Bomb threats and searches: time to reassess procedures and retrain employees

Bomb threats by unstable persons or pranksters and actual bomb detonations by activists have been fairly frequent occurrences in schools and medical clinics, but they take place in hospitals as well. According to the latest IAHSS survey of 221 hospitals, approximately 93 bomb threats were reported in 1995--down from 132 the previous year. Despite this drop, however, more recent incidents of bomb detonations have security experts preaching preparedness. "With the levels of international terrorism and the potential for internal terrorism, we need to revisit these issues," says Tom Kramer, partner, Colling & Kramer Consulting Associates in Healthcare Security, Northville, MI. "I remember, for a time, when I was working for Henry Ford Health System, we would not have any bomb threats. We went from a lot in the 1960s to just one or two every few years, which were usually related to a disgruntled patient or employee. Now, in light of recent incidents, we have to take everything a lot more seriously." In this report, we'll review some proactive steps that hospitals in one area are doing and present some advice from experts in dealing with callers who make bomb threats.