Bomb Incident Guide
Subject: Information Concerning Bombs and Bomb Threats
Bomb threat against this facility may be received by telephone, mail, or message at
any time. Telephone threats may be received at the administrative offices, over
public telephone located on facility property, may even be directed at the home
telephones of staff members. Any staff member receiving a telephone bomb threat
should make every effort to follow the procedure outlined below.
1. Telephone threats:
While bomb threats or warning may be received by mail or message, the most
popular method is by telephone. An accurate analysis of the telephone threat can
provide public safety personnel with many valuable clues. For example, the caller
could reveal personal characteristics such as sex, ethnic or national group origin,
or mental state. He may even unwillingly provide a clue to his location by
background noises. Bombers often intentionally provide accurate information on
the type of bomb and exact location. The natural reaction of an untrained
individual, however, will remain calm and take full advantage of the situation to
improve the likelihood that the incident will be safely and effectively handled.
To assist these key individuals, a bomb threat call checklist of the type illustrated
(see call sheet) should be developed and kept in the immediate vicinity of their
telephones. In addition to the use of the checklist, it is always desirable that
more than one person listen in on the bomb threat call. To accomplish this, a
system of convert signaling, perhaps a coded buzzer signal to a second reception
point could be considered.
If the individual receiving the call remains calm, it is often possible to extract
additional information from the caller. This is especially true when the bomber
wished to avoid injuries or death. If told that the building is occupied and that the
facility cannot be evacuated in the warning time provided, the bomber may be
encouraged to provide more specific information regarding the location of the
bomb. The presence of the checklist will suggest additional avenues of inquiry to
the person talking with the caller.
When a bomb threat call is received, it should be reported immediately to one of
the following locations:
POLICE- 911
Normal Work Hours- Administrator 989-743-3491 ext. 526
Non-Work Hours- Administrator 989-277-3150 or 989-277-8885
The determination is left to the Administrator or representative whether or not to
notify the Fire Department.
In the event that a bomb threat is received, a preliminary decision will be made,
in coordination with the police, with respect to the necessity for searching and/or
evacuating the building. The procedures to be followed for each of two possible
courses of action are summarized below. It is generally the consensus of opinion
by police officers to evacuate in all cases: however, this decision resets primarily
with the Administrator.
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Most bomb threats calls are very brief. If possible, they should be recorded. The
caller normally states his or her message in a few words and hangs up. However,
where possible, every effort should be made to obtain detailed information from
the caller, such as:
1. Exact location of the bomb.
2. Time set for detonation.
3. Description of explosive container.
4. Type of explosive.
5. Reason for call threat.
The person receiving the call should also note such details about the calls as:
(see attached investigators report)
1. Date and time of call.
2. Exact language used.
3. Sex of caller.
4. Estimate age of caller.
5. Peculiar or identifiable accent.
6. Possible race.
7. Identifiable background noise such as jukebox, trucks or other
conversations.
It may also be advisable to determine which facility personnel and other
employees, were absent from the premises at the time the call was received. This
information should be made available to investigators of the threat.
2. Search of Building Without Evacuation
If the preliminary decision is to search the building without evacuating the
patients, the following announcement may be made over the public address
system: “All staff members are asked to immediately carry out the instructions
for checking the building that are outlined in the special bulletin issued earlier
this fall.” Upon receiving such an announcement, every attendant should make a
prompt visual search of the rooms in which he/she is attending to at the time and
use the telephone to report to the main office any items or containers that are
unusual or foreign to the area being searched. When a bomb or suspicious
package is found by a person on the search team, the order should come from
the control center or office to immediately evacuate the entire building. The
building should not be entered again until bomb technicians have removed or
disarmed the devise. If the search has not be completed after the removal or
disarming of the bomb or package, the search should be completed before
persons, other than the searchers, are allowed in the building.
3. Evacuation of the Building
If the preliminary decision is to evacuate the building the following
announcement may be made over the public address system: “A report has been
received that makes it necessary for everyone to leave the building for a few
minutes. Please escort your patients from their rooms immediately and exit from
the building in the same manner as you would for a fire drill. Move about 300
feet away from the building and remain there until you receive further
instructions.” Upon receiving such an announcement, every attendant should first
instruct his patients as to the proper exit to use in leaving the building. The
attendant should then conduct a visual search of the rooms in the manner
described above. Those staff members with special assignments should follow
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through accordingly. Upon completing these assignments, attendants should join
their patients outside the building until further instructions are received.
4. Type of Evacuation Notice
Should an evacuation be necessary, it is preferable that it is used in a different
tone or system of signals from that of the Fire Drill. This will designate that, even
though fire drill exit procedures will be used to empty the building, it is a bomb
threat and the personnel must evacuate a further distance from the building. The
audio system can be used to call specific instructions as to system of evacuation
can then be provided. (Note: Leave windows and doors open.) Remember to
evacuate to a safe distance, which is beyond that of the fire drill produce,
preferable up to 300 feet, but as far as possible up to that distance. A
detonation, even though the building is evacuated, could still be extremely
dangerous to personnel too close to the exterior of the building. Consideration
must also be given to the fact that the bomb is on or near the outside of the
building rather than the interior.
