U. offers bomb scare symposium

Over 75 attend forum Images of the Oklahoma City bombing have blanketed television, front pages of newspapers and magazines for the last week and will probably not fade from the collective memory of Americans for years to come. In a response to the Oklahoma City bombing and a bomb threat last week that forced the evacuation of the Penn Tower Hotel and Stemmler Hall, the University wants to take a more proactive approach to suspicious packages and bomb threats. A symposium entitled "Bomb Threats and Suspicious Packages in the Workplace" was held yesterday to inform managers, supervisors and building and business administrators about what to do when confronted with bomb threats and suspicious packages. Victim Support and Special Services Director Maureen Rush and Security Service Director Christopher Algard conducted the seminar in front of an audience of about 75. Rush and Algard explained what to look for in suspicious packages and letters and how to deal with bomb threats. In addition, they handed out fliers which outlined what questions to ask when a bomb threat is received. Some of the telltale signs of suspicious packages and letters include addresses where the name or title may be incorrect, return addresses that may be fictitious, addresses that are labeled "personal or private" and distorted handwriting or pasted label writing. Other signs of suspicious packages include protruding wires, aluminum foil, oil stains or even a peculiar odor. Also questionable are cancellation or postmarks different from the return address, excessive postage, rigid feeling packages or a ticking sound. Algard warned that people should only open packages that are addressed to them and should not open others' packages. Instructions for dealing with the suspicious package include not opening the letter or package, evacuating the immediate area, not turning on or off lights in that area because they might trigger the bomb, and not using two-way radios or cellular phones. In the case of a suspicious package or threat, the police have the responsibility for determining whether a building should be evacuated. As far as bomb threats are concerned, Rush said the individual who receives the initial call is the most important person in the situation because they can provide the most details. Some of the most crucial questions the the recipient should ask are when is the bomb going to explode, where is the bomb and what kind of a bomb is it. They should also pay special attention to the tone of the caller and background noises. A person could also dial "257" after they hang up to trace the call. Algard said people should definitely take elevators during an evacuation for a bomb threat. Algard stressed that individuals should not be afraid of false alarms. But Algard warned that people should not pull fire alarms during a bomb threat because people will be hesitant to use the elevators when they really should not be. After Algard and Rush finished speaking, they opened the forum up for questions. One of audience members, an administrator in the Medical Center, explained that some of the employees in the Medical Center did not respond to the call for evacuation last week because they believed it was a false fire alarm. Algard answered that the key is to have good communications between all the buildings at the University. He said that communication has been enhanced in recent days.

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