Threats & Emergencies
Terrorism
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VDEM Terrorism Toolkit
Threat Advisory Levels
Low risk of terrorism
Routine security is implemented to preclude routine criminal threats.
Citizens are advised to:
- Continue to enjoy individual freedom. Participate freely in travel, work and recreational activities.
- Be prepared for disasters and family emergencies.
- Develop a family emergency plan.
- Keep recommended immunizations up-to-date.
- Know how to turn off your power, gas and water service to your house.
- Know what hazardous materials are stored in your home and how to properly dispose of unneeded chemicals.
- Support the efforts of your local emergency responders (fire fighters, law enforcement and emergency medical service).
- Know what natural hazards are prevalent in your area and what measures you can take to protect your family.
Businesses
- Develop emergency response and business resumption plans.
- Encourage and assist employees to be prepared for personal, natural and technological emergencies.
- Develop a communications plan for emergency response and key personnel
Conduct training for employees on physical security precautions.
- Budget for physical security measures.
General Risk with no credible threats to specific targets.
Citizens: In addition to all previously mentioned precautions, citizens are advised to:
- Continue normal activities but be watchful for suspicious activities. Report criminal activity to local law enforcement.
- Review family emergency plans.
- Increase family emergency preparedness by purchasing supplies, food and storing water.
- Be familiar with local natural and technological (man made) hazards in your community.
- Increase individual or family emergency preparedness through training, maintaining good physical fitness and health, and storing food, water and emergency supplies.
- Monitor local and national news for terrorist alerts.
- Volunteer to assist and support the community emergency response agencies.
Businesses
- Continue all precautions from lower Threat Conditions.
- Ensure that key leaders are familiar with the emergency response and business resumption plans.
- Review, update and routinely exercise for functional areas of plans.
- Review and update the call down list for emergency response teams
- Develop or review Mutual Aid agreements with other facilities and/or with local government for use during emergencies.
- Review physical security precautions to prevent theft, unauthorized entry or destruction of property.
- Have you provided for:
- Employee picture ID badges?
- Background checks on all employees?
- Access control and locking of high security areas at all times?
- All security keys marked with "Do not Duplicate?"
- Surveillance Cameras?
- Backup power?
- An alarm system?
Elevated risk of terrorist attack but a specific region of the USA or target has not been identified.
Citizens: In addition to all previously mentioned precautions, citizens are advised to:
- Continue normal activities, but report suspicious activities to the local law enforcement agencies.
- Take a first aid or CERT class.
- Become active in your local Neighborhood Crime Watch program.
- Network with your family, neighbors and community for mutual support during a disaster or terrorist attack.
- Learn what critical facilities are located in your community and report suspicious activities at or near these sites.
- Attend your local emergency planning committee (LEPC) meeting to learn more about local hazards. (Call the city/county emergency manager to learn dates and locations of the meetings.)
Increase individual or family emergency preparedness through training, maintaining good physical fitness and health, and storing food, water and emergency supplies.
Businesses
- Continue all precautions from lower Threat Conditions.
- Announce Threat Condition ELEVATED to employees.
- Review vulnerability and threat assessments and revise as needed.
- Identify and monitor governmental information sharing sources for warnings and alerts.
- Update and test call down list for emergency response teams and key employees.
- Review and coordinate and update mutual aid agreements with other critical facilities and government agencies.
- Establish and monitor active and passive security measures.
- Review employee training on security precautions (bomb threat procedures, reporting suspicious packages, activities and people).
- Conduct communications checks to ensure radio contact can be established.
Credible intelligence indicates that there is a high risk of a local terrorist attack but a specific target has not been identified.
Citizens: In addition to all previously mentioned precautions, citizens are advised to:
- Resume normal activities but expect some delays, baggage searches and restrictions as a result of heightened security at public buildings and facilities.
- Continue to monitor world and local events as well as local government threat advisories.
- Report suspicious activities at or near critical facilities to local law enforcement agencies by calling 9-1-1.
- Avoid leaving unattended packages or brief cases in public areas.
- Inventory and organize emergency supply kits and discuss emergency plans with family members.
- Reevaluate meeting location based on threat.
- Consider taking reasonable personal security precautions. Be alert to your surroundings, avoid placing yourself in a vulnerable situation and monitor the activities of your children.
Maintain close contact with your family and neighbors to ensure their safety and emotional welfare.
Businesses
- Continue all precautions from lower Threat Conditions.
- Announce Threat Condition HIGH to all employees and explain expected actions.
- Place emergency response teams on notice.
- Activate the operations center if required.
- Monitor world and local events. Pass on credible threat intelligence to key personnel.
- Ensure appropriate security measures are in place and functioning properly.
- Instruct employees to report suspicious activities, packages and people.
- Search all personal bags, parcels and require personnel to pass through magnetometer, if available.
- Restrict vehicle parking close to buildings.
- Inspect intrusion detection systems and lighting, security fencing and locking systems.
- Inspect all deliveries and consider accepting shipments only at off-site locations.
- Remind employees to expect delays and baggage searches.
A terrorist attack has occurred or credible and corroborated intelligence indicates that one is imminent. Normally, this threat condition is declared for a specific location or critical facility.
Citizens: In addition to all previously mentioned precautions, citizens are advised to:
- Report suspicious activities and call 9-1-1 for immediate response.
- Expect delays, searches of purses and bags and restricted access to public buildings.
- Expect traffic delays and restrictions.
- Take personal security precautions to avoid becoming a victim of crime or terrorist attack.
- Avoid crowded public areas and gatherings.
- Do not travel into areas affected by the attack or is an expected terrorist target.
- Keep emergency supplies accessible and automobile fuel tank full.
- Be prepared to evacuate your home or shelter in place on order of local authorities.
- Be suspicious of persons taking photographs of critical facilities, asking detailed questions about physical security or dressed inappropriately for weather conditions (suicide bomber). Report these incidents immediately to law enforcement.
- Closely monitor news reports and Emergency Alert System (EAS) radio/TV stations.
- Assist neighbors who may need help.
- Avoid passing unsubstantiated information and rumors.
Businesses
- Continue all precautions from lower Threat Conditions.
- Announce Threat Condition SEVERE and explain expected actions.
- Deploy security personnel based on threat assessments.
- Close or restrict entry to the facility to emergency personnel only and restrict parking areas close to critical buildings.
- Maintain a skeleton crew of essential employees.
- Deploy emergency response and security teams.
- Activate Operations Center and send a liaison to the county or state EOC.
- Maintain close contact with local law enforcement.
- Be prepared to implement mutual aid agreements with government and with other critical facilities.
- Provide security in parking lots and company areas.
- Report suspicious activity immediately to local law enforcement.
- Restrict or suspend all deliveries and mail to the facility. Emergency supplies or essential shipments should be sent to and off-site location for inspection.
VA Business Toolkit
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