SECTION XIV: BOMB THREAT PROCEDURE

A. Receiving a Bomb Threat by Telephone:

1. Remain calm and be courteous. Listen, do not interrupt the caller. Keep the caller talking. If the caller seems agreeable to conversation, ask questions like the following and write down his/her responses.

a. What kind of bomb or device is it?

b. How many devices did you place?

c. When will it/they go off? At a certain hour?

d. How much time remains until it goes off?

e. Where is it located?

2. Use the telephone checklist (Exhibit 15) to record information concerning the bomb threat. Provide this checklist to law enforcement when they arrive.

3. If possible, pass a note to another employee asking them to contact law enforcement while on the telephone with the individual making the bomb threat. If not possible, the employee receiving the bomb threat shall immediately contact law enforcement by dialing 9-911 or 911.

4. Evacuate the building in accordance with the Evacuation Procedure.

5. Re-enter the building ONLY AFTER clearance from law enforcement.

B. Receiving or Discovering a Suspicious Object or Package:

1. Letters and Parcel Bomb Recognition Points:

• Foreign mail, airmail, and/or special delivery.
• Excessive postage.
• Handwritten or poorly typed address.
• Incorrect titles or title but no name.
• Misspellings of common words.
• Oily stains, discolorations or odors.
• No return address.
• Excessive weight.
• Lopsided or uneven envelope.
• Protruding wires or aluminum foil.
• Excessive security material such as masking tape, string, etc.
• Visual distractions or ticking sound.
• Marked with restricted endorsements such as “Personal” or “Confidential.”
• Parcel or letter that is left outside the door or placed in an office that cannot be identified and nobody knows where it came from.

2. Protocol:

• Do not attempt to touch or move the object.
• Notify law enforcement by dialing 9-911 or 911.
• Do not change your environment (e.g., do not answer the telephone or turn lights off).
• Evacuate the building in accordance with the Evacuation Procedure.
• Re-enter the building ONLY AFTER clearance from law enforcement.

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Copyright © 2001 County of Inyo
Last Updated: October 13, 2005