A uniform approach to National Suicide Bomber Incident response and recovery

Abstract

First responders in the United States are not adequately prepared to respond to a suicide bomber attack. Police, fire, and EMS are using protocols that do not anticipate the unique needs of a suicide bomber response. There is an urgent need to develop and implement a consistent approach for responding to suicide bombers. This thesis developed a Suicide Bomber Response Framework using International Association of Chiefs of Police training documents as the primary source, along with Technical Support Working Group training materials and recommendations from relevant national training institutions. A Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) full-scale exercise was then conducted for this thesis based on the newly written Framework to identify gaps between current standard operating procedures and operating procedures recommended by the Suicide Bomber Response Framework. Exercise evaluators identified a significant gap between standard operating procedures of first responders and the recommended response procedures in the Suicide Bomber Response Framework. The thesis argues that a unified suicide bomber response approach should be instituted nation-wide. The Suicide Bomber Response Framework would serve as the tool for responding agencies to develop consistent response plans necessary for this critical public safety concern.