General University Policies Manual



To inform Oregon State University employees of responsibilities and actions to be taken during bomb threat incidents.

Employee Responsibilities

If you are an employee who receives a threat over the telephone, note the exact time of the call and the exact words said by the caller.

Listen carefully to the details of the threat and try to keep the caller talking until you are able to obtain the answers to the following questions:

  1. When will the bomb explode?
  2. Where is it located?
  3. What does it look like?
  4. What kind of bomb is it?
  5. What will cause it to explode?
  6. Did you place the bomb?
  7. Why?
  8. Where are you calling from?
  9. What is your address?
  10. What is your name?

Write down whether the caller is male or female, what age they sound like, any voice characteristics the caller may have (lisp, stuttering, accents, disguised, etc.), and any background noise you may hear.

If you have a display telephone, write down what appears on the digital display.

When the caller hangs up, call OSU Security Services Dispatch at 7-7000. Tell the Dispatcher that you have just received a bomb threat and provide all the information you received from the caller and your observations. Be sure to give the Dispatcher your name, office location, and telephone extension number. Stay on the phone with the Dispatcher until he or she releases you from the call.

After you have contacted Dispatch, inform your supervisor about the call. Tell the supervisor that you have called police and security and they are en route to the location threatened by the bomb. If the area threatened is your area, remain calm and stay where you are until police and security arrive at the scene.

If requested to leave your area or building, look around your work area as you leave. Look for any suspicious packages or bags. If you see something that does not belong, DO NOT TOUCH. Follow your department evacuation procedure and inform the police or security officer outside the building about the suspicious article you saw and the exact location.

Follow all instructions given to you by police or security personnel. Do not re-enter the building or area until you are told that you can.

Department Head/Building Manager Responsibilities

When you are informed that your department or building has received a bomb threat, you should do the following:

  1. Make sure that University Police and Security Services have been notified. If they haven’t been notified, contact Security Services Dispatch 7-7000 and provide the following information:
    1. Who received the bomb threat. (Officers will want to talk to with the person who received the original call).
    2. The exact time the threat came in.
    3. What department or area was threatened.
  2. Have all personnel in your area look around to determine whether they see anything unusual or different such as a box or bag that does not belong in their work area. DO NOT TOUCH ANY ITEM THAT IS NOT IDENTIFIABLE TO YOUR WORK AREA. If you find anything, contact Security Services Dispatch immediately (7-7000) and provide the following information:
    1. Your name and phone extension;
    2. Your location;
    3. The location of the suspicious item;
    4. Description of the item (shape, size, color, etc.).

      Secure the area around the item by asking all persons to leave the area or room. Do not re-enter until emergency personnel arrive.

  3. Evacuate only if directed by the University Police supervisor, Security Services supervisor, University President, Provost, or Chief Business Officer. Follow your departmental evacuation procedures.

  4. If directed to evacuate, assist police, security, or fire personnel to secure facilities to insure the safety of all staff and students.

  5. Do not pull the fire alarm. Emergency personnel may activate the fire alarm system to assist in evacuation, but only after they evaluate the circumstances and location of the threat.

  6. Provide calm leadership for colleagues. Speak slowly and distinctly when giving instructions. The main consideration is a safe and orderly evacuation of the area or building until it is found to be safe to re-enter.

Security Services/OSP University Patrol Responsibilities

  1. Security Services Dispatch has the responsibility to obtain all information from the person who received the bomb threat, to maintain the CAD entry/records on the incident, and immediately to dispatch both OSU Security Services and OSP Officers and Supervisors to the location of the bomb threat.
  2. Dispatchers will update officers, supervisors and OSU News and Communications with current information and call all persons from the incident call list as required. Dispatch will refer all calls from media to OSU News and Communications.
  3. OSU Public Safety Officers and OSP University Patrol Officers will be responsible for securing the building or area of the bomb threat. They are responsible for assisting in the search for any explosive devices that may be in the building or area and will keep Dispatch and Supervisors current on any problems or the status of the situation.
  4. OSU Security Services Supervisors and/or OSP Supervisors have the authority to evacuate any area or building if they determine that there is an immediate threat to life and/or property.