The lead agency during a terrorist emergency (crisis management) is the:

• A. ATF
• B. DHS
• C. FBI
• D. FEMA

Answer: (C)

In a terrorist emergency, the lead role for crisis management and investigation falls to the FBI. Terrorism is a federal crime, and the FBI is the primary federal investigative agency with the authority and resources to coordinate a rapid, nationwide response. They operate through Joint Terrorism Task Forces that bring together local, state, and federal partners to identify, disrupt, and investigate threats. The FBI leads the on-scene crisis management and incident coordination, working with other agencies as needed. Other agencies have important functions—ATF provides expertise on explosives and weapons, DHS oversees overall federal coordination, and FEMA handles disaster response and consequence management—but the FBI is the primary lead for the crisis-management phase of a terrorist incident.