Applying a Blended Approach: Managing the Parcel Bomb Threat
Terrorism is psychological warfare and the ultimate weapon of the terrorist is fear, specifically “ambient fear”, the feeling that a terrorist can strike anywhere and at anytime. Even disrupted or failed terrorist attacks reawaken these fears and serve the terrorist’s interest in causing psychological, social and economic disruption. While discovered and undelivered, the powerful parcel bombs intercepted overseas last week still carry the terrorist’s intended message: “We are still here and can strike at any time.”
Fortunately, a tragedy was averted, but a significant dose of fear was 
successfully delivered to the workplace and the community.
It is important for employers to recognize that the antidote to fear is action. To successfully manage the impact of such events, it is necessary to address both the physical and emotional risks. Employers can effectively build upon solid, evidence-informed approaches to improve organizational resilience while enhancing their ability to manage the physical threat associated with terrorism by applying a two-part model.
In his 2002 book, “Fearless”, noted threat management expert Gavin deBecker points out that when faced with such threats, organizations often employ Type I interventions which reduce the physical threat but increase anxiety OR Type II interventions that reduce anxiety but do nothing to significantly reduce the real threat. Successful management of the complex challenges raised by terrorism requires a blended approach, addressing both physical and psychological issues.
Managing Complex Risks
In the wake of the 2001 anthrax attacks via the U.S. postal system, advice about how to detect suspicious letters and packages was widely disseminated. Given the events of last week, it is strongly recommended that this advice be revisited and revised. We offer the following three-step approach to addressing the physical and psychological risks related to letter and parcel bombs.
Step 1: Empower Individuals
Behavioral science research indicates that employers often attempt to downplay the seriousness of a threat as to not alarm or panic their employees. This research also suggests that such an approach is likely to backfire and leave employees feeling more vulnerable and less likely to engage in behaviors that enhance personal or organizational safety. The first step to managing a threat that is intended to create fear is to provide employees with clear, concise information about what the organization is doing and what individuals can do to reduce the actual risk of a parcel bomb.
Let employees know that:
- The organization has stepped up its surveillance and screening of incoming mail and other deliveries
- Mailroom personnel have been given additional training and resources to help them identify suspect deliveries
- The organization is monitoring the larger threat picture by participating in local briefings from police and other credible organizations and networks
- The safety and security of the workforce remains the highest priorities of the organization and its leaders.
If your organization is either not actively taking the actions recommended above, or not proactively communicating these points to your workforce, now is the time to start.
Step 2: Recognize a Threat
Successfully recognizing a threat requires a multi-level approach involving the organization and individual employees. The U.S. Postal Service and FBI have published useful instructions and images depicting the telltale characteristics of suspect letters and parcels that should raise concern.
Employees in the Mailroom should receive special instructions but in smaller organizations that lack a designated Mailroom or dedicated Mailroom staff, it is even more important that every employee be briefed on what to look out for.
To view are full size version of this image, click here
All employees should be familiar with the Indicators of a Suspicious Letter or Package.
These include letters and packages that have:
- No return address
- Restrictive markings
- Rigid or bulky
- Strange odor
- Lopsided or uneven
- Excessive tape or string
- Misspelled words
- Addressed to title only
- Incorrect title
- Badly typed or written
- Possibly mailed from a foreign country
- Excessive postage
Step 3: Responding to a Suspect Delivery
At the organizational level, Mailroom personnel, as well as security and facilities professionals should know to:
- Isolate exposed persons to a designated area away from the substance and await further instruction.
- List the names of the persons in the immediate area of the mail or package.
- Shut down all HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) systems.
- Document the location of mail or package.
- Leave the mail or package where it was found. Do not disturb. Do not try to clean the substance.
- Immediately call 911
- Clear the immediate area of all persons and keep others away.
- Cordon off the immediate area.
- Instruct people to wash hands and other exposed skin with soap and water, if a wash station is in the immediate area
Every employee in all types of work settings should know the appropriate action steps if they receive and recognize a suspicious piece of mail or a suspect delivery. The do’s and don’ts of handling suspicious mail include:
Don’t
Open the letter or package
Shake or jostle the item
Examine or empty the contents
Do
Quickly leave the room.
Close the door
Alert supervisors and others in the area
Call 911
Shut down your HVAC (heating, ventilation and cooling) systems, if possible.
Consider whether you want to leave the facility until law enforcement professionals examine the item
Summary
Employee empowerment is a “force multiplier” for internal security and external law enforcement and first responders. It is important that everyone in the organization receive consistent messages about parcel bombs, suspicious letters and other threats. The core philosophy of this message must be that safety and security are shared obligations. Employers must make every effort to recognize and mitigate risks in their organizations, but employees must also be active participants in recognizing, reporting and responding within their scope to today’s challenges and the ongoing threat of terrorism. There is no easy answer. Terrorism, by design, is a complex problem that requires all of us to be part of the solution.
One of the ways to enable and empower employees is through awareness training and the introduction of technology. XBRM offers the TeleCrisis™ product. It includes standard protocols to assure people capture the right information about an event and communicate that information immediately through multiple technology channels that the treat exists. Real-time communication, empowerment and enablement of people creates confidence in their ability to help and the organization they work for while multiplying the effectiveness of your security team.
XBRM is a unique behavioral risk consultancy focused in equal parts on physical and psychological consequence management. In light of the parcel bomb threat identified over the past days, XBRM offers these suggestions for addressing the risks and fears that have been rekindled by the latest terrorist attempts.
To contact us for more information, click here to go to our Contact Page, email us at info@xbrm.com, or call us at 212.366.8200
