Protecting People and Facilities From Improvised Explosive Devices
by Grant Haber

Considering how easily and inexpensively they can be put together. Schools, shopping malls, stadiums and other public places are also potential targets for terrorist attacks considering how freely people can walk around and through these types of public facilities.

Hard targets such as airports, government facilities, and military bases usually establish perimeters and security checkpoints to reduce their vulnerability to these types of terrorist attacks. Technologies such as x-ray screening systems, explosive trace detectors, and metal detectors to name a few are being used to increase security at facilities classified as hard targets.

Unfortunately, soft targets such as hospitals, schools, shopping malls and other public places are more vulnerable because they usually do not have the resources to establish perimeters or set up security checkpoints. Regardless if your facility is classified as a hard or soft target it is highly recommended that all facilities have both a physical security plan as well as a bomb incident plan.

To protect people and facilities from terrorist attacks involving explosive devices starts with a basic understanding of a bomb. People must understand that a bomb is usually made to look like everyday widgets and stereotypical bombs are virtually nonexistent. The only common denominator that exists with all explosive devices is that they are intended to explode.   For this reason, it is important to suspect anything that looks unusual and let a trained bomb technician determine what is or is not an actual bomb.

Physical security plans are generally designed to prevent or control access into a facility for the purpose of protecting personnel, property, and the building from unauthorized entry, sabotage, or other illegal or criminal acts. It is understood that a facility with no established perimeters or security checkpoints must implement a broader security plan to minimize their vulnerability and mitigate the effects of a terrorist attack. Contact your police department, fire department, and local government agencies to determine if one or all of them can assist with developing a physical security plan for your facility.

Bomb incident plans are designed to provide detailed procedures to be implemented during an actual bombing or when a facility has received a bomb threat. The most important element of a bomb incident plan is to create a chain of command or line of authority for the purpose of instilling confidence and avoiding panic. After outlining the responsibilities of each member in the chain of command, a primary command center should be designated along with a secondary command center in the event the primary post is destroyed during the attack.  This information needs to be documented, circulated, posted and readily available in adequate quantities.  Due to the sensitive nature of a bomb incident plan you should contact your local ATF office, police department, and fire department for assistance in developing an effective plan.

For additional information on handling bomb threats, bomb incident planning, or responding to bomb threats visit www.BombDetection.com and click on the “Bomb Threats & Security Planning” link.

Establishing physical security and bomb incident plans are important however without testing the plans with periodic scheduled and unscheduled drills; one can never determine their range of effectiveness during an actual attack. Drills expose weaknesses within the plans thus providing the established chain of command an opportunity to make the necessary changes in a calm and controlled environment. Once the appropriate changes have been implemented into the plans, test them again, and so forth.

Aside from ongoing drills, awareness training programs should also be scheduled periodically to reinforce the basics. Simple things could make a difference; like noticing individuals wearing clothes unsuitable for that time of year, observing a person trying to blend into a group that they clearly don’t belong to, or noticing anything protruding from a person’s clothing. Other little things such as noticing a person acting very nervous or profusely sweating, watching someone repeatedly steer clear of security personnel, and observing an individual walking slowly while constantly glancing over both shoulders or running in a suspicious manner might also help prevent or mitigate the effects of an incident involving an explosive device. 

Without awareness training programs these warning signs will most likely go undetected or unreported. Posting clearly visible signs that disclose where and how to report suspicious activity will enable security personnel to gather pertinent intelligence to possible thwart an attack, and act as a deterrent. These signs should be placed at entrances, exits, and throughout the facility.

Even the best physical security plans, bomb incident plans, and awareness training programs can not protect a facility from an extremist or terrorist putting an explosive device inside a public mailbox or rubbish bin. For this reason public mailboxes are either being removed completely or being strategically located at safe standoff distances from areas where large amounts of people pass or gather. Whereas, rubbish bins can not be as easily removed or strategically located because of their necessity for waste management which is why they are recognized as one of the easiest places for a terrorist to conceal a bomb in a public or private facility.

