Much of the bomb threat preparedness training for law enforcement, emergency management and security professionals, while well intentioned, consists of headlines, charts, checklists, and search techniques. Notably missing: strategic decision-making.
Participants easily find themselves lost in details, discouraged or disengaged entirely. Without understanding the big picture – what matters most and why – facts and lists have little meaning and cannot be realistically applied to protect a facility and its occupants. Those who actually stick with the instruction and try to absorb the endless parade of material may find, when faced with an actual threat, that they have learned some interesting things – but not the valuable, strategic thinking skills required of those making decisions and taking action.
If you have received training in the past, you might begin to evaluate your preparedness by asking yourself about:
- Priorities: What are the main priorities for leadership when implementing a bomb threat response plan?
- Staff and Responders: What human resources are available to assist, how do I reach these people, and how long will it take them to respond to our scene?
- Evacuation: When might evacuation be reasonable? Are there safety principles to understand when directing an evacuation? When might evacuation be unreasonable and, if so, what are the alternatives? How do I educate staff, customers, occupants, students, or their families to prepare them for our response plan?
- Search: Who is best qualified to search and why? What will they be looking for and what should they do if they find it?
- Assessment: Should all threats be treated the same? What are some of the motivations behind persons presenting threats? Should a suspicious person, package, or vehicle be handled as a bomb threat? Is my plan secure for secondary or follow-on threats?
- Keep It Simple: Do we have any simple tools to guide us in our response to a bomb threat?
Bomb threat preparedness is attainable. If you are looking for training, find a workshop or course designed to address the concerns identified above. These are some of the things that matter most. And choose a seasoned instructor who appreciates the big picture, enjoys teaching, and has real-world stories and experience that relate to your needs.
With the right material, presentation and instructor you can develop the knowledge and skills necessary for a high level of competence to execute or revise your plans. If that day comes, responding strategically will be safer than responding by checklist.
David Buck is a bomb technician, post-blast investigator, trainer and consultant. He can be contacted at david.buck@hazardid.com.
