While the casualty toll overseas from IED’s have been low considering the number of IED’s encountered, continued vigilance in the presence of potential bombs is a necessity. This state of awareness is just as critical here in the Homeland as it is in the remotest corners of Kosovo, Afghanistan, or Iraq.
For this reason, I am devoting the remainder of this article to refresh you on safety around bombs and unexploded ordnance.
Bombs can be categorized in as many ways as there are experts. For today’s discussion, bombs can really be divided into two categories, manufactured, and improvised. Both are dangerous. The primary difference is that in a manufactured explosive device, there is a larger margin of safety for personnel in storage, transit and emplacement.
However, once emplaced, both should be treated as the same, a UXO, or “Unexploded Object.” Technically, it should read Ordnance, but, since there are so many things that contain an explosive charge but are not considered ordnance, I think object suits us better. Many would argue that a UXO is not a Suspicious Package. The fact is, in this day and age, there are many, many things not easily identifiable as ordnance, and there is a significant increase in the use of improvised explosive devices, that a change in definition is in order.
In the classes I teach, a UXO is anything that seems slightly out of place that we cannot immediately identify as not dangerous. While that may seem drastic, there seems to be a trend in both Military and Public Safety Personnel to consider a suspicious package a “half-bomb”.
What I mean by this:
is, for instance, if an officer ran across an item that looked like this:
Generally they would take the proper precautions of clearing personnel and citizens away a minimum of 300 meters, call for the Bomb Squad, and start figuring out where all the potentially affected utilities were (electric, gas, etc.) and start notifying the utilities via dispatcher.
But, for a suspicious package or something not easily identifiable as a bomb, sometimes, for one reason or another, we don’t do all these things. Some state fear that the item will turn out to be trash or otherwise NOT a bomb. Some don’t want to tie up resources, or unduly inconvenience the public. A slim few really don’t realize how truly dangerous a bomb can be.
The result is that occasionally we don’t make a clear perimeter. We don’t evacuate nearby personnel, and even worse, we sometimes move the suspicious object, “to make it easier on everybody.”
In a few cases, some even cut the Bomb Squad out entirely. For instance, a soldier deployed in Iraq tried to disassemble an item later found to be an antipersonnel mine with disastrous results. In Southeast Tennessee, a Sheriff’s deputy pulled the battery loose from an armed pipe bomb he found.
As I stated previously, many things that do NOT look like bombs, are.
For instance, 
which one of these isn’t a bomb?:
The fact is, they all are. And, the image I showed as the “bomb” example, isn’t a bomb at all. It’s a dispenser for small bomblets,
that when finished ejecting its’ payload, has no explosive danger to it at all.
In case you think that the stuff I’ve shown you doesn’t apply to the US, consider this:
The Unabomber placed a bomb in a parking lot that looked like a piece of scrap wood. The bomb that went off during the Atlanta Olympics was concealed in an everyday student’s backpack. There are inert, possibly reloadable copies of all kinds of munitions for sale every day on the Internet. And, live munitions are diverted in small quantities from military bases with alarming frequency.
Therefore, the best response is to treat anything you consider MIGHT be a bomb, AS a bomb. You will NEVER hear a professional Bomb Tech tell you that you were wasting their time. Start making ‘bomb’ and ‘suspicious package’ equal in your mind.
Once you decide you’ve found a bomb, stay away from it. Segregate those who’ve seen it, and have them start describing what they experienced on a piece of paper. What they heard (ticking), and what they smelled (gas, burnt) is just as important as what they saw. How big is it? Where is it? Same for you, as busy as things are going to be, don’t run the risk of forgetting something crucial. Write it down.
This is an excellent place to bring up the next point; which is that there is no need to move a suspected bomb ever. Bombs can be operated by remote control as well as motion, among other things, and they may be waiting for you to approach.
If the bomb is in an enclosed area, many will suggest opening doors and windows as you leave. This also is outdated thinking. Twenty years ago, when explosive devices made up 99.995 percent of all bomb calls in the US, giving the shock wave a clear path out was acceptable. Today, the benefit doesn’t outweigh the risks of allowing a WMD agent to escape the enclosed area.
Consider drawing a map for the bomb guys. Simply trying to describe the location of the bomb may be confusing. I even teach Protective Force guys to use a roll of tape as a ‘breadcrumb’ path back to the bomb as they evacuate.
If you have the capability, take good close up face pictures of everybody watching. The bomber may be one of these people. Take special notice of those not wanting to be photographed / videoed.
When the Squad shows up, it doesn’t mean your job is over, either. Like a K9 handler, they will be focused on their task. They will need you to keep a sharp watch out for trouble, as well as interested persons who stray too close.
Finally, the Technicians may have to take what seems like AGES to do their job. This is by design. Don’t lose patience; some procedures require a certain amount of time.
In closing, have a safe and Merry Christmas, and don’t put yourself any more in harms’ way than you have to.
-Shawn
