islhd procedure cover sheet...in the form of an imms notification and an incident briefing note...

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ISLHD PROCEDURE

COVER SHEET

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NAME OF DOCUMENT

Code Purple – Bomb Threat – Internal Emergencies Procedures Guide

TYPE OF DOCUMENT

Procedure

DOCUMENT NUMBER

ISLHD CORP PROC 21

DATE OF PUBLICATION

July 2017

RISK RATING

Medium

REVIEW DATE

July 2020

FORMER REFERENCE(S) ISLHD OPS PROC 21 - DT13/5998

EXECUTIVE SPONSOR or

EXECUTIVE CLINICAL SPONSOR

Executive Director Nursing & Midwifery

AUTHOR

ISLHD Disaster Manager

KEY TERMS

Code Purple – Bomb Threat

Emergency Warden = Department Head/Supervisor or In Charge of Department After Hours or delegated officers

Incident Controller = Facility Manager / DON or delegated Officer.

SUMMARY

These Guidelines are designed to direct staff when confronted by situations such as a Bomb Threat, where persons are threatening injury to other persons or Property by Internal/External Mail or by Telephone or in Person.

mailto:[email protected]

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Code Purple – BOMB THREAT ISLHD CORP PROC 21

ISLHD CORP PROC 21 DX19/442 February 2019 Page 1 of 11

THIS DOCUMENT BECOMES UNCONTROLLED WHEN PRINTED OR DOWNLOADED UNLESS REGISTERED BY LOCAL DOCUMENT CONTROL PROCEDURES

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1. POLICY STATEMENT

This guideline is designed to direct staff when confronted by a Bomb Threat. A Bomb Threat could either be a prank or a genuine warning of an impending bomb attack and the threat may be received by telephone, email, in writing or face to face.

2. RESPONSIBILITIES

All ISLHD staff.

Employees will ensure that the Code Purple guidelines are followed in the event of a Bomb Threat.

Line Managers will ensure that staff are trained appropriately in emergency responses and follow the Code Purple Guidelines in the event of a Bomb Threat.

All Code Purple incidents are to be reported to the relevant Facility / Service Manager (or In-Charge after hours) and the ISLHD Health Service Functional Area Coordinator (HSFAC). Written reports in the form of an IMMS notification and an Incident Briefing Note should also be attended for Code Purple Incidents.

Site Managers and District Executive will ensure that these guidelines are complied with and that staff training has been conducted. Staff training will include eLearning module “White Level Inspection”, available on HETI.

3. PROCEDURE

CODE PURPLE – BOMB THREAT

3.1 Threats

Bomb threats may include but are not limited to the following forms:

Written Threats

Telephone Threats

Suspect Object

Suspect Mail

Activation of Code Purple- Bomb Threat- must be invoked on receipt of any Bomb Threat.

3.1.1 Written Threats

If a bomb threat is received in writing:

Keep the document, including any envelope or container that it came in;

Avoid any unnecessary handling;

Place the document in an envelope (preferably a paper one)

Report to your Facility / Service Manager or In-Charge (after hours) by contacting Facility / Service Emergency number (see Attachment 1);

Follow any further instructions from your Facility / Service Manager or In-charge (after hours).

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3.1.2 Telephone Threat

Attempt to keep the caller on phone and talking;

If possible, attract a second person to activate the Duress Alarm or contact Facility / Service emergency number;

Switch off all radio devices and mobile phones;

Ask questions as per ‘Bomb Threat Check List’, located in Emergency Flip Chart and in Attachment 2;

DO NOT hang up your telephone, even after the caller has hung up, as calls may be traced. Please note number if digitally displayed;

Report to your Facility / Service Manager or In-Charge (after hours) by contacting Facility / Service Emergency number (see attachment1);

Follow any further instructions from your Facility / Service Manager or In-charge (after hours).

3.1.3 Suspect Object

A suspect object is any object found and deemed a possible threat by virtue of its characteristics, location and circumstances.

Identifying an object as suspect: The following questions are provided as a means of assessing if an object should be considered suspect:

o Is the object unidentified? o Is the object unusual or foreign to the environment? o Is the object obviously a bomb? o Is the object hidden or concealed in any way? o Has there been any unauthorised access to the area? o Has there been a perimeter breach?

