Imagine you discover a suspicious parcel. Would you know what to do with it? We all like to think we would phone the police and avert a crisis. However, as a nation fond of the understatement, the reality might be different. Conscious of wasting your company’s time or the police’s, you may be tempted to ignore it or perhaps deal with it yourself by whatever means. Most people would do anything to avoid being a nuisance or seeming to over-react to a situation. Perhaps more tellingly, nobody wants to think about terrorism. We comfort ourselves with the idea that it won’t happen to us. Yet as I write this, the Mi5 issued threat level is substantial, defined as “that an attack is a strong possibility.”
Businesses are fast-becoming a preferred target for terrorist groups with those working for international blue chip companies and financial institutions especially vulnerable.
Having participated in Project Griffin, Rollright ensure our facilities staff are prepared and fully-drilled in the event of a bomb threat, offering extensive training courses and regular refreshers for all front-line staff..
For those concerned about updating their security procedures, Mi5 has prepared the following advice for businesses:
“Identify all staff who could conceivably receive a bomb threat and ensure either that they are trained in handling procedures or at least have ready access to instructions – and know where these are kept. This applies particularly to hotels, hospitals, news agencies, public transport organisations, voluntary organisations and others offering any sort of emergency service. Switchboard operators should understand their important role in recording and communicating any bomb threat; they should be routinely familiar with procedures and rehearse them regularly.
- Draw up, ideally with advice from your local police Counter Terrorist Security Advisor, a clear and accessible list of actions to take on receipt of a call. Ensure that it can be printed off and fixed to walls or desks so that staff can see it instantly.
- Ensure that other staff mentioned in the action list, particularly security staff, are aware of their roles and that they or their deputies are always contactable.
- Ensure that all staff, including night or temporary staff, are familiar with any recording, redial or display facilities, and that they know how to contact police and security staff in or out of hours.
- Rehearse your bomb threat procedures as part of your evacuation procedures.”
