11 bomb threat

SLAD - CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS MANUAL

11. BOMB THREAT

A. Introduction

B. Preparation

C. Actions to be taken

1. Telephone Operators

2. Telephone Operator Supervision

3. Other Employees Receiving Bomb Threat Calls

4. Security Control Room

5. Resident Manager

D. Duties – Emergency Response Team Members

E. Bomb Searching

F. Confidentiality

G. Lessons Learnt

APPENDIX 2-1 - Boom Threat Checklist

APPENDIX 2-2 - Investigation Report

Crisis\Bomb Threat.doc


A. INTRODUCTION

The frequency of bomb threats received by our hotels is on the increase. They can be hoaxes, made by disgruntled staff and more recently by terrorists or gangsters looking to hold the hotel to ransom.

There are many scenarios that may apply and it is not practical to issue specific instructions to deal with each situation. However, the following guidelines are for a likely scenario. It will be necessary to use other initiatives to accommodate different situations. The important issue is to remain calm never loosing sight of the following fundamentals:

Guest and staff safety, including your own comes first.

As hotel staff we have a duty to minimize possible injuries or deaths.

Remain calm during an emergency and follow the principles set out in this document.

Most bomb threats are hoaxes. However, all must be treated seriously.

Key Points to Notes:

a) The Resident Manager will normally assume responsibility for management of Bomb Threat Responses. In his absence, the General Manager will assume this responsibility. If neither is available, this shall be by the Director of security or the Chief Engineer.

b) Decision to search, call the authorities evacuate the building, partially or completely shall be by staff as per (a) above.

c) Location of Command Post shall be the Security Control Room (CCTV) unless decided otherwise by staff as per (a) above.

Most bomb treats are made by telephone and the telephone operators have a crucial role.



B. PREPARATION

Telephone operators shall be trained to deal with these phone calls by Security.

The following shall also be prepared to deal with such eventualities:

A “Red Card” shall be attached to each telephone operator station, which shall be used to alert other staff when a telephone operator receives a bomb threat.

A “Bomb Threat Checklist” as included in “Appendixes” section shall be available for immediate use by any telephone operator.

It is essential that hotel master key and keying is controlled efficiently and effectively. This is to ensure that access to selected areas is immediately available to the Emergency Response Team.

Floor plans in A3 or A4 size, but clearly showing all rooms shall be available to the Emergency Response Team.

Each Emergency Response Team cart shall have the floor plans as part of its equipment. Plans shall be protected by plastic covers.



C. ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN

Operators, on receiving a threating call shall:

1. Telephone Operators

a) Keep as calm as possible.

b) Keep caller talking asking such question as:- Where is the bomb- When will it go off- What does it look like- Why is he planting the bomb- What instructions does he have

c) Keep the caller “on line” as long as practical.

d) Request caller to talk to senior management

e) Wave the red card to get the supervision’s attention (as well as other telephone operators)

f) Commence filling in the Bomb Threat Checklist

g) Complete the list as soon as practical while events are still fresh in your mind.

h) The telephone operator shall not summon the authorities or sound the alarm unless there is clearly no other choice.

When the telephone operator is the sole person on duty, he/she shall extend his duty to include the tasks set out in section .1.2.3.

He/she shall remain on standby to avail further instruction and respond to other calls.



2. Telephone Operator Manager (or other telephone operator in the absence of the Manager)

On being alerted of a bomb threat by a telephone operator receiving such a call, shall:

a) Avoid interfering with the call in process.

b) Direct another operator where available, to listen in to the call. (Who shall also commence filling out the Bomb Threat Checklist).

c) Alert the following management staff, preferably in the following sequence: (at home as may be necessary)- Duty Manager- Security on duty- Duty Engineer- Director of Security - Fire Life Safety Officer- Chief Engineer- General Manager- Resident Manager- EXCOM Members

A bomb threat may be relayed to the telephone operator by security or another staff member. After receiving such a call communicate this information to the staff as listed above.

d) He/she shall remain on standby to avail further instructions.



