Explosive devices can be highly portable, using vehicles and humans as a means of transport. They are easily detonated from remote locations or by suicide bombers. There are steps you can take to prepare for the unexpected.
Before an explosion
You can do the following to protect yourself, your family and your property in the event of an explosion.
Build an emergency supply kit
Make a family emergency plan
Learn what to do in case of bomb threats or receiving suspicious packages and letters
Ensure your employers have up-to-date information about any medical needs you may have and how to contact designated beneficiaries or emergency contacts
Bomb threats
If you receive a bomb threat via telephone:
Get as much information from the caller as possible. Try to ask the following questions:
When is the bomb going to explode?
Where is it right now?
What does it look like?
What kind of bomb is it?
What will cause it to explode?
Did you place the bomb?
Keep the caller on the line and record everything that is said
Notify the police and building management immediately
Suspicious packages and letters
Some typical characteristics postal inspectors have detected over the years, which should trigger suspicion include parcels that:
Are unexpected or from someone unfamiliar to you
Have no return address, one that doesn’t match the postmark or can’t be verified as legitimate
Are marked with restrictive endorsements such as “Personal,” “Confidential” or “Do not X-ray”
Have inappropriate or unusual labeling, such as threatening language
Have protruding wires or aluminum foil, strange odors or stains
Have excessive postage or packaging material, such as masking tape and string
Are of unusual weight given their size or are lopsided or oddly shaped
Are not addressed to a specific person
Take these additional steps against possible biological and chemical agents:
Never sniff or smell suspicious mail
Place suspicious envelopes or packages in a plastic bag or some other type of container to prevent leakage of contents
Leave the room and close the door or section off the area to prevent others from entering
Wash your hands with soap and water to prevent spreading any powder to your face
If you are at work, report the incident to your building security official or an available supervisor, who should notify the police and other authorities immediately
List all people who were in the room or area when this suspicious letter or package was recognized. Give a copy of this list to both the local public health authorities and law enforcement officials for follow-up investigations and advice
If you are at home, report the incident to the local police
During an explosion
Get under a sturdy table or desk if things are falling around you. When they stop falling, leave quickly, watching for obviously weakened floors and stairways
Do not use elevators
Stay low if there is smoke. Do not stop to retrieve personal possessions or make phone calls.
Check for fire and other hazards
Once you are out, do not stand in front of windows, glass doors or other potentially hazardous areas
If you are trapped in debris, use a flashlight, whistle or tap on pipes to signal your location to rescuers
Shout only as a last resort to avoid inhaling dangerous dust
Cover your nose and mouth with anything you have on hand
After an explosion
There may be significant casualties or damage to buildings and infrastructure
Heavy law enforcement involvement at local, state and federal levels
Health and mental health resources in the affected communities can be strained to their limits, maybe even overwhelmed
Extensive media coverage, strong public fear and international implications and consequences
Workplaces and schools may be closed, and there may be restrictions on domestic and international travel
You and your family or household may have to evacuate an area, avoiding roads blocked for your safety
Clean-up may take many months
Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security
