfires

Outreach

Image of drinking water worksho,p
  • Engagement Opportunities
  • ​Emergency Response Research Webinar Series
  • International Decontamination Research & Development Conference
  • Technical Support to States and Territories
  • Meet Our Researchers
  • All Research Events

Models, Tools & Applications

man at computer
  • Decision Support Tools for Incident Response
  • Environmental Sampling and Analytical Methods (ESAM)
  • Environmental Resilience Tools Wizard
  • Water Infrastructure Modeling Tools
  • Search More Science Models and Research Tools


Publications 

  • Technical Briefs
  • All Emergency Response & Homeland Security Publications
  • EPA's Science Inventory

Key Links

  • 2019-2022 Strategic Research Action Plan
  • Milestones and Accomplishments
  • All EPA Research
  • Office of Research and Development

  • EPA's Role in Emergency Response
  • EPA's Role in Homeland Security 

Project Highlight

Flooded Neighborhood

Safely Clean Your Flooded Home

Featured Stories

  • Partnering with WaterStep to Deliver Clean Water During Emergencies
  • Determining the Best Ways to Clean Up Fentanyl Contaminated Surfaces
  • Reducing Potential Spread of African Swine Fever Virus
  • Preparing Drinking Water Utilities for Natural Disasters

Notice

Due to the complexity of some tables and graphics, some of our products are not amenable to a screen reader. If you have trouble accessing any of our information contact Amelia McCall (mccall.amelia@epa.gov) and alternative accommodations will be made.
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on March 16, 2023
United States Environmental Protection Agency

Discover.

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Budget & Performance
  • Contracting
  • EPA www Web Snapshot
  • Grants
  • No FEAR Act Data
  • Plain Writing
  • Privacy
  • Privacy and Security Notice

Connect.

  • Data.gov
  • Inspector General
  • Jobs
  • Newsroom
  • Open Government
  • Regulations.gov
  • Subscribe
  • USA.gov
  • White House

Ask.

  • Contact EPA
  • EPA Disclaimers
  • Hotlines
  • FOIA Requests
  • Frequent Questions

Follow.