3. Other Employees Receiving Bomb Threat Calls

It is possible that any staff member may receive a bomb threat call. All staff is therefore required to know the following procedure:

a) If caller is an English speaker - request him to give the message to the General Manager or alternative senior English speaking management.

b) If caller is an Arabic speaker - request him to give the message to the Director of Security, Assistant F&B Manager or alternative senior Arabic speaking management.

The same concept applies to other countries/languages.

c) If caller refuses to be transferred:i. If possible, alert a fellow employee to notify the

telephone operator (to record the conversation if possible).

ii. Keep the caller on the line as long as you can ask questions as listed in section 2.3.1

iii. Listen to the precise words of the caller. Pretend to have difficulty in hearing and ask caller to repeat messages and instructions. Write them down.

iv. Try to detect and identify background noises.

v. Immediately after the call, go to the Security Control Room. Complete the "Bomb Threat Checklist" (refer to Appendixes” section) while information is still fresh in your memory and give to security control (CCTV) immediately.

4. Security Control Room (CCTV)

a) If the bomb threat call is direct to security control, handle it as per 2.3.3 above.

b) Upon receipt of a reported bomb threat from either telephone or other source, immediately advise Director of Security or the most senior security staff member on duty.

c) Inform the telephone operator as soon as possible.



d) If the decision is made by the senior manager on duty to seek police assistance and report the case, alert other security personnel by walkie-talkie to provide escort for arriving police to Security Control Room.

e) If the decision is made by the Emergency Response Team Leader to execute a bomb search he will announce situation "Code 333" on the walkie-talkie.

f) Standby to interview person/persons who have received call, as and when instructed by the Resident Manager or his designate.

g) Issue bomb checklist marker pens to Emergency Response Team when needed.

h) Remain in control room and monitor walkie-talkie and telephone. Note all relevant reports (with time) in the emergency log.

i) When informed by Resident Manager that a suspicious object has been found:- Advise telephone operator; including location - Remind telephone operator to maintain

confidentiality at this stage.- Arrange to meet with police, fire brigade at

designated locations. Assist briefing them on findings.

j) Arrange to clear loading dock area and other designated location in preparation for arrival of authorities, ambulance, etc.

k) Arrange for clinic to be on standby.

l) It may be appropriate to review CCTV records to determine if there were any suspicious situations prior to the bomb threat report.



5. Resident Manager

a) Proceed to the telephone operator’s room in response to a bomb threat and examine relevant information.

b) Arrange for the senior security officer on duty to interview threat call receiver and to collect any other information related to the call.

c) Set up command post in the GM’s boardroom room (Level 4) and prepare briefing for police on their arrival. Secure witnesses and relevant documents/papers to assist police.

d) If the decision is made to search prior to police involvement, instruct control room to raise "Code 333" through walkie-talkie and call Emergency Response Team to assemble in command post for briefing.

e) Brief Emergency Response Team members and/or other staff members present. Allocate search areas based on knowledge of working areas.

f) Temporarily close all walkie-talkie communication and instruct Emergency Response Team to phone Security Control Room on ext. 100 if suspect object is found.

g) Instruct individual teams to report to the command post by telephone upon completion bomb search and re-assemble in the operator room for further instruction.

h) Notify telephone operator room as soon as search has been completed. The result of the search should be communicated to senior management:- General Manager- Director of Communications- Weekend Executive On Duty (during weekend)- Director of Security - Chief Engineer- Financial Controller



i) Should suspicious objects be found, inform senior staff in command post. Request a bomb disposal officer. In proceeding to location exercising caution: - Do not touch any suspicious object.- Move guests and non-essential staff as far away from

area as possible.- Deploy Emergency Response Team members to set

up a barrier (ropes, chairs etc.) around the area.- Instruct a security officer to guard the area and

prevent unwanted personnel approaching.- Do not stop searching the rest of the hotel. Continue

until all has been searched.

j) Inform General Manager.

k) On arrival of police, brief them on pertinent information:- Areas of search undertaken by Emergency Response

Team.- Results.- Coordinate further search if requested.

l) Re-organize security officers to set up an outer cordon to prevent bystanders approaching police perimeter.

m) Evaluate situation with police and make decision whether to evacuate:- Any portion, or- Entire hotel.

