What NOT to do when you find a suspicious device!
There are lots of ways to become a zombie — you can be bitten by one, you can be scratched by one or you can forget to use common sense and safety when reporting or responding to a suspicious device. I’ve been a bomb tech for 7 years, and I’d like to explain a little about first responders like me and what’s behind our cautious approach to explosives ordinance disposal. I’ve seen a few too many close calls that could have been avoided if only people took the time to think.
The FBI’s Hazardous Devices School serves as the only school for public safety bomb technicians in the United States. All bomb tech’s undergo a six-week basic course, and then a week-long recertification course every three years. The basic course covers everything from electronics and explosive materials, to completing a post-blast investigation. Built into the program is an emphasis on safety, and a logic tree that provides decision points to keep the bomb tech from risking unnecessary injury. Smart, right? Zombies have a hard time following logic trees. Lastly, Robots are used when possible to keep a live person from unnecessarily exposing (Warning, Graphic Video) themselves to the possible explosive device.
Despite all this brilliant training, there are a number of ways that EOD can go very, very wrong.
Common Mistake # 1) Often people walk up to a suspicious package and kick it, pick it up or use your body as a human shield. If a citizen tells you that a package is suspicious, then it is suspicious. They should know right? They have called to tell law enforcement that something is suspicious so listen to them! That means, do not try to play the hero and show everyone how tough you are. If your agency has an explosives policy — follow it. It should include:
Smart way to stay alive #1: Move everyone away from the package.
Smart way to stay alive #2: Keep the area clear of pedestrians and vehicles. Complacency should not set in during events like this. Every suspicious package should be treated as a possible explosive and you should take the necessary precautions to ensure everyone’s safety. If those intending to harm first responders watch our response and determine that we, the first responders, are not treating the call seriously, they can use that information against us later.
Common mistake #2: Don’t RUSH or get impatient with a bomb tech.
Most people complain that EOD is too slow. The old saying, “slow is fast,” really applies here. EOD would rather be slow and deliberate than speed everything up and miss a safety protocol, or worse yet, cost someone their life. Some teams have started deploying SWAT members with EOD to provide over-watch, folks dedicated to watch those watching the response and to look for suspicious behavior. Nevertheless, back to the response, EOD has to be briefed on the scene, wait for the equipment to show up, determine the safest course of action, and then put that action in motion. This takes time, and time is on our side as long as no one is in immediate danger. Imprinted in the back of every bomb tech’s mind is the image of the bomb tech memorial outside the schoolhouse at HDS. This serves as a stark reminder that every EOD call that a bomb tech arrives at has the element of the unknown. There is no end to the imagination of a bomber just as we have seen recently in France and Germany.
Common mistake #3: NEVER put the suspicious package in your car and drive it to the police station instead of calling 911. Yes. This actually happened.
Indulge me in a short story here. It started when a church had a box placed on their doorstep. They determined it was suspicious and they were not comfortable opening it. So, they loaded it into a car (not recommended, might as well have kicked it — see common mistake #1) and drove it to a fire station. Upon arrival, they placed it in the grass next to the car and informed the personnel at the fire station. Needless to say they were not happy because it shut their fire station down. EOD arrived and none of the x-ray generator batteries would work. (There are times when equipment failures and bad luck extend the response and clearance of suspicious packages. But before getting impatient, see #2). A significant intersection was also closed down as well because of the incident, so it was decided that a “small” piece of detonation cord would be placed on top of the box to open it, making the contents visible. The detonation cord functioned as designed. I remember walking around the fire station after the detonation to see what was visible, only to see cash floating down through the air and the sheriff standing on the other side of the parking lot. I spent the next twenty minutes picking up pieces of money from around the fire station.
Whether a citizen inconvenienced by, or a first responder on the scene of an explosives related incident, remember, don’t be a zombie. THINK before you act when it comes to suspicious devices and let the experts like me do the work to keep people safe. Stay alert of your surroundings and report any suspicious behavior to the proper authorities.
