Preparedness

GENERAL INFORMATION

The success of the building’s preventive strategy requires the full cooperation of all tenants. All suspicious individuals, activities, articles, packages or situations should be reported to the Watertown Police (617) 972-6500. We depend on your eyes and ears to help keep the building safe.

Generally, most bomb threats are false, they are intended to disrupt operations and cause confusion. If a bomb is intended to kill, injure, and destroy there is typically no advance warning, as that would defeat the purpose. Regardless, every threat should be taken seriously until proven otherwise.

BOMB THREAT PROCEDURE	CONDUCTING A SEARCH
BOMB THREAT LEVELS	EXPLOSIONS
MAIL BOMBS & SUSPICIOUS PACKAGES	BOMB THREAT REPORT FORM

PROCEDURE

IF YOU RECEIVE A BOMB THREAT OVER THE TELEPHONE:

1. Keep the person talking as long as possible.
2. As you are speaking with the caller, record the information received on the attached Bomb Threat Report Form, located at the end of this section. Note the characteristics of the caller such as gender, tone of voice, age, accents, and background noises. Keep a copy of the report form in the main reception / telephone area for easy access. Review the form with your staff and ask them to use it, if necessary.
3. Discontinue use of mobile telephones, pagers, wireless radios or other wireless devices. Transmission energy can cause premature detonation of an electric initiator or blasting cap. Use land-line installed telephones to communicate.
4. At the end of the call, dial *69 and record any number provided by the service.
5. Call 911 or the local emergency number.
6. Provide the dispatcher with the following information:
   • Name
   • Type of Emergency
   • Company Name
   • Physical Building Address [not building name]
   • Floor and Suite Number
   • Telephone Number
   • Any information from the Bomb Threat Report Form
     
7. Listen to the dispatcher for any additional instructions before hanging up.

CONDUCTING A SEARCH

1. If the caller states or implies that a bomb is in a particular suite, be aware that the individuals working in that suite will be called upon to conduct a search of their area. These individuals are the best people to determine whether something doesn’t belong or if something has been moved, or is out of place
2. Each tenant should develop and maintain a search plan for their office suite. There should be two Searchers per team. If the suite is large, divide it into quadrants and permanently assign searchers to a specific quadrant.
3. Conduct your search by assessing the room utilizing the following method:
   • Search from floor to waist level, then
   • Search from waist to chin level, then
   • Search from chin to ceiling level
4. Keep a written record of the rooms searched and the results.
5. If a device is found, do not touch it:
   • ISOLATE - the object
   • EVACUATE - the area
   • NOTIFY - the authorities
6. If the caller states or implies that a bomb is in a common area of the building, the property team will conduct the search.
7. If an unidentified or suspicious article is not found, the local authorities will generally respond to the building to simply take a report. In turn, if an article is found, it is likely that the police department will contact the bomb squad.

BOMB THREAT LEVELS

Bomb threats can be classified into two categories: Low Level Threat and High-Level Threat as identified below:

Low Level Threat – Caller lacks details, no description of the bomb is given, no location identified, no detonation time provided, no device found.

High Level Threat – Caller provides specific details regarding the type of bomb, what it looks like, location, detonation time, or reason for wanting to bomb the building. A high-level threat also goes into effect if a device or suspicious article is found.

If a Low-Level Bomb Threat is received, the building may remain open for business. In a Low-Level Threat, Building Management may call each tenant’s primary contact, to inform him or her of the threat. If the building chooses to remain open for business, it is up to each individual tenant, to decide independently whether to evacuate the building or remain open for business. The property team will prepare to handle an evacuation once a desire is expressed by a tenant.

If a High-Level Threat is received, a partial or full building evacuation should be considered if the threat is deemed credible, if a suspicious article is located, or if the local authorities mandate the evacuation. Building Management will call each tenant’s primary contact to inform him or her of the threat. If the building chooses to remain open for business, it is up to each individual tenant, to decide independently whether to evacuate the building or remain open for business. The property team will prepare to handle an evacuation once a desire is expressed by a tenant.

If your company chooses to close and evacuate the building, please notify Building Security so we have a record that your suite is empty. This information will be important to have if the threat escalates.

EXPLOSIONS

In the event of an explosion, your main objective is to protect yourself.

• DROP to the floor.
• Take COVER under heavy furniture.
• HOLD your position and protect your head and body with your legs and arms.
• Protect yourself from falling objects by staying away from windows, shelves, and other loose or unstable objects. Do not light matches or turn on electrical switches, evacuate the area as quickly as possible utilizing the emergency stairwells. Do not use the elevators; the explosion may have impaired the operation of the elevators, or may have caused a fire in another part of the building. Report injuries to the local authorities.

MAIL BOMBS & SUSPICIOUS PACKAGES

Mail bombs can arrive as parcels, padded envelopes, or any other type of envelope. If you encounter a suspicious package, DO NOT TOUCH IT, HANDLE IT, SHAKE IT, OR OPEN IT. Call 911.

• ISOLATE - the object
• EVACUATE - the area
• NOTIFY - the authorities

Suspect letter and package indicators:

• Excess postage
• Address or name misspelled, wrong name, wrong title, badly typed orwritten
• No return address or unusual return address
• Restrictive markings i.e. personal, confidential
• Parcel that is lopsided, lumpy, or has protrusions or protrudingwires
• Oil stains on wrapper
• Parcel has an odor
• Package arriving before or after a phone call from an unknown person asking if it was received

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