Fayetteville-Manlius Schools > About Us > Required Notifications > School District Safety Plan > Table of Contents / General Guidelines > Bomb Threats (General Guidelines)

Bomb Threats (General Guidelines)

All threats of violence to include a bomb threat are taken seriously by the District, and require implementation of the District Wide Emergency Plan and the Building Specific Emergency Plan of the buildings that are or may be affected. A bomb threat could be written, typed, communicated electronically, verbally or received by phone. The majority of bomb threats are delivered by telephone.

Generally, a bomb threat call is made for one of two reasons:

  1. The caller wants to disrupt normal activities by creating anxiety and panic.
  2. The caller has definite knowledge about the explosive device and wants to minimize personal injury.

Threats of violence pose a significant impact to the safety of the student and staff population, as well as a major disruption to the daily responsibilities and mission of providing educational services. Due to these serious ramifications, The Fayetteville-Manlius School District maintains a “zero-tolerance” on all acts or threats of violence.

Procedure:

A. BOMB THREAT BY PHONE CALL:

Any person receiving a bomb threat by telephone call will:

  1. While the Subject is speaking to you on the phone, fill out the “Bomb Threat Checklist” Worksheet (Appendix A).
  2. Make every attempt to:
    • Stay calm and indicate your desire to cooperate with the subject.
    • DO NOT antagonize or challenge the subject. Obtain as much information as possible.
    • Prolong the conversation as long as possible.
    • Ask permission to repeat any instructions to make sure they were understood.
    • Attempt to determine the caller’s knowledge of the facility.
    • Identify background noises.
    • DO NOT HANG UP THE PHONE! Signal to a co-worker nearby to call for the building Principal or onsite authority.
  3. The Principal and the School Resource Officer (should they be in the building) should immediately be summoned. 911 shall be called immediately.
  4. Radios or cellular phones should not be used until the area has been deemed “clear” by Law Enforcement Representatives. If at all possible, communications must occur through personal delivery.

B. BOMB THREAT BY ANY OTHER MEANS:

Any person receiving a bomb threat by any other means shall:

  1. Not delete, handle, or move any written correspondence once discovered.
  2. Due to the evidentiary nature of the communication, the note or area it has been written on must be protected for evaluation by Administrative and Law Enforcement Personnel. A school employee should be posted to protect the note or area until authorities examine the written threat.
  3. Immediately inform the Building Principal. Be careful to take note of any persons delivering or near the discovery of the threat.
  4. The Building Principal or their designee shall follow the policy below:

C. Principal/Administrator’s will:

BY LANDLINE ONLY:

  1. Immediately call 911 and the FM SIRO’s.
  2. Make all internal and external notifications per the District’s Emergency Plans and Building Specific Emergency Plans.
  3. Confirm the “Bomb Threat” checklist is completed and produce it to the responding authorities.
  4. Confirm that all two way radios have been shut off.
  5. In consultation with District Personnel, Law Enforcement, Fire, and / or Emergency management, evaluate whether the bomb threat is credible and what, if any, actions shall be taken.

Threat Assessment and Decision Making

Below are some factors to assist in the determination of the threat level. These factors are to be used as a guide only in conjunction with all of the other available information.

Threat assessment is a process that should be conducted by a multi-disciplinary team which includes, school officials, law enforcement members, fire, and / or any other members deemed appropriate ensuring the best decision making based on the situation.

All bomb threats must be taken seriously and carefully analyzed. The bomb threat should be treated as genuine until investigated and until a search of the school has been completed. Begin your decision-making process by gathering as much information about the bomb threat as possible. Factors you will be considering include:

  • Have there been national bomb incidents lately?
  • Have there been other hoaxes lately?
  • Has a hostile student been suspended recently?
  • Are there exams scheduled for today?
  • Is it senior skip day?
  • Any unexplained student unrest?
  • Any rumors circulating about a student threatening to harm others? A recent altercation between students?
  • How much information did the caller provide? (You can generally get more information out of a caller when it is not a hoax.)
  • Consider the seriousness in the voice of the caller?
  • Were any specific details given?
  • Any missing chemicals? Stolen items?
  • Did the caller have knowledge of the design of the school?
  • Any recent break-ins? (Look for evidence of illegal entry.)
  • Did the caller give repeated warnings? This escalates the degree of danger.
  • Review all Close Circuit Television (CCTV) Camera recording devices.

FBI CLASSIFICATION OF THREAT RISK LEVELS:

Low Level of Threat: A threat that poses a minimal risk to the victim and public safety.

  • Threat is vague and indirect.
  • Information contained within the threat is inconsistent, implausible or lacks detail.
  • Threat lacks realism.
  • Content of the threat suggests person is unlikely to carry it out.
  • Threat is made by young child (under 9 or 10) and there is laughter in the background.
  • The caller is definitely known and has called numerous times.

Medium Level of Threat: A threat that could be carried out, although it may not appear entirely realistic.

