Threats and sabotage disrupt operations and create panic if managed poorly. Threats are delivered by mail, e-mail, and telephone.
Mail/ Postal
Potential signs of a postal threat/ device
Grease marks on the package
Odours
Wires or metal foil
Package excessively wrapped
Incorrectly addressed
If you think you are handling asuspicious package:
Put the item on a flat stable surface
Do not try to cover the package
Mark the item for recognition by authorities
Evacuate the immediate area
Remain at least 100m from the package
Notify the authorities
Telephone
Glean as much information regarding the device as possible, including location, time ofexplosion and motivation.
Note the exact wording of the message (if possible), making note of the date and time.
Deduce characteristics of the caller including male/ female, accented, background noise, old/young, etc.
Alert the emergency response team and authorities.
Evacuate to the secondary evacuation point.
The telephone bomb threat ‘tick-sheet’ provides prompts for questions and detail; and should be available to telephone operators.
The prevalence of e-mail threats is increasing given the anonymity and ease of threat delivery. The process to adopt when dealing with an e-mail threat:
Notify Asia Pacific Risk Management or CR24.
Do not forward or reply to the message unless directed to do so.
Sabotage is another credible cause of widespread panic and disruption. Sabotage includes contamination offood and beverage; airborne chemicalsand agents; and contamination of watersources. The two categories of sabotage include biological andchemical threat.
Biological agents are germs that causedisease (anthrax, smallpox) and are infectious, whereas chemical agents are not infectious. The process to adopt in both instances is:
Evacuate the area
Alert authorities
Identify yourself to authorities
Do not leave the hotel unless directed to do so
Avoid contact with guests or staff that were not exposed to the area
The key priorities are to:
Protect life
Identify the threat
Control the incident
Contain those involved
Contact the authorities
The Asia Pacific Risk Management team are available to assist
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