Bomb Threats and Searches

Remain calm. Use this telephone checklist to record information concerning the bomb threat. Have this list ready for the authorities when they arrive.

Employees receiving or discovering a bomb threat or emergency should immediately call the Public Safety Department at (962) –5555.

DO NOT EVACUATE THE BUILDING UNTIL DIRECTED TO DO SO BY THE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT; THE POLICE DEPARTMENT; OR UNLESS AN IMMEDIATE DANGER IS CLEARLY PRESENT.

If a bomb threat is received by phone, ask:

• When is the bomb going to explode?

• Where is the bomb right now?

• What kind of bomb is it?

• What does it look like?

• Why did you place the bomb?

     Keep the caller on the phone as long as possible!

Record the following information for campus security:

• Time of call

• Date of call

• Exact words of person

• Judge the voice: male, female, child, approximate age, do they sound coherent, etc.

• Speech pattern, accent

• Background noises and description (music, people talking, cars or trucks, airplanes, children or babies, machine noises, typing, etc.)

What should you do about suspicious mail and packages?

• Do not handle the envelope or package.

• Leave the immediate area.

• Notify the Public Safety Department at (962)-5555 and stop anyone from entering the area where the package is located.

If a suspicious object is discovered, the employee should:

• Not attempt to touch or move the object

• Evacuate the immediate area only.

• Notify Public Safety at (962)-5555.

• Await further instructions.

 What Will Happen Next

• Depending upon the circumstances, the Police Bomb Squad may be dispatched to the scene.
• Depending upon the circumstances, a search of the building may be conducted under the direction of Public Safety and Police.
• The Police Bomb Squad will contact and interview the person who received the bomb threat.
• An evacuation may take place.
• When authorized, the " All Clear" will be given by Public Safety Department.

Bomb Search

In the event a building or area needs to be searched, the St. Paul/Minneapolis Police Department or the Public Safety department will coordinate the inspection. University personnel may be asked to assist in searching specific areas in an attempt to identify suspicious items. DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING SUSPICIOUS OR UNUSUAL.

• An employee search is a good method by which it may be determined if their is a suspicious object in the area. During a search you are only looking for a suspicious for something that should not be there. If a suspicious object is found, report its position to the campus Public Safety personnel or St. Paul/Minneapolis Police personnel on the scene.
• If deemed appropriate, building office personnel will be asked to search their immediate work area. Results of the search should be reported directly to the campus Public Safety Department or the St. Paul/Minneapolis Police Department.
• Searches of other building areas may be carried out by the Public Safety Department or St. Paul/Minneapolis Police Department.
• What to look for:

Explosives can be packaged in a variety of containers. Most likely it will be disguised. The container is likely to be a common article such as a shoe or cigar box, a grocery bag, athletic bag, airline flight bag, suitcase, attach case, book bag, etc. Look for the unusual or something that appears to be out of place. It may be required that someone familiar with the area assist in the search in order to notice something which is unusual or alien to the surroundings. Anything that does not belong or whose nature and presence cannot be adequately explained is a suspicious object.