If the building in which you work or live receives a bomb threat, you may volunteer or be asked to help search for the bomb. No, really. It could happen. Often police will ask someone familiar with the building and the occupant(s) because they know the building and people better and will be better able to spot something out of the ordinary.
So, if you're looking for a bomb, remember you're looking for some sort of container or object that isn't usually in that building or at that place. Something suspicious to you. If you do find a bomb, don't touch it or kick it to see if it goes off. We don't need to see you in the running for the next Darwin Awards. Don't try to figure out which wire to cut as the timer moves steadily toward 00:00... BOOM!. No, just notify security if you have 'em, or the police, and give them the best description you can of the device and its location. Try to use a land-line phone, not a cell phone or hand-held walkie-talkie because those radio impulses can set off a bomb. For real.
Never assume there is just one bomb. If one is located, continue to search to make sure there is not a second device. If evacuation has not yet begun, it should begin immediately after the device has been found. If told to evacuate, you should move at least 300 feet away from the building. Safe areas, or rally points, the spots to which you will move outside the threatened building, should be quickly checked by security for explosive devices before evacuees arrive. If you have no security, then it's up to you. Be sure to look for suspicious objects on the way to these rally points as well because explosives can be placed along the pathways and detonated in close proximity to you. If you see something suspicious, be sure to bring it the attention of others and move away from it.
Remember, if a bomb is detonated in the building, the blast can break glass in adjacent structures so be sure safe areas are not too close to another structure with large glass windows or walls. You may be notified to evacuate by management or an evacuation team or by a security or police officer. If told to evac, alert fellow employees/residents in your area, as you move out of the building. If employees or residents are in isolated, remote rooms such as labs and restrooms, notify these folks to evac as well. Use stairs only, not the elevators. Don't spend time collecting personal items, shutting off computers or locking files and drawers. Get out. A person with a disability serious enough to need assistance should have two people available ~ one to stay with the person and one to get assistance from emergency responders. Don’t go back into the building until told to do so by an authorized person such as a firefighter, manager, evacuation team, police or security officer.
Evac teams made up of management personnel should be organized and trained. The organization and training should be coordinated with the development of a bomb incident plan, as well as with all tenants of a building. This goes for where you work as well as for where you live, if it's an apartment or condo.
The evacuation teams should be trained in how to evacuate the building during a bomb threat. Among other subjects, the teams should consider priority of evacuation. For example; if a device is located, teams must know to first evacuate the floor levels above and below the danger area in order to remove those persons from danger as quickly as possible. Training in this type of evacuation is usually available from police, fire or other units within the community.
The evacuation team should also be trained in search techniques, or you may prefer a separate search unit. To be proficient in searching the building, search personnel must be thoroughly familiar with all hallways, rest rooms, false ceiling areas, and every location in the building where an explosive device may be concealed. When police officers or firefighters arrive at the building, the contents and the floor plan will be unfamiliar to them if they have not previously done a survey of the building, so it's extremely important that the team be thoroughly trained and familiar with the floor plan of the building and immediate outside areas.
When a room or particular area is searched and cleared, it should be marked or sealed with a piece of highly visible tape and reported to the supervisor of that area.
The team should be trained only in evacuation and search techniques and not in the techniques of neutralizing, removing the device. If a device is located, it should not be disturbed. However, its location should be well marked and a route back to the device noted.
Search Teams
In a perfect world it takes more than one person to search any area or room, no matter how small. Searches can be conducted by supervisory personnel, area occupants or trained explosive search teams. There are advantages and disadvantages to each method of staffing the search teams.
Using supervisory personnel to search is a rapid approach and causes little disturbance. There will be little loss of employee working time, but a morale problem may develop if it's discovered that a bomb threat was received and workers were left unaware. Using a supervisor to search will usually not be as thorough because of his/her unfamiliarity with many areas and perhaps his/her desire to get on with business.
Using area occupants to search their own areas is probably the best method for a rapid search. The occupants' concern for their own safety will contribute toward a more thorough search. Furthermore, the personnel conducting the search are familiar with what does or does not belong in a particular area. Using occupants to search will result in a shorter loss of work-time than if all were evacuated prior to search by trained teams. Using the occupants to search can have a positive effect on morale, if there is a good training program to develop confidence. Of course, this would require the training of an entire work force, and ideally the performance of several practical training exercises.
A search conducted by a trained team is the best for safety, morale and thoroughness, though it does take the most time. Using a trained team will result in a significant loss of production time. It is a slow operation that requires comprehensive training and practice.
The decision as to who should conduct searches lies with management, and should be considered and incorporated into the bomb incident plan.
Search Techniques
The following room search technique is based on the use of a two-person searching team. There are many minor variations possible in searching a room. The following contains only the basic techniques.
