Protection Against Bomb Attacks Building Security Measures You

Protection Against Bomb Attacks

Building Security Measures You should ensure that a thorough survey is made of each building, the nature of its construction and the surrounding area.

Surrounding Area Covering open basement area with wire mesh and/or illuminating it. Securing access points to underground parking or loading bays and ensuring their supervision when in use. Restriction of parking to areas away from the building. Removing rubbish bins to a safe distance from the building. Cutting down undergrowth of shrubs immediately adjacent to the building. Securing manholes, ducts, or other subterranean

External Building Face Securing ground doors and windows, including sealing of letter boxes. Bevelling off, or removal of, window or other ledges, particularly in rear areas. Illumination of porches and basement areas, leaving on ground floor lights at night, the painting of fall pipes giving access to the roof with anti- climb paint. Securing of skylights or other roof top access points

Fire Explosive Hazards Removal of rubbish which could conceal explosive or incendiary devices, particularly on the ground floor or in the basemen. Securing doors and windows or ventilators giving access to fuel storage and central heating plant or boilers. Fire fighting equipment and fire hazard should be checked.

Vital Facilities Identification of particularly important facilities computer installations, and giving additional protection (ex. stop doors locks) for them. Consideration should be given to limiting access to essential personnel

Protective Barriers Installations of grilles, bandit glass and polycarbonate sheets ate internal barriers to separate members of the staff from the public. Restriction of Access by the Public Consideration should be given to dividing the areas to which the public usually requires access from the rest of the building, which can then be designated ad “secure” area.

The Secure Area This should be given an appropriate degree of physical security and access to it controlled. Visitors should establish their identification, and if necessary be escorted.

The Public Area Entrances should be kept to the minimum. Doors and windows and other openings which are not in use should be secured internally. Through scrutiny should be made of the area to reduce the minimum concealment places for bombs and incendiaries. Cupboards should be kept locked. Good lightning with no areas of shadows is essential. Curtains maybe shortened to clean window sills and floor. Particularly attention should be paid to lavatories and

Members of the public in this area should be kept under observation. This is best done by staff, who should be advised of the threat and ask to be particularly vigilant. Surreptitious observation can be maintained by closed circuit televisions but this has the disadvantage that operator fatigue precludes continuous watching. One way glass can also be used. Uniformed guards may be preferable since they provide a deterrent.

Guards and staff should be particularly alert for anybody entering with a case, parcel, or similar object and challenge him if he attempts to leave without it. In time of threat, stores should only be accepted from recognized sources and precautions observed on entering the building at opening times if there is evidence of intrusion during the night.

Contingency Planning In drawing up contingency plans to deal with emergency situations you should consider: All information available relating to the building itself, such as structural features and location. How best to establish an Incident Control organization, taking account, where applicable, of the need for separate procedures for dealing with members of staff and the general public, and the forms of communication required. How search team should be organized and trained. What evacuations options are available and what procedures need to be organized and practised. What procedures should be adopted in and event of an explosion

Establishment of an Incident Control Network A senior member of staff should be appointed as Incident Control Officer to co-ordinate all counterterrorism measures and encourage awareness and vigilance among employees. A Security Officer should be appointed if one does not already exist, with designated deputies to handle such duties as leadership of bomb search teams and “lock-up” drill, which should ensure that no unauthorized persons remain in the building after working hour.

Communications External Communication In order to be able to communicate speedily with the police and other supporting services, the Incident Control Center requires an outside line independent of the exchange as the latter frequently becomes over-burdened in an emergency.

Internal Communication from the Incident Control Officer to key personnel. These have to be improvised from what is available. Any of the following methods can be used: Small intercommunication system specially installed for control purposes. Loud hailers “Bleepers” Personal radios ( walkie-talkies) Messengers with oral or written messages

Bomb Threats Received By Telephones. Usually bomb threats come in anonymous telephone calls, though they could be mailed or surreptitiously hand delivered. All persons responsible for the management of their buildings or staff should instruct their telephone operator to report all such calls to them confidentially and immediately.

As soon as it is clear that the caller is making a bomb threat the recipient should let him finish his message without interruption. If any response is essential, as to a statement such as “This is about a bomb are you listening? ” keep it to one or two words. While the caller tasks, get the message exactly, and also listen for clues to : Caller’s sex and appropriate age

Noticeable condition affecting speech, such as drunkenness, laughter, anger, excitement, incoherency. Peculiarities of speech, such as foreign accent, mispronunciations, speech impediment, tone and voice pitch. Background noises audible during the call, such as music, traffic, talking, machinery.

When the caller has give his message, try to keep him in conversation. The following are key questions and should be ask, if possible, after the caller has given his message: Where is the bomb located? What time will it explode? What does it look like? When was is placed? Why was it placed? Who are you? Where are you?

Note whether the caller repeated his message or any part of it. Note the exact time of its receipt. Write the message down. Immediately notify the Security Officer. Repeat the message exactly as you received it, then fill in the other details you were able to get. BE CALM. LISTEN CAREFULLY. REPORT EXACTLY It should be borne in mind that “bomb hoax” telephone calls are unfortunately a common occurrence.