  • Threat is more direct and more concrete than a low-level threat.
  • Wording in the threat suggests that the person making the threat has given some thought to how the act will be carried out.
  • There may be a general indication of a possible place and time (though these signs still fall well short of a detailed plan).
  • There is no strong indication that the person making the threat has taken preparatory steps, although there may be some veiled reference or ambiguous or inconclusive evidence pointing to that possibility–an allusion to a book or movie that shows the planning of a violent act or a vague, general statement about the availability of weapons.
  • There may be a specific statement seeking to convey that the threat is not empty: “I’m serious!” or “I really mean this!”

High Level of Threat: A threat that appears to pose an imminent and serious danger to the safety of others.

  • Threat is direct, specific and plausible. For example, “This is John Smith, I’m fed up with Mr. Jones yelling at me. There’s a bomb under his desk.”
  • Threat suggests concrete steps have been taken toward carrying it out, for example, statements indicating that the Person making the threat has acquired or practiced with a weapon or has had the intended victim under surveillance. Once you have gathered the information, collective subjective judgment must be utilized regarding the degree of credibility or dependence that can be placed upon it.School administrators are faced with at least four possible alternatives:
    1. Conduct a low profile search of the exterior grounds and public areas of the building.
    2. Conduct a comprehensive search having all staff search their work area, in addition to the grounds and public areas so the entire building is covered.
    3. Search with partial evacuation, such as the student body is evacuated to a central area within the school (auditorium, gymnasium).
    4. Evacuate immediately.

Evacuating immediately is an alternative that on face value appears to be the preferred approach, however, under certain circumstances evacuating personnel may increase rather than decrease the risk of injury. Bombs are three times more likely to be planted outside buildings than inside. A bomber wishing to cause personal injuries could place a bomb in the shrubbery near an exit. Public areas inside the school are the second most frequent place devices are located. Any evacuation that requires students and staff to move through public areas such as halls, public restrooms, lobbies, parking lots, playgrounds, might increase the risk of injury during any detonation. These areas must be searched prior to evacuation.

SEARCH PROCEDURES (Should be done under the direction of Law Enforcement)

LOW PROFILE SEARCH: Students are held in their normal environment. Personnel will be assigned to search the common areas within the school building discreetly, and an exterior search to include all exterior doorways, paths, and around the physical plant and garbage dumpsters. This search should be conducted in groups of two personnel. Staff members are to search for items that do not appear to belong in the normal environment. A bomb can look like an ordinary object, such as a knapsack, briefcase or lunch box. Be aware of objects that do not belong or that someone does not claim, such as an unattended briefcase.

COPREHENSIVE SEARCH: Personnel will be assigned to search the entire school building and initiation of evacuation procedures will begin.

Search teams should be comprised of two people whenever possible. Teams shall use the procedures outlined below:

  • Stand in center of room and stand still and listen for unusual noises. If there are two searchers go to opposite sides of the room.
  • FIRST SEARCH: Divide room into two levels. First search floor and all areas up to window sill height or three feet from floor.
  • SECOND SEARCH: Search areas from three feet to top of head. Move in circular motion around room to starting point.
  • THIRD SEARCH: Search top of head to ceiling.
  • FOURTH SEARCH: Search ceiling, structural supports, window AC units, and light fixtures.

NOTE: Once a room has been swept, a mark signifying the room has been cleared should be conspicuously placed on the door or door frame to avoid duplication of effort. Exterior searches should include anything attached to, or in close proximity to the building (e.g. mailbox utility access, dumpsters, etc.).

IF A SUSPICIOUS ITEM IS FOUND:

  • DO NOT APPROACH, MOVE, OR TOUCH ANY SUSPICIOUS ITEM.
  • Report the exact location and an accurate description of the object to police. At this point the incident becomes a police matter and control of the scene transfers.
  • Identify the danger area and immediately evacuate the building of all remaining personnel, staff, and students. Be sure evacuation takes place away from danger area and at least 300 feet from building. Follow the District Building Specific Emergency Response Plan.
  • Do not allow re-entry into building until Law Enforcement informs you that it is safe to do so.

EVACUATION

Prior to evacuation, a search of the evacuation route must be conducted by school / law enforcement personnel to ensure safety of all parties.

  1. When authorization is given by the school administration, the evacuation will proceed utilizing the information found in the building specific emergency plan.
  2. Faculty/Staff should complete a visual check of room/building as they exit. Report any unusual objects or activity and do not touch any suspicious items. (Refer to Search techniques described above). 
  3. Ensure accountability for each student under your control. The SIRO will assist Emergency Personnel with the building search and assist in coordination between emergency responders and the District.
  4.  Establish a command post at least 400 feet from any of the campus building Ensure that it is away from automobiles, refuse containers or mailboxes. Conduct a scan of the area for any suspicious items. Do not use Security Radios or cell phones; employ runners to communicate to Staff and Students at evacuation sites.
  5. The building and surrounding area will remain under control of emergency personnel until a building search is completed and all clear signal is given.
  6. In consultation with Law Enforcement, return Students to class when it is deemed safe.
  7. Police reports shall be requested for District record keeping on all bomb threats or threats of violence

Event conclusion:

  1. Account for all students and report any missing students to Attendance. Students that disappear during a threat should be reported to authorities for investigative purposes.
  2. Critique the incident to determine what improvements, if any, may be required to properly execute this procedure in the future.
  3. Document the incident for school records / liability reasoning. Provide bomb threat caller checklist to law enforcement.