When the two-person search team enters the room to be searched, they should first move to various parts of the room and stand quietly with their eyes closed and listen for any unusual noises. The old way was to listen and look for this:
But bombs are now much more sophisticated, using more reliable components to time and detonate. So, even though it's highly improbable that a ticking time bomb will be found just by listening, the team is now aware of the background noise level within the room itself.
Background noise or transferred sound is always audible during a building search. A ticking sound may come from an unbalanced air-conditioner fan several floors away or from a dripping sink down the hall. Sound will transfer through air-conditioning ducts, along water pipes, and through walls. One of the most difficult buildings to search is one that has steam or hot water heat. This type of building will constantly thump, crack, chatter, and tick due to the movement of the steam or hot water through the pipes and the expansion and contraction of the pipes. Background noise may also include outside traffic sounds, rain, and wind.
The individual in charge of the room searching team should look around the room and determine how the room is to be divided for searching and to what height the first searching sweep should extend. The first searching sweep will cover all items resting on the floor up to the selected height.
You should divide the room into two virtually equal parts. This equal division should be based on the number and type of objects in the room to be searched and not on the size of the room. An imaginary line is then drawn between two objects in the room; e.g., the edge of the window on the north wall to the floor lamp on the south wall.
First Room-Searching Sweep
Look at the furniture or objects in the room and determine the average height of the majority of items resting on the floor. In an average room, this height usually includes table or desk tops and chair backs. The first searching height usually covers the items in the room up to hip height.
After the room has been divided and a searching height has been selected, both individuals go to one end of the room division line and start from a back-to-back position. This is the starting point, and the same point will be used on each successive searching sweep. Each person now starts searching his/her way around the room, working toward the other person, checking all items resting on the floor around the wall area of the room. When the two individuals meet, they will have completed a "wall sweep." They should then work together and check all items in the middle of the room up to the selected hip height, including the floor under the rugs. This first searching sweep should also include those items which may be mounted on or in the walls, such as air-conditioning ducts, baseboard heaters, and built-in wall cupboards, if these fixtures are below hip height.
The first searching sweep usually consumes the most time and effort. During all the searching sweeps, use the electronic or medical stethoscope on walls, furniture items, and floors.
Second Room-Searching Sweep
The individual in charge again looks at the furniture or objects in the room and determines the height of the second searching sweep. This height is usually from the hip to the chin or top of the head. The two persons return to the starting point and repeat the searching technique at the second selected searching height. This sweep usually covers pictures hanging on the walls, built bookcases, and tall table lamps
Third Room-Searching Sweep
When the second searching sweep is completed, the person in charge again determines the next searching height, usually from the chin or the top of the head up to the ceiling. The third sweep is then made. This sweep usually covers high mounted air-conditioning ducts and hanging light fixtures.
Fourth Room-Searching Sweep
If the room has a false or suspended ceiling, the fourth sweep involves investigation of this area. Check flush or ceiling-mounted light fixtures, air conditioning or ventilation ducts, sound or speaker systems, electrical wiring, and structural frame members.
In conclusion, the following steps should be taken in order to search a room:
1. Divide the area and select a search height
2. Start from the bottom and work up.
3. Start back-to-back and work toward each other.
4. Go around the walls and proceed toward the center of the room.
Have a sign or marker indicating "Search Completed" conspicuously posted in the area. Place a piece of colored tape across the door and door jamb approximately 2 feet above floor level if the use of signs is not practical.
The room searching technique can be expanded. The same basic technique can be applied to search any enclosed area. Encourage the use of common sense or logic in searching. If a guest speaker at a convention has been threatened, common sense would indicate searching the speakers’ platform and microphones first, but always return to the searching technique. Do not rely on random or spot checking of only logical target areas. The bomber may not be a logical person.
Exterior Area Search
Check in and under things without moving them, if at all possible. Be alert for unusual smells, too.
When a Suspicious Object is Located
Remember your only mission is to search for and report suspicious objects. Under no circumstances should anyone move, jar or touch a suspicious object or anything attached to it. The removal or disarming of a bomb must be left to the professionals in explosive ordnance disposal.
When a suspicious object is discovered, the following procedures are recommended:
Report the location and an accurate description of the object to the appropriate warden. This information should be relayed immediately to the person in charge a/o security which will notify the police and fire departments, and rescue squad. These officers should be met and escorted to the scene.
If absolutely necessary, place sandbags or mattresses, never metal shields, around the suspicious object. Do not attempt to cover the object.
Identify the danger area, and block it off with a clear zone of at least 300 feet, including floors below and above the object.
Check to see that all doors and windows are open to minimize primary damage from blast and secondary damage from fragmentation.
Evacuate the building.
Do not permit re-entry into the building until the device has been removed/disarmed or blown in place and the building has been declared safe.
Here's some good information on putting together a bomb incident plan.
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