In the event of an evacuation, the following persons should report to the office
upon completion of their search assignment:
Title of Persons: Charge Nurse of each Unit
Team Leader of Department Head of Laundry
Housekeeping, Maintenance, Dietary, Clerical
Diversional Therapy, Physical Therapy areas.
5. Command Post
The Command Post will be established at the lobby desk. It will be manned by
the Administrator, Police Official, and such other personnel as the Administrator
may designate.
The communications center shall be manned by someone who knows how to
operate the communications system, which sends and receives messages
throughout the facility. In the event a message needs to be sent to all personnel,
it can be done through this system. If a search team person finds an object, he
can step to the nearest telephone, in the nearest room and give the exact
location of the object found. The building should be immediately evacuated and
not reentered until the package is declared safe by a qualified bomb technician.
With the Administrator and the official from the police department at the
Command Post, decisions can be made immediately on search and evacuation.
6. Letter Threats
In the event a threat is received by letter, it should be preserved for investigation
by the police for possible fingerprints and should not be handled once the letter
has opened.
DETONATION
In the event of a detonation, without prior threat or evacuation, or during
evacuation, the situation will be handled as any other disaster or emergency. CALL
911. If the situation is serious, additional personnel will be called in under mutual
aid agreements already in effect in the county or region area.
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In addition to the above procedures, the Nursing Supervisor will be responsible for
the following:
1. The inservice room on South Wing is the designated area of treatment for
those injured who can be moved. Plans may have to be revised if the priority
area is involved in the area of detonation. Outside areas may be considered if
season and weather permits.
2. A team of facility personnel on duty at the will be organized to administer first
aid to severe bleeding, shock or burn patients, under the direction of the
nursing supervisor.
3. First aid supplies are available in the inservice room for the treatment of
bleeding, shock, burns from explosive materials, and fractures.
In addition to the above advance planning:
1. Police, fire, and rescue units will be notified by 9-9-911.
2. At the scene of the explosion, identify those who are severely injured and
cannot be moved and those less severely injured who can be moved to
treatment location designated in the advanced plan.
3. At the treatment area, the conduct of the assigned personnel will affect a
calm efficient atmosphere.
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BOMB THREAT CALL CHECKLIST
1. Exact location of the bomb?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
2. Time set for detonation?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
3. What does it look like?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
4. What is the explosive?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
5. Why was it placed?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Obtain as much detail as possible about the bomb and its location. Legitimate callers
usually wish to avoid injury or death- REQUEST more date by expressing a desire to
save lives.
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INVESTIGATOR’S REPORT
(To be filled out for the Investigating Police Office)
1. Date _______________________ and time ____________________ of call.
2. Exact language used: _______________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
3. Male __________ Female __________ Adult ___________ Child ___________
Estimated Age ___________________ Race _________________
4. Speech (Check applicable)
Slow ______________ Excited ______________ Disguised _____________
Rapid _____________ Loud ________________ Broken _______________
Normal ____________ Sincere ______________ Accent _______________
5. Background noises: ________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Name of person receiving the call: _____________________________________
NOTIFY
Upon receipt of a bomb threat, dial the following number immediately and report the
call:
911
(Number of police department)
(Supervisor in charge)
DO NOT DISCUSS THIS CALL WITH OTHER PERSONNEL
Report the call, notify your supervisor, and follow instructions.
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SAMPLE
Possible Bomb Locations and Staff Assignments
Possible Bomb Locations
Name of Staff or Administrative
Personnel Assigned
1. Corridors and entries
____________________________
2. Cafeteria, dishwashing room,
____________________________
Kitchen, and staff lunchroom
____________________________
3. Men’s lavatory
____________________________
4. Women’s lavatory
____________________________
5. Storage Rooms
____________________________
6. Men’s lavatory (staff)
____________________________
7. Women’s lavatory (staff)
____________________________
8. Outside perimeter of building
____________________________
9. Janitor closets, fire hose
____________________________
cabinets, disposal room, elevator
____________________________
rooms, boiler room, tunnel
____________________________
10. Waste containers in corridors
____________________________
and lavatories
____________________________
11. Empty rooms
____________________________
The above are possible locations where bombs may be placed. You must remember a
bomb can be placed ANYWHERE and look like ANYTHING. If it is foreign to your
rooms and looks suspicious, DO NOT TOUCH: notify the proper authorities. Time is
important as well as location.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The Michigan State Police, Emergency Services Division, would like to acknowledge
the use of the document “Bomb Scene Procedures the Protective Response”
published by the Research Division of the International Association of Chief of Police.
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