Trash bins not only hide the explosive device, they become part of the attack and maximize the intensity of the explosion by spraying shrapnel and fragmentation at great distances. It must also be understood that a terrorist attack utilizing ordinary trash bins and remote activated or time delayed explosive devices can be easily coordinated to strike multiple places simultaneously or in stages, without exposing the terrorist.

To reduce the threat to public safety and facility security created by ordinary trash bins, bomb resistant garbage bins are being deployed throughout the United States. Designed to look and function like the ordinary trash bins found at malls, airports, and stadiums these garbage bins were designed to eliminate all horizontal fragmentation resulting from the detonation of an explosive device from within.

The Department of Homeland Security has not yet created a formal testing standard for this new anti terrorism technology, therefore agencies and corporations that are considering deploying bomb resistant rubbish bins must exercise good judgment when purchasing this technology.  In order to regain and maintain an edge over the terrorist, purchasing entities should not publicize in a traditional solicitation the amount of explosives their bomb bins are required to withstand during an explosion. Doing so will enable the terrorist to possibly defeat the technology by simply placing a larger size bomb inside the trash bin. The future deployment locations of this anti terrorism technology should also not be publicized because doing so could result in the terrorist planting their bomb inside something without any force protection or possibly even planning a more significant attack with a car bomb.

In addition to protecting the explosive containment ratings and not disclosing the installation locations for newly purchased bomb bins, it is equally important for all customers to know what they are purchasing. Understanding how a bomb bin was tested to ensure its reliability during an actual terrorist attack is vital for public safety and facility security. Since it cannot be controlled where within a trash bin an explosive device will be placed, bottom center, side wall weld seam, side wall opposite weld seam, and midpoint center detonation tests should all be conducted to determine the actual amount of explosives a particular bomb bin can withstand from an explosion. This amount of explosives is referred to as the explosive containment rating.

During testing, it is essential to anchor all bomb bins to a steel and concrete slab in order to create a real life deployment scenario. Tests conducted on a dirt surface are misleading because the majority of the blast energy will be absorbed by the ground instead of the rubbish bin. Testing bomb bins under parameters equivalent to how they will actually be deployed will increase their reliability during an actual attack. It is important to also understand that during an actual terrorist attack a bomb bin could tip, roll, and gain a tremendous amount of momentum, endangering anybody in its path.

Before purchasing any vendor’s bomb resistant trash bins, it is important to obtain from that vendor an official test report that confirms how their product was tested, ensuring an accurate explosives containment rating was obtained. The report should originate from a recognized US testing facility and should include the type of explosives used, how the explosives were packed, and what the explosives were packed inside; ensuring an equal explosives charge was used for every test.  Be certain the test report incorporates close up post detonation photos and is accompanied by the actual video footage taken from the testing.

For detailed information about bomb resistant rubbish bins, or to watch pre-recorded product testing videos taken from the Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center visit www.BombReceptacles.com  

If there is one point that can never be overemphasized, it is the value of being prepared.  During an actual terrorist attack involving an explosive device it is essential to leave the crime scene immediately, moving to an open space or protected area. Do not form or join a crowd because there may be additional explosive charges around.  Avoid to the best of your ability tall buildings, glass windows, vehicles, and rubbish bins. Once you have reached a secured area call 911 if police forces have not arrived. If there are already police forces at the scene, follow their instructions and clear the area to enable them to secure the crime scene and do their job effectively.

After a terror incident involving an improvised explosive device it is important to remain clear of the crime scene. Just because there hasn’t been a secondary explosion for a short period of time and the area is occupied by police, fire, and rescue workers doesn’t mean that there are definitely no additional bombs a short distance away. If possible move vehicles out of the area to make way for fire and rescue vehicles. Remain aware of your surroundings and be certain to report any suspicious activities, objects, individuals, or vehicles you remember or notice before, during, or after the incident. Even the most trivial piece of information may result in the apprehension of a suspect or prevention of an additional attack so never prejudge information, always report it.