Note that depending on exceptional circumstances, the Emergency Response Team Leader may take the decision to evacuate at any time.

Should evacuation be considered necessary, follow "evacuation planning" as detailed in the Fire Emergency Procedure.

n) After disposal of the suspicious object(s), assist police with any follow-up investigations. Provide all available information.

o) Compile internal report together with Director of Security.

Refer to “Bomb Threat – Internal Report” in the “Appendixes” section.



D. DUTIES - EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM MEMBERS

1. On receipt of "Code 333" through walkie-talkie proceed to the Security Control Room or other designated location for briefing.

2. Obtain briefing from Resident Manager; ask questions if you are in doubt.

3. You will be advised of your designated search area and receive:

- Bomb Search Checklist with clip-board- Access keys- Marker pen

4. Your assignment is to find and report to Security Control Room any suspicious object. Bombs can take any shape or form and can be housed in everyday and innocuous objects.

Look out for the following:

- Objects fitting the description mentioned in the threat.- Objects foreign to the area in which they are found.- When the origin of the object is questionable and cannot

readily be determined.- Any unusual physical characteristic of a package (eg. in

size, shape or audibility).- Unusual markings on a package (eg. Bomb, Danger,

Comrades, keep out, etc.). Such objects should not be disregarded. What appears to be a hoax could be real.

- Visible wire, batteries, powder, or plasticine like material.

5. Prior to setting out for the search physically check and turn off all walkie talkies. Communication is to be by runner or telephone ONLY.



6. Systematically follow route of search in your "Bomb Search Checklist" (refer to the “Appendixes” section). Access keys will facilitate entry to every room within your area of responsibility. Searching of a room or a particular area should start from the door, working clockwise or anti-clockwise ending at the centre. If the room is congested with storage of equipment etc, conduct the search twice, first search to be conducted from floor to eye level, second search from eye level to ceiling.

7. "Stop" when a suspicious object has been found. Do not touch or interfere in anyway. Inform Security Control Room by phone. Handover to him before continuing search to complete checklist.

8. After your designated area has been searched and if nothing suspicious is found, report to Security Control Room by telephone and standby for further instructions.

9. You will stand-down only upon instruction from the Emergency Response Team Leader.

10. Return checklist, marker pen and key to Security Control Room after stand-down.



E. BOMB SEARCHING

1. The floor plans, checklist issued prior to the search shall be used to progressively “tick” of the areas searched by the Emergency Response Team.

2. If manpower is available, double up (preferably one member of the Emergency Response Team with one other voluntary staff) to execute the search.

3. Where applicable, deploy 2 teams to work on one floor.

4. If two teams are to be deployed to search on one guest floor, start from end stair cases so that search will be completed when the two teams meet in the centre.

5. Return checklist to Security Control Room after completion of assignment.



F. CONFIDENTIALITY

All staff is to be advised that only specifically authorized staff may talk to the Press, guests or members of the public.

During a bomb threat situation, staff and guest are to be informed only when designated staff member have been authorized by:

- General Manager- Resident Manager- Emergency Response Team Leader- Director of Security



G. LESSONS LEARNT

After completion of the reports, the situation is to be analyzed by a team identified by the GM. The team shall prepare recommendations for improvement of structure and process. This shall be submitted by the GM to SLIM for review and where appropriate, changes to the Crisis Management Manual for the Group as prepared by SLIM.


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11 bomb threat