Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1365706
Writing the above article, I was not using only open and available sourc- es, including legal acts. I have also used my own experience working as an EOD technician, which I have been since 2016 at the EOD team of the Police SWAT in Katowice, Poland. Nonetheless, the article does not disclose any sensitive information regarding tactics, technologies, or information that could create a threat for the bomb technician, or that could pose a danger for all of us. The author of the present article is an ex-police EOD technician. Cur- rently, he runs the EOD TECH company that, among other products, also offers CBRNE training for the law enforcement and rescue ser- vices, as well as counter-terrorism training for businesses and insti- tutions. [1] Procedure no. 7 "Police activities in case of discovering explosives, explosive devices, including CBRN agents and hazardous munitions" - Ordinance No. 36 by the Police Com- mander issued on November 14th, 2017, regarding the tasks assigned to the Police in crises. What One Should Do When Finding an Abandoned Object? Finally, here is a set of tips for anybody who noticed a presence of an abandoned bag or backpack in a public space. 1. The IED may be radio or wire-controlled. It may use time delay. But it may also come in a form of a trap, that would kill anybody trying to move, manipulate, or approach the device. 2. Police EOD teams are the sole entity that is authorized to assess, or to confirm the threat, and to classify the IED. The externally visible elements of the IED may not be what they seem to be. For instance, the presence of an alarm clock or an egg timer does not mean that the device is a time-delay one. 3. Bomb attacks are not always an act of terror. Ordinary criminals and psychopaths may also resort to steps as such. 4. Any attempt to move the object may potentially lead to a deto- nation. A similar scenario may take place if you decide to check the content of the bag on your own. Many IED designers secure the IEDs from being opened, manipulated, or moved so that they are not inter- cepted by the Police. 5. Not only does moving or looking inside the abandoned object pose a threat for you, but it may also be dangerous for the whole environ- ment, within a radius of several hundred meters. Once you find such objects, move 150-200 meters away, or hide behind a solid cover, such as a wall. 6. Once you are safe, immediately call 911 or 112. Inform about the object. Speak briefly, mentioning the most important information: • Location; • Appearance; • Size; • How long the object has been left in the given location; • Was it moved, touched, or opened by anybody; • Did you see anybody leaving it; • After you provide that information, you need to remain at disposal of the intervening services, the Police's EOD squad in particular. You will be asked a couple of questions, regarding the object, its location, and size. The policeman will also ask whether anybody was touching, opening, or moving the bag. This is relevant, and any EOD tech will treat this information as valuable. Your help will be very important here! • If the abandoned object is a backpack that cannot harm, you would not suffer from any consequences, as you took steps in good faith. www.fragoutmag.com