Would you know what to do if your school or workplace received a bomb threat?
It might sound daunting, but for many facilities it’s an essential part of emergency planning. We’re here to help you get it right.
Bomb threats are not uncommon, which is why it’s important to understand and regularly practice your bomb threat response procedures so you and your team are able to respond effectively while minimising harm and disruption to your facility.
The Australian Terrorism Threat: PROBABLE
Bomb threats present real security risk to any facility, but they are most commonly received in educational institutions, as well as other high-profile targets such as buildings of national significance, places of worship, and large crowded facilities.
Are your facility procedures adequate?
Most facilities do identify bomb threats as a risk in their Facility Emergency Plan, but in most occasions their preparedness could be improved to include additional training on actions to be taken pre, during, and post bomb threat, and ensuring everyone understands their role.
Preparing for a bomb threat
Any emergency event presents its own dynamic challenges and dangers. They can evolve rapidly and require a quick, clear, and confident response from the facilities Emergency Control Organisation (ECO) and Chief Warden.
To allow for the best response to a bomb threat you should have site specific scenarios planned out which can be practiced by the ECO and all occupants of the facility, so they are comfortable to implement their actions at a moment’s notice.
This will effectively define the expectations of team members and ECO roles during a bomb threat.
Developing a bomb threat scenario action plan
Your facility bomb threat scenario should be made as clear and realistic as possible to suit the nature of your facility operations.
You should consider the following questions when developing the scenario or an action plan:
Evaluate the threat
What were the exact words of the threat? Note them down.
Have there been recent similar threats to your facility or similar facilities?
Is your site freely accessible?
Do you have multiple evacuation routes from your facility?
Have you contacted local authorities?
Search considerations
What should each person in the facility do when alerted to a bomb threat?
Do the employees or other people onsite know thorough and methodical, rapid search techniques?
Are there areas that should be searched as a priority?
How will you identify searched areas?
What to do if a suspicious item is located during the search?
Evacuation considerations
What are your communications methods?
What are your assembly areas for evacuation or shelter in place?
What instructions will you give evacuees?
Are evacuees safe at assembly areas?
Who require assistance with evacuation (PEEP)?
Provide clear and calm instructions for team members to follow.
After a bomb threat
To ensure the best outcomes and improvement opportunities are had following a bomb threat the Chief Warden shall:
Collect information from all persons involved
Conduct an incident debrief
Provide welfare checks and assistance for all persons involved
Liaise with authorities
Document what worked well, and what didn’t work so well
Share suitable information with team members so they are informed and feel valuable.
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