Firearms, Explosives and Bullets -- Oh My!: Public Health Partnerships with the FBI

by Anthony Barkey, specialist, emergency preparedness and response

To quote Moe Sullivan: “Early on, working with the FBI was a different experience, but it doesn’t hit you until you realize your partner is carrying a gun. That's a whole new experience for public health."

On a recent visit to the FBI Laboratory in the Quantico Marine Base, I was privileged to gain insight into the breadth of FBI's role in preparedness and response. Joining me in this experience were APHL staff Chris Mangal, Sikha Singh and Gavin Gollehon. The APHL team met with FBI representatives to discuss the development of chain of custody and moot court trainings for Laboratory Response Network (LRN) laboratorians. During these discussions, we were able to make much progress in developing the curriculum and should have some great training opportunities available in the near future. While at the facility, the APHL team were able to see not only an impressive collection of firearms, but also explosives displays and the famed Hogan’s Alley. Overall, the laboratory and Quantico experience was very eye-opening and strengthened our partnerships with the FBI.