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Policy/Procedure

Whenever the Toledo Fire and Rescue Department’s Dispatch Office receives a bomb threat, the officer in charge shall notify the Police Dispatcher and TFRD Chiefs. A conference call shall be initiated and all station personnel shall be made aware of the threat. If requested by Toledo Police Command, Dispatch will assign the requested resources to the incident. If a threat involves a fire station or stations, the affected stations shall be evacuated immediately until the situation is resolved.

1. When responding to a location where an unexploded or suspicious device has been reported:

1. Fire personnel shall refrain from using sirens, radio transmissions, or cellular phones within three blocks of the incident.
   
   
2. The location of the Fire Command Post and Staging Area will depend on the size and contents of the device. Incident commander shall request this information from Dispatch and use the following chart as a guideline for estimating evacuation distances.
   
   
   
   
3. All units shall stage approximately three blocks from the scene unless information obtained from Dispatch dictates staging at a greater distance. Law enforcement officers shall direct operations at the scene.
   
   
4. The Toledo Fire and Rescue Department’s command post shall be set up approximately three blocks from the scene unless information obtained from Dispatch dictates establishing a command post further away. A liaison will be established with Police Command.
   
   
5. Mobile and portable radio equipment including Mobile Data Terminals (MDT’s) shall not be used at the scene. Radios shall be left on to receive instructions from Dispatch, but no transmitting will be done at the bomb scene. If TFRD apparatus are to be left unattended, all radio equipment shall be turned off, as there is the possibility that radio transmissions will detonate the device. Communication with Dispatch will be accomplished via landline telephone.
   
   
6. If there is a threat of a device in a building, management personnel in charge of the building, in consultation with law enforcement, shall make the decision to evacuate or allow occupants to remain in the building. If a suspected device is found, law enforcement shall evacuate the building.
   
   
7. TFRD personnel shall not be used to search for a bomb.
   
   
8. If deemed necessary, TFRD personnel may be used to evacuate adjacent buildings.
   
   

2. When responding to a scene where a device has detonated:

1. TFRD personnel shall not loiter in the area. Bombers often place a second device, timed to explode in a delayed manner to injure rescue workers. Also, evidence could be damaged.
   
   
2. When conducting rescue operations, firefighters shall wear structural firefighting gear with SCBA in-service.
   
   
3. In case of a dirty bomb, firefighters shall wear radiological dosimeters and use radiation survey meters in areas where they will be performing tasks; until it can be determined that radioactive material at the incident site is not present. If such a device is present, Haz Mat shall be requested. Personnel will not operate in areas where the radiation dose rate is greater than 1 REM/HR.
   
   
4. Firefighting and overhaul shall be minimized.
   
   
5. After completion of rescue and firefighting operations, TFRD personnel shall return to “stand by” positions.

3. General Rules:

1. Never touch or move a suspect package or device. Notify the bomb squad and leave it alone.
   
   
2. Do not operate in the bombed area except to complete tasks deemed absolutely necessary.
   
   
3. Make no statements to the media. Refer media personnel to the public information officer.
   
   
4. Unless told to do otherwise, remain in the staging area. You may be needed for immediate rescue.
   
   
5. If one device has detonated, consider the possibility that there may be a secondary device.
   
   
6. When evacuating, always move people away from the device, not the device away from people. In addition, move evacuees to an area where they cannot see the device.
   
   

NOTE: The Incident Commander may determine the nature of the incident requires the above procedures be modified to successfully mitigate the emergency. Firefighters should expect and prepare for rapidly developing scenarios when dealing with bomb incidents.

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