General Information

There are several reasons for a caller to report that a bomb is to go off at a particular location:

• The caller knows that an explosive or incendiary device has been or will be placed in the Building and wants to minimize personal injury.
• The caller may be the person who planted the device or someone who has specific information.
• The caller wants to create an atmosphere that spreads panic and disrupts normal business activity.

Bomb Threat Received by a Tenant

Should a bomb threat be received by a tenant, the following guidelines should be used:

• Try to obtain as much information as possible. Be prepared to relate this information to the police when they arrive.
• Bomb threats received by telephone, facsimile or mail should be reported to the Police by dialing 911. If your office phone has the “Call Trace” option, this service should be used first for bomb threats received by phone. Every effort should be made not to alarm employees unnecessarily. In the event the firm receives a bomb threat by telephone, remain calm and make every effort to obtain as much information as possible from the caller.
• Every effort should be made to keep the caller on the telephone as long as possible to obtain maximum information. Threatening or harassing telephone calls can be traced by dialing star57. Police urge anyone who receives a bomb threat to use the Call Trace service. For business phones, this feature is available only by request. If you want to set up this service, please call AT&T’s business office at (703) 954-6282.

  “Call Trace” can be used by following the following steps:

  1. After hanging up, pick up the same phone line and listen for a dial tone. No matter how long the call lasted, it can still be traced. Be sure it is the same phone line on which the threat was received.
  2. On a touch tone phone, press star57.
  3. Listen for the operator to confirm the trace and hang up. The origin of the last call has been recorded.
  4. If the call was a bomb threat or threatened emergency, call 911 after making the trace.
  5. Call Verizon’s unwanted call center at 1-800-246-2800 and report the trace.

• Be alert for any unfamiliar people and/or objects to point out to the police or Building staff upon their arrival. DO NOT touch or handle any suspected object.
  
  Bomb Threat / Tenants Order to Evacuate

For the safety of the building occupants, when a bomb threat has been received, it is the policy of The Tower Companies that the building will be searched. As the Bomb K-9 unit cannot effectively conduct their search with people in the building, there will be an evacuation. This evacuation is mandatory. The evacuation is in effect at the time of the announcement and all occupants of the building should immediately proceed to exit the building. Once the decision and announcement to evacuate has been made, the Police Department is in authority and will use their policies and procedures to enforce the evacuation.

• Everyone should proceed quickly, but calmly, to the nearest stairway exit. DO NOT RUN.
• Evacuation will always be to the outside of the Building on Wootton Parkway via the closest exit to your area. Once the evacuation has begun, noone should attempt to re-enter the evacuated area until it has been declared safe by the Police Department or Building Management.
• The Safety Warden or Alternate should proceed to take a head count. If someone is missing, this information should be relayed to Building Management, Fire or Police.

Letter Bombs

Suspicious Items

• Letters that are unusually bulky, weighty, lopsided, or rigid.
• Parcels or envelopes with oily stains or discolorations.
• Parcels or envelopes without a return address.
• Handwritten or poorly typed address.
• Foreign mail, air mail, or special deliveries.
• Restrictive markings such as “confidential”, “personal”, etc.
• Use of titles but no names.
• Excessive Postage
• Parcels or envelopes that simply do not look or feel ordinary.

Handling Instructions

• DO NOT handle the item.
• DO NOT attempt to open the parcel.
• DO NOT place the parcel in water.
• DO NOT remove any binding material.
• DO NOT pull or cut any material that protrudes.