Bomb Threat Awareness Training

This week I had the opportunity to attend Bomb Threat Awareness Training for the University of Michigan-Dearborn. I took notes and typed them up for work and think the information would also be valuable to my readers. This is a very important subject to cover, I found the training to be quite interesting. I'm majoring in Public Health and plan on going into a career in it. Health education is a huge part of public health and bombings can fall into the realm of Public Health. This posts allows me to spread awareness and information about the topic and what to do if it occurs. Therefore, allowing me to take my knowledge from the training and help others and through them the public. The training was given by a Bomb Technician from the Dearborn Office if the Michigan State Police Bomb Squad. You can find out more information about them here. As always thanks for reading!

Bomb Threat Awareness Training

Bomb Threats vs Bomb Emergency

• ·      A Bomb Threat is a threat it becomes an emergency when there is a device in place.     

Bomb Threats

Usually are either calls or written threats

Call Threats  

On calls you want to try to look for the persons:

• ·      Gender
• ·      Accents
• ·      Emotional state (are they agitated or are they calm, etc.)
• ·      Age
• ·      Background noises like the train in Greenfield Village because that could give law enforcement a clue about location

Try to keep the person talking for as long as possible to try to get more information, use questions like:

• ·      Where did you put the bomb?
• ·      What does it look like?
• ·      Why are you threatening or placing a bomb?
• ·      Some unexpected questions like “how are you doing?” can give you more information because it could throw them off a little bit and could get the person to break down and explain their situation and why they are doing this

Try to take notes if you can for reference when an officer interviews you later.

You can also try to get someone else to hear the conversation or to call 911 while you are on the phone to gather more information and expedite the process.

Campus Police and 911 are communicating with each other so call either from whatever device is safer, use a cell phone to get out of the office if the threat is in there and to increase distance from device

·      If anything seems suspicious you should report it to campus safety 911 from any campus phone or at (313) 593-5333. You can also report it to police from 911 on any other phone

For credibility can look into if threat is to a secured office or public building

·      If secured building it is less credible but should still be taken very seriously

Written Threats

Typically written threats come as email or as notes

Email

·      Don’t delete the email but notify public safety or law enforcement immediately

Notes

·      If it is a note try not to touch the note or let others touch it as this can cover up possible evidence like fingerprints and DNA  instead if you have to move it try to use gloves and place it in a plastic bag to maintain evidence

·      Immediately notify public safety or law enforcement

Bomb Emergencies

Found Device

·      If you find something DO NOT TOUCH IT

·      Contact public safety and TRY TO STAY AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE

·      A bomb can look like anything it all depends on how creative the bomb maker was.

·      WITHOUT getting close to the device try to get some visual information like the size and shape or if something is written on it. Also try to remember smells and sounds from it.

You want to keep the packages “happy” and try not to “upset them”

• ·      DON’T TOUCH
• ·      DON’T TURN LIGHTS ON OR OFF (there could be light sensors)
• ·      DON’T WALK AROUND THE DEVICE (there could be motion sensors)

·      Be aware that it could be set to go off remotely so the person could be in the line or sight or it could be on a timer

·      VERY IMPORTANT TO LIMIT TIME NEAR THE DEVICE TO A MINIMUM

Sometimes there are other things left in the room by the bomb maker like in a dark room he or she may have left a flashlight

·      DO NOT TOUCH THE FLASHLIGHT or other unrecognized items we don’t want to disturb the scene or upset the device.

Evacuation

·      Evacuate far away from the device (recommend at least 300 feet)

·      Maintain a maximum distance at all times be aware of the walls of the room of the device. Walking down a hallway may put you right next to the wall with the device in it. Choose the route that keeps you farther away from the device

Be aware of evacuation point threats because there may be a secondary device by that route.

·      Looking for secondary device

• ·      Things looking out of place
• ·      New things by the evacuation route
• If you are suspicious of an evacuation route your life is the most important thing. If you feel the need to you may break a window in order to escape safely.

Never know for sure what will happen or how a device will be laid out as the patterns are so unpredictable and constantly changing.

Always maximize your distance from the device to avoid injury from shock blasts and shrapnel.

Motives of Bomb Makers

• ·      Want to scare people
• ·      Want to get the most amount of people as they can
• Be wary of bags left in high traffic areas and gut feelings that something isn’t right

 There is usually a threat before a bombing

Information Gathering

Try to remember little pieces of information as they can be important for the investigation

·      Ex. This person was hanging around a lot last week in the same area or this person was acting strange

Be Aware be Vigilant

·      Ex. Person wearing bulky coat in summer or seeming really anxious and sweaty is suspicious don’t hesitate to call it in to public safety or law enforcement

After call in police will do a walkthrough with staff because staff will know much better if something is wrong or out of place or new

Practice by going through scenarios in your head as a mental exercise to be more prepared if a threat ever occurs. 

·      Ex. If I received a call I would take notes on this or I would motion for this person to come over and I would ask these questions

Remember:

            DON”T TOUCH

       SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING

   

       GET OUT AND GET AWAY 

Contact Public Safety by dialing 911 on any campus phone or by dialing (313) 593-5333

Contact Police at 911 on any other phone