The safety
of students, faculty, and staff has the highest priority when dealing with a
bomb threat.
Types of Bomb Threats
1.
Specific threats are those that
indicate a bomb has been placed somewhere within the campus and indicate the
exact building or area, time of detonation, and/or reason for placement.
2.
Non-specific threats are threats that
do not include all the information in a specific threat.
If you
receive a bomb threat by telephone, the below is an outline with some steps to
follow:
1.
When a bomb threat is received by telephone,
the person receiving the call should remain
calm, concentrate on the exact wording of the message, and obtain as much
information as possible.
a.
DO NOT hang up
the telephone
b.
DO NOT put the
caller on hold
c.
DO NOT attempt
to transfer the call
2.
Pay close attention to the caller and
his/her words and speech:
a.
Does the caller have any
distinguishing voice characteristics such as an accent, high pitched, stutter, being
familiar?
b.
Attitude of caller such as angry,
calm, intoxicated?
c.
Is the caller angry, excited,
irrational or agitated?
d.
Is the caller a man or woman, young,
middle-aged, old?
e.
If you have caller ID, note the phone
number of the caller
f.
If
possible, record the message
3.
Listen for background noises
(traffic, music, radio, house noises, aircraft, PA system)
4.
It is important that you document all
that you know and hear. This should
include filling out the Bomb Threat Checklist (shown below).
Written Threats
While
written messages are usually associated with generalized threats and extortion
attempts, a written warning of a specific device may occasionally be received. It should never be ignored. When a written
threat is received, the below should be followed:
1.
Save the envelope or package and all
enclosed materials. Once the message is
determined as a bomb threat, further handling should be avoided.
2.
Every possible effort must be made to
retain evidence, such as handwriting or type writing, paper, postal markings,
which may assist in tracing the threat and identifying the writer.
Bomb Threat Checklist
The Bomb
Threat Checklist form is a useful response guide. This form may be copied. It should be kept at a location where it can
be readily accessible such as next to your phone.
All
personnel should become familiar with the following Bomb Threat Checklist. The information obtained from the checklist will
assist for investigative purposes in determining the validity of a caller and potentially
assist in identifying and apprehending the caller.
After
receiving a bomb threat of any kind, immediately contact the Police at 911.
Johns
Hopkins
University
Campus Safety and Security
Bomb Threat Telephone Call Procedures
Purpose Of This Form
The purpose of the Questionnaire is to set forth an orderly
sequence of actions to be taken by anyone receiving a bomb threat. Those actions include: ○ REMAIN CALM ○ LISTEN
DO NOT PANIC! DO
NOT INTERRUPT!
Obtain as much information as possible in a logical sequence
by completing this form.
Bomb Threat Information
Date of Contact: Time
of Contact: am/pm Time
Contact Ended: am/pm
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Remain Calm And Think….
Exact Message:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Questions To Ask
1.
When will bomb(s) explode?
____________________________________________________
2.
Where is bomb(s) located?
____________________________________________________
3.
What type of bomb(s)
____________________________________________________
4.
What does bomb(s) look like?
____________________________________________________
5.
How many bombs are there?
____________________________________________________
6.
Did you place the bomb?
____________________________________________________
7.
Why did you place the bomb(s)
____________________________________________________
8.
What is your name?
____________________________________________________
9.
Where are you calling from?
____________________________________________________
10.
Are you calling from a cell phone?
____________________________________________________
11.
What is your address?
____________________________________________________
12.
How do I know this is not a prank? ____________________________________________________
Characteristics of Caller
Sex: ○ Male ○ Female _Probable
Race: Approximate Age:_____ Accent:____________
Attitude/Voice Sound: ○ Calm ○ Excited ○ Intoxicated ○ Angry ○ Vulgar ○ Loud ○ Nasally
○ Raspy ○ Rapid ○ Laughing ○ Distinct ○ Stutter ○ Deep ○ High-pitched ○ Lisp ○ Ragged
○ Clearing throat ○ Cracking voice ○ Deep breathing ○ Disguised ○ Familiar ○ Quiet ○ Whispering
○ Hoarse
Background noises: ○ traffic ○ music ○ laughter ○ street noises ○ PA system ○ animal noises
○ house noises ○ aircraft ○ emergency vehicle siren
Threat Language:
○ Well spoken (educated) ○ irrational ○ incoherent ○ vulgar ○ rational ○ taped message
Notifications:
○ Security ○ Building Management ○ Local Police ○ FBI
Telephone: Telephone: Telephone: Telephone:_________
Name of person receiving
call:____________________________________
Telephone number call received at:________________________________________
3/25/06
