RISK MANAGEMENT
Group Seeks Consensus
Regarding Bomb Threats
By TOM RYAN
In August, 2012, Rian Jones posted a discussion topic as a result of a course topic associated with bomb threats. The ensuing discussion illustrated how complex and challenging the subject
is. This article is an attempt to synthesize the discussion and form an outline of
issues associated with bomb threats.
[A link has been provided below to view
the full set of comments as reference.]
Many of the discussion’s comments
stem for the individual’s background and
experiences in life and beliefs of business
continuity’s obligations to the staff as well
as to the organization.
As business continuity managers, we
need to be prepared
for various situations:
the loss of a facility,
the loss of staff, and
so on. A bomb threat
has not caused the loss
of anything when the
threat is made. And
so each organization
must determine how
it is to proceed in the
face of such a threat.
Unlike a tornado or
hurricane whose existence can be verified
quickly, a BC manager may not be able
to verify the existence of a bomb quickly.
Additionally, not all emergency services
are trained to deal with bomb threats or
will perform searches for bombs.
From the BCMIX discussion on
LinkedIn, there are various courses of
action that could be taken. Some actions
are mutually exclusive which left the group
without a consensus. What became clear
is the BC manager needs to work with
senior management to develop a strategy
to address this threat. To create a strategy
that is appropriate for the organization, a
series of issues need to be discussed. Seven
issues are outlined below. These discus-
sions should help the BC manager for-
mulate a plan to be communicated to the
organization and implemented by the crisis
team should a bomb threat be received.
Link to the original
discussion:
http://goo.gl/00Xuh
Many thanks to the following discussion
participants, in alphabetical order: Alex
Alexandrino, Gary Brown, Jim Christensen,
Peter Clarkson, Robin Gaddum, Mark
Goodes, James Hall Jr., Fred Hoenisch,
Rian Jones, Juri Kasemets, S. Gregory
Long, Clive Lunn, Murali N., Troy Neville,
Howard Pierpoint, Helen Privett, Tom
Ryan, James S., Thomas Schildbach, Ken
Schroeder, Joop Seebus, Francine Seguin,
Daryl Spiewak, Phil Stott, Bob Warja, and
Rodney Yip.
correctly? Did management have intelligence to indicate hostile actions were to
be taken against the organization?
The motivation for the threat can be to
cause physical harm (facilities and/or personnel) or to cause disruption to the organization. Going back to the abortion clinic
example, physical harm appears to be the
goal with the ultimate objective of stopping the organization’s activity. However,
when a school receives a bomb threat the
goal may be to disrupt the exams or other
such activity.
Typical procedures to follow when
confronted with a bomb threat caller:
1. Try to keep the caller on the line, and get
someone else (if possible) to call 911 or
emergency services;
2a) Try to determine whether the caller has the
right company/location/etc.;
2b) Gather as much information as you can,
especially where the supposed device is
located and when it is to go off;
3) Notify your crisis management team;
4) Lockdown the facility (nobody new comes
in, nobody leaves), allowing only for
emergency personnel to enter the facility
[note debate on this point in next issue
discussion]; and
5) Await emergency personnel instructions.
Building on the first issue of probability
of such a threat, the BC manager will need
to ascertain who would receive the threat
(receptionist, customer support, etc.) and
determine what training would be needed
for these individuals.
Third issue:
What will be the organization’s
response?
1. Crisis/incident management team
planning:
A bomb threat is a real-time event
that requires a real-time response. Crisis/
incident management teams need to be
convened physically or virtually to be
informed of the threat, understand the con-
text and issues surrounding the threat, and
make a decision on the course of action.
2. What initial procedures are invoked
in response to a bomb threat?
Locking down a facility as a policy
should be reviewed by the organization’s
