Amy Sebring: Welcome to the EIIP Virtual Classroom! ... Amy Sebring: One quick note about any URLs that may be used in the session; they are live links and you can click on them and view the referenced site in your browser window. Amy Sebring: Subsequent "slides" may display behind your chat window, so you may need to bring the browser window forward. Amy Sebring: Background information for today's session may be found at http://www.emforum.org/vclass/990811.htm . Amy Sebring: We will have a presentation for about thirty minutes, and then have audience Q&A for the last thirty minutes. We will review the instructions for Q&A as we are about to begin that portion. Amy Sebring: We are pleased to welcome Jim McGinty, President of Protection Planning and Chairman of the Police Officers Tactical Operations Association. Amy Sebring: Jim has special expertise in the management of bomb threats, and today he will present some important planning and training considerations. Amy Sebring: A vivid reminder http://www.emforum.org/vclass/mcginty1.htm Amy Sebring: (This will take a couple of moments to load.) Amy Sebring: Thank you for coming back to be with us today Jim. Jim McGinty: You are welcome, glad to be here Jim McGinty: I am going to start my presentation and I ask all to have some patience with me Jim McGinty: As you all know, bomb threats are a way of life for most of us in the business... Jim McGinty: community. It's how we approach them or prepare ourselves that ... Jim McGinty: make the issues of liability and safety a concern Jim McGinty: We need to start with a plan or policy, divided into three sections... Jim McGinty: First deals with the threat itself, as you know must occur by phone, ...... Jim McGinty: the threat has to be evaluated, ask yourself who does this?.... Jim McGinty: I recommend an odd number team, this takes into account a tie breaker.... Jim McGinty: The team should also have the management member who can make the call... Jim McGinty: to evacuate, once the threat is evaluated a decision has to be made... Jim McGinty: Ignore the threat, evacuate at once or search and evacuate if necessary... Jim McGinty: Second part of the plan deals with the finding of an explosive device or .... Jim McGinty: suspected device, Most public safety agency will NOT search your building... Jim McGinty: This of course is on a bomb threat alone, if something suspicious is found... Jim McGinty: it now becomes a public safety matter, the liability shifts. Jim McGinty: Up to that point the liability remains with the company. The third part of the plan... Jim McGinty: deals with an actual explosion, the public safety people will handle the reactive measures... Jim McGinty: the company has to have in place what to do once the public safety people leave... Jim McGinty: Let me expand on this, most companies do not have a plan that takes into account... Jim McGinty: crime scene management, we can hold properties until we feel we have gotten all of our evidence... Jim McGinty: this may take a couple of hours or a couple of days. Jim McGinty: It's important for a company to identify a liaison person that can work with the police..... Jim McGinty: remember we do not know your building or business. Jim McGinty: Having a liaison person helps smooth out the rough spots when public safety is there. Jim McGinty: My last message is training, having the proper training for phone operators, mailroom folks,... Jim McGinty: people responsible for the search, and of course the management responsible for the decision. Jim McGinty: Training is the key, we react to incidents and when we react the right way it just makes the.... Jim McGinty: situation a lot better to handle. I guess I like to start the questions. Amy Sebring: Thank you Jim. You refer to businesses, but I expect this applies equally to public facilities and schools. We will now turn you over to our audience. Amy Sebring: If you have a question or comment, please indicate by inputting a question mark (?) to the chat screen. Then compose your question but hold it until you are recognized; then hit Enter or Send. Amy Sebring: First question please? Amy Sebring: While folks are thinking ... david wolfe: ? Amy Sebring: when does a bombing incident become a matter involving the FBI? Billy Zwerschke: ? Libbi RuckerReed: ? Russell Coile: ? Jim McGinty: The FBI gets involved when it enters certain jurisdiction, like a federal building or act of terrorism. Amy Sebring: David Wolfe please. david wolfe: Are there any (local) sources which collect all hazmat info that are used/stored with local businesses? Jim McGinty: David, what do mean by haz/mat info? david wolfe: on site usage or storage of hazardous materials... Jim McGinty: Fire departments usually have a list of haz/mat sites, if your company has hazardous material, it usually... Jim McGinty: comes under what they call a SARA site, this is federal law. david wolfe: Thanks.. Amy Sebring: (Also LEPC David) Billy Z please. Libbi RuckerReed: David, SARA information is required to be on file with local FD's and EMA's. Other haz mat not covered by SARA should be locally coordinated with good communications between companies and EMA. Billy Zwerschke: How would this apply to hospitals and nursing homes? Jim McGinty: It comes