This series of questions may be remembered using the mnemonic ‘HOT ALERTS’

H - Is the article hidden? YES / NO

O - Is the article obviously suspicious? YES / NO

T - Is the article typical of the items in your area? YES / NO

A – Is the government alert

L – level

E – elevated? YES/NO

R – Is your business in receipt of a

T – threat? YES/NO

S – Is the property that has been found in a suspicious location? YES/NO

Actions The following actions are to be considered when dealing with a suspect object:

o Notify Facility / Service Manager or In-Charge (after hours) by contacting Facility / Service Emergency number (see attachment1) and advise Code Purple – Bomb Threat;

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o Cordon-off immediate area; o DO NOT touch or move object; o Open doors and windows only if safe to do so; o DO NOT use radio handsets, two-way radios or mobile phones until cleared to do so by

specialist personnel, as some bombs are detonated remotely by radio signal.

3.1.4 Suspect Mail Articles

Suspicious mail articles have many similarities in common with ‘suspect objects’ and all personnel responsible for handling mail should maintain vigilance when in contact with mail.

Should an item of mail appear suspicious, then the individual should not handle the item and alert / notify Facility / Service Manager or In-Charge (after hours) by contacting Facility / Service Emergency number (see attachment1) until proven otherwise.

3.2 EVALUATION

Bomb threats may be either specific or non-specific.

Specific Threat The caller provides some detailed information that could include statements describing the device, why it was placed, its location, the time of activation and other details.

Non-specific Threat The caller may make a simple statement to the effect that a device has been placed. Little, if any additional detail is conveyed before the caller terminates the conversation.

The non-specific threat is the most common, although both threats need to be treated as genuine until proven otherwise. Actions The following four options are a guide to action following the evaluation of the threat:

o Take no further action; o Search without evacuation; o Search and evacuate; o Evacuate (without search).

3.3 NOTIFICATION

Upon receipt of a threat, discovery of a suspect object or detonation of a bomb, the Incident Controller is to be notified who in turn should notify the ISLHD HSFAC. The Incident Controller will determine if the Facility/ Service Emergency Management Plan and EOC will be activated. (See Attachment 3 – Notification Flow Chart – Facility / Service / Site)

3.4 CONDUCTING A SEARCH – WHITE LEVEL INSPECTION

The search of a building shall be thorough. The aim of the search is to identify any object/s that are not normally found in an area or location or where an owner is not readily identified. An object may become suspect for any other reason, for example. It is suspiciously labelled, unusual size, shape or sound, and presence of pieces of tape, wire, string or explosive wrappings. Please refer to Attachment 4 for checklist example.

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Search without evacuation. Search personnel will ask persons who work in the area to identify all objects, property and equipment in the workplace. Search after evacuation. All personal belongings are to be taken when the decision to evacuate has been made. Following this, any suspicious object found within the search will be checked by the experts. Attention should be paid to all areas in particular areas with the most public access and near or on the floor. When conducting a search:

o Search in pairs, as directed by Facility / Service Manager or In-charge(after hours); o Open windows and doors if safe to do so; o Single searcher – search clockwise; Two searchers – search in both directions doing a

complete circle search; o Use the three level search method in all areas: start looking up high, then eye level, and

ending lower/ground level; o Conduct the search in a manner that minimises panic; o Conduct search using the mnemonic ‘HOT ALERTS’.

Suspicious object found during search. If anything is found during the search that is suspicious:

o DO NOT touch, tamper, tilt or move it. The police will check all suspicious objects; o Follow instructions of Facility / Service Manager or In-charge (after hours); o If you are away from your area when ‘Code Purple’ is activated, DO NOT return to the area; o The Incident Controller will direct the Engineer/delegate to stand by to turn off any or all

services (oxygen, gas, etc.).

3.5 EVACUATION

On receipt of notification ‘Code Purple’ the Incident Controller shall ensure that all relevant egress routes and assembly areas are searched for suspicious objects.

The Incident Controller will activate ‘Code Orange – Evacuation’. Evacuation will either be partial or complete.

Partial Evacuation This response is effective when the threat is deemed a ‘Specific’ threat. The stages of evacuation will be followed as per ‘Code Orange’ procedures. Complete Evacuation This response will be in the event of a ‘Non-specific’ threat and the stages of evacuation will follow the ‘Code Orange’ procedures.

The evacuation process will be directed by the Facility / Service Manager Incident Controller. The following guidelines will be followed:

o Evacuate horizontally, preferably around the nearest corner, followed by vertical evacuation if deemed necessary;

o If evacuating externally, the assembly points will be determined by the Incident Controller and the Emergency services.

