Welcome to Mizell Memorial Hospital

Bomb Threat Disaster Plan

BRIEF DIRECTIONS
Dial 911 – Immediately to notify fire and police officials

Regular phone numbers:

Opp Fire Department – 493-7015
Opp Police Department – 493-4511

Complete all information possible on the threatening telephone call checklist....

Remain calm

Keep caller talking as long as possible

Note any distinguishing background noises

Report threat promptly to Administration (House Nursing Supervisor after hours)

Do NOT attempt to remove any suspicious object (Notify Administration or policy official)

If threatened incident occurs, refer immediately to fire plan

PURPOSE
This plan establishes the procedure to be followed whenever a threat (either verbally or in written form) is made against the hospital facilities. This specifically addresses bomb threat, arson or sabotage.

OBJECTIVE
The objective of this plan is to protect the hospital patients, staff, visitors, and facilities from injury or damage caused by preventable manmade devices. The provision of safe adequate care during any search or investigation process is equally important.

HANDLING A THREAT
When a bomb threat is received by telephone, do the following:

Prolong the conversation as long as possible

Note distinguishing background noises such as music, voices, aircraft, automotive traffic noise, and church bells

Note distinguishing voice characteristics

Ask where the bomb will explode or incident will occur and at what time

Note if the caller indicates knowledge of the hospital by their description of locations

If warning time permits, immediately pass the threat information on to administration during normal working hours or the house nursing supervisor during other than normal working hours

IF WARNING TIME IS LESS THAN TEN MINUTES; immediately call the City police, Fire Department, and the Sheriff's Department.  Then notify the appropriate hospital administration official

If possible, use Threatening Phone Call List, attachment A, to record information about a threatening call.

SEARCH PROCEDURE
After the basic details are provided by the telephone switchboard or the person who received the call, the hospital official in charge will make necessary decisions, issue orders and prepare for the arrival of assistance if it is judged that the threat could be real.

A police official will be put in complete authority upon arrival.  A command center will be set up in the Administrator's office.

Hospital personnel with master keys and floor plans of the hospital should be available.  Local authorities may not be familiar with the hospital floor plan nor will they have sufficient manpower to conduct an adequate search within a reasonable period of time.

The search of the building will be carried out on a floor by floor basis and will be conducted from roof to ground floor unless specific areas were designed by the bomb threat caller.  Areas so designated would require immediate search.

Members of the hospital fire brigade (maintenance, orderlies, respiratory therapists, male housekeeping personnel) and key personnel will be assigned to augment the authorities in conducting the search or if necessary search team assignments will be made to groupings of hospital personnel.

It should be noted that denotation of an explosive or ignition of an incinerary device may depend on a change of environment such as temperature variations, switching electrical current on or off, or the proximity of two-way pagers.  Therefore, avoid doing any of the following until the all clear signal is given:

Smoking

Turning lights on or off

If light is needed, attempt to use a flashlight

Change the setting on thermostat

Turning equipment on or off

Operating two-way transmitters or radio pagers over 5 watt output

Operating elevators except under extreme emergencies

When it becomes necessary for the search to be conducted by hospital personnel, the following areas should be designated as “suspect areas”:

Any public area/lobbies/entrances/cafeteria/gift shop/waiting areas

Planters and behind chairs

Public telephones (suspended from wires/attached under seat or under armrest)

Admitting area

Washroom facilities

Emergency Room

Store rooms

Locker rooms

Elevator shafts

Stairwells

Any unusual package or tubular or cylindrical object is to be suspected.  A bomb can be made with iron or steel piping.  A short section of pipe might contain a high explosive.

The size of an incinerary device may be less than 1 cubic inch and may be concealed in a cigarette pack, handbag, article of clothing or inner package.

A stick of dynamite might be concealed above the ceiling panel, behind an air conditioning grill, or in a ceiling fixture.

Don't overlook stray briefcases, large envelopes or packages.

Be alert for people who act in an unusual manner or enter the hospital with packages and leave empty handed.

IF AN OBJECT IS FOUND WHICH CANNOT BE READILY IDENTIFIED OR ACCOUNTED FOR, DO NOT TOUCH IT OR MOVE IT.  Clear the area and report the object to an administrator or police official immediately and they will respond promptly to investigate.

If a threat is received by mail – DO NOT move the object; notify the administrator and police immediately who will respond promptly to investigate.

EVACUATION
If a suspicious object was found and evacuation becomes necessary, carry out the evacuation plan as noted in the Fire Plan.

Keep in mind the location of the location of the suspicious object when choosing the evacuation route.

Attempt to protect patients form worrying about the bomb threat.

If patients do suspect that there is a problem, reassure them that all is well and continue to function in a calm and professional manner.

Depending on the nature and the size of the suspicious object that if found, it may be necessary to evacuate all or only parts of the hospital.

The hospital or police official will immediately direct evacuation on the floor on which the bomb is located, the floor above, and the floor below.

Evacuees will be moved to a safe holding area beyond a specified distance as directed by the Police Department.

Depending on elevation of the bomb location and removal routing, it may be necessary to carry out additional precautionary evacuation to clear the bomb or device route.  As soon as the bomb or device has been removed from the hospital premises, Administration will direct the return of evacuees to their areas.

The police official will assume full responsibility for the security of the object, its removal and disposition, notification of the fire department, and all further investigation.

News media inquiries should be handled according to the current Mizell Memorial Hospital policy regarding release of information.

KEY PERSONNEL SHALL PREPARE WRITTEN COMPREHENSIVE REPORTS OUTLING ANY DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED DURING THE INCIDENT AND SUBMIT THESE TO ADMINISTRATION WITHIN 48 HOURS.  THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICIAL IN CHARGE OF THE ENTIRE INCIDENT SHOULD PREPARE A CONCISE CHRONOLOGHICAL REPORT OF ALL EVENTS.

ATTACHMENT A

THREATENING TELEPHONE CALL CHECK LIST

US Patent Numbers 7,720,998 B2, 7,836,207