down to what is stored at the site. david wolfe: Thanks, my concern was related to clearing a larger area which may result from add'l explosions... Billy Zwerschke: Is this my answer or for David? Terry Storer: ? david wolfe: Yes thanks all... Amy Sebring: Billy your answer is coming ... Amy Sebring: I assume it pertains to the need for hospitals and other facilities to have a bomb threat management plan as well. Amy Sebring: Jim, comment? Jim McGinty: Billy, Hospitals pose a difficult situation, they are critical care facilities. Billy Zwerschke: evac becomes difficult at these places Jim McGinty: What I mean by this, is that you may not be able to just evacuate a hospital. david wolfe: ? Billy Zwerschke: thanks Amy Sebring: Libbi is next please. Libbi RuckerReed: Where is training available for companies to learn how to conduct effective SAFE searches of their buildings without putting their staff in danger? Jim McGinty: Libbi, there are course offered that show how to properly search and how to properly react to a suspicious... Libbi RuckerReed: Where? Who do we need to contact for this information. Jim McGinty: Our company specializes in Bomb Threat management. Jim McGinty: At the end maybe we can post the name and how to contact us? Amy Sebring: Yes, we can do. Amy Sebring: Russell please. Avagene Moore: ? Amy Sebring: home page of Jim's company is on our background page ... http://www.protectionplanning.com/ Amy Sebring: Russell, still there? Amy Sebring: Terry Storer, go ahead please and we will come back to Russell ... Terry Storer: Should there be a system of sharing in place to provide threat intelligence to the local "business" community. Many times law enforcement knows of some activity but the information does not reach emergency management. Amy Sebring: we are getting short on time. Russell Coile: Would you please tell us what we should listen for if someone telephones a bomb threat? Jim McGinty: Ans. to Terry, There should be a system in place, I encourage you and everyone to contact your local.... Jim McGinty: law enforcement agencies and start a liaison with them, sometimes it just takes a little nudging. Jim McGinty: Ask the question, why should you do this? Jim McGinty: Remember, there are only two reasons for bomb threats... Jim McGinty: One to mess up your day, the other to give you a warning that there is a bomb in your building. Amy Sebring: Can you address Russell's question briefly Jim? Jim McGinty: The caller's voice, is there emotion, what did they say during the threat? Did they give a reason?.... Jim McGinty: A caller making the real call, will give you the information you need to identify as one. Amy Sebring: David Wolfe please. Russell Coile: Thanks. david wolfe: (quickly) Concerning proactive or preventive measures, many govt buildings have installed metal detection equipment, is this one of the more viable solutions?? Jim McGinty: It helps Amy Sebring: Avagene please... Avagene Moore: Jim, my city sees a lot of bomb threats that prove to be hoaxes. (Never found a bomb.) As result, I feel many responders, law enforcement included, are complacent about any call that comes in. What do you suggest to overcome this complacency short of a bomb finally exploding? Jim McGinty: Yes, building security is always a concern... Jim McGinty: The fact that 99.9 percent are hoaxes is a concern, they just see so much, but the climate surrounding us should keep everyone on their toes... Jim McGinty: I believe this is done through communication, we need to talk to one another and express our concerns. Amy Sebring: Thank you very much Jim, and thank you audience. We will have a text transcript posted later today, and a reformatted version early next week. You can access these via the Transcripts link under Quick Picks on our home page. Amy Sebring: Good content Jim, thank you for persevering. Amy Sebring: If you have not already made a pledge, please see http://www.emforum.org/eiip/pledge/pledge.asp Amy Sebring: We will be ringing the bell for new pledges. Jim McGinty: Thank you all I really enjoyed it. Amy Sebring: Our time is about up, but before we adjourn, Ava will give us a heads up on our upcoming events. Ava? Avagene Moore: Thanks, Amy. I enjoyed your presentation today, Jim. Thank you for being here with us! ... Avagene Moore: Next week's events are: The Round Table on Tuesday August 17 is the session hosted by the Congressional Fire Service Institute (CFSI). Join us at 12 Noon EDT for that informal discussion about fire service issues. ... Avagene Moore: On Wednesday, a BIG event! We celebrate the 2nd anniversary or birthday of the EIIP Virtual Forum on August 18, 12 Noon EDT. Surprise messages from distinguished people in the business and a time of celebration! ... Avagene Moore: Make your plans to be here and arrive early. We can only accommodate 50 people in the Virtual Forum at this point with our updated software. ... Avagene Moore: Get your pledge in. We want 100 pledges. That is it for now, Amy. Terry Storer: Thanks Jim. There was some good info I'll share at our Safety Comm. meeting this P.M. Amy Sebring: Thank you Ava. We will adjourn the session but you are invited to join us back in the Virtual Forum room for a few more minutes of open discussion and to thank our guest.