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3.6 FACILITY / SERVICE MANAGER / INCIDENT CONTROLLER ACTION PLAN

Code Purple Alert and Standby Phase o Increase level of preparedness; o Prepare to activate Disaster Plan for Internal Emergency Response. o Confirm that police have been notified; o If the threat is ‘specific’, make contact with the department / service head and clarify the

situation and ensure that a search has commenced; o If the threat is ‘Non-specific’ ensure that all department/service heads are informed and that

searching has commenced; o Cordon off area of ‘Specific’ threat; o Ensure that the following areas are also checked:

Outside areas including all evacuation/ assembly areas; Building entrances and exits, and in particular paths which will be used for

evacuation; Public areas within the building; All other areas, beginning at the lowest levels and continuing upwards until every

floor, including roof and plant rooms, have been checked.

Code Purple Response Phase o Activate the Facility / Service Disaster Plan; o Activate the ‘Response’ Phase; o Activate the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC); o Alert the District HSFAC; o Establish Incident Management Team (IMT) if required; o Ensure that Police have been alerted of ‘Code Purple’; o Prepare to activate ‘Code Orange’ and determine whether the evacuation is to be ‘Partial’

or ‘Complete’; o Direct resources to stop people from entering the building – ‘Lock Down’ Phase.

Code Purple Stand Down Phase

o Activate the ‘Stand Down’ Phase of the Facility / Service Disaster Plan; o Give the ‘All Clear’ announcement; o Notify District HSFAC; o Direct and resume normal duties of all personnel; o Organise debrief with key personnel.

Refer to Emergency Flip Chart for quick reference: http://islhnweb/Disaster_Management/Emergency_Procedures/default.asp ALL BOMB THREATS MUST BE TREATED AS GENUINE, FOLLOWED UP AND INVESTIGATED.

4. DOCUMENTATION

Internal Emergency management Plan Bomb Threat Checklist (contained in Emergency Flip Chart) IIMS reports Monthly Security Report Injury Notification Form

http://islhnweb/Disaster_Management/Emergency_Procedures/default.asp

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5. REFERENCES

AS 4083 - 2010 Australian Standard – Planning for Emergencies – Health care Facilities AS 3745 – 2010 Planning for Emergencies in Facilities Australian Federal Police Bomb Data Centre

6. REVISION AND APPROVAL HISTORY

Date Revision No. Author and Approval

Sept 2011 0 ISLHD Security and Fire Safety Manager

Sept 2011 1 Clinical Group Manager and ISLHD EQuIP Manager

Sept 2012 2 ISLHD Disaster Manager

Jan 2015 3 ISLHD Disaster Manager and ISLHD Security and Fire Safety Manager

March

2017

4 ISLHD Disaster Manager and ISLHD Security and Fire Safety Manager

Approved by District Health Emergency Management Committee on Tuesday March 14, 2017

Draft for comment March 2017

January 2019 5 ISLHD Disaster Manager

Approved by Executive Director Nursing and Midwifery

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7. ATTACHMENT 1 - FACILITY / SERVICE INTERNAL EMERGENCY NUMBER

Bulli Hospital - DIAL 0 000

Coledale Hospital - DIAL 0 000

David Berry Hospital - DIAL 0 000

Kiama Hospital - DIAL 0 000

Milton Ulladulla Hospital - DIAL 0 000

Port Kembla Hospital - DIAL 2222

Shellharbour Hospital - DIAL 2222

Shoalhaven District Memorial Hospital - DIAL 2222

Wollongong Hospital - DIAL 2222

All Community Centres- DIAL 0 000

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8. ATTACHMENT 2 - Bomb Threat Check List (To print Checklist, go to ISLHD Forms and

Templates >> Disaster Management)

http://islhnweb/Forms_Templates/Non_Clinical/default.asp#Disaster_Management


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ATTACHMENT 3 – Facility / Site / Service Notification Flow Chart

CODE PURPLE INCIDENT

Establish Incident

Management Team (IMT)

Notify Incident Controller

Activation of Alert / Standby

Phase of Disaster Plan

Activation of Response Phase of Disaster Plan

Activation Code Orange- Evacuation, either partial or

complete.

Notify District HSFAC

+/- Activation of EOC

Activate Stand Down of

the Disaster Plan

Organise and hold debrief

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9. ATTACHMENT 4 – White level Inspection Checklist (Example)

(To print Checklist, go to ISLHD Forms and Templates >> Disaster Management)


islhd procedure cover sheet...in the form of an imms notification and an incident briefing note...

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