One of the first formal bomb squads in North America was the New York Police Department's Bomb Squad, which celebrated its 101st birthday in April. The group was formed in 1903 in response to a wave of extortion bombings attributed to the “Black Hand,” an organization that was shaking down merchants of Manhattan's Lower East Side Italian community.

A century later there are 442 certified bomb squads in the United States, and more than 10% of those squads are part of a fire department. More than 200 firefighters have been certified by the Federal Bureau of Investigations Hazardous Devices School at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala. Trained in dealing with explosive devices and employing various types of equipment, firefighters play an important and useful role in bomb-related activities.

“[Sept. 11] brought chem-bio and the use of an [improvised explosive device] to the forefront,” says Ken Hines, assistant chief in charge of the Boone County (Mo.) Fire Protection Bomb Squad. “We still continue to see explosives are the weapon of choice — they're easy to make and difficult to defeat.”

Here are some fire department bomb squad units meeting the growing threat of explosives and WMDs.

Boone County, Mo.

The Boone County Fire District covers more land (532 square miles) than any other fire department in Missouri and is the third largest fire service organization in the state. Made up of three certified bomb technicians — with another training this summer — and three post-blast investigators, the Boone County Fire Protection Bomb Squad was just in the formation stages a few years ago.

“Because we had a hazmat team, we contacted the FBI's bomb techs and started the process of purchasing equipment to meet the minimum according to the FBI,” Hines says. “We're a part-time squad; it's not all we do. All our bomb techs are also U.S. marshals; we can help at federal bombings. All are hazmat techs; we bring to the table the hazmat angle. We bring the fire department perspective into the bomb-squad community.

“We're firefighters first, but we work well with the law enforcement community,” says Hines. “The main thing is to render it safe. Firefighters have more structural experience. If you combine the two disciplines, you only get a stronger discipline. Firefighters have certain skills, and law enforcement has certain skills.”

The group responds to 12 to 15 IED calls a year, not including bomb threats. Because the bomb squad also runs with the hazmat team, they deal with the methamphetamine problems the county is faced with. “We do a meth lab a week — 52 calls a year,” Hines says.

The squad's equipment inventory consists of two entry suits, two chemical survey suits, WMD ensembles, a Golden Engineering SAIC X-ray machine, a percussion-activated non-electric (PAN) disrupter and a Proparms disrupter, and a Vanguard robot.

Training is ongoing, facilitated by an FBI-established group. “Kansas City established a work group with 12 units, and it gives us access [to information] because we're such a large working group. It also allows manufacturers to bring stuff to field test.”

Jonathan Tucker is FBI special agent for the Kansas City Division, which involves the state of Kansas and western Missouri. “We meet monthly and train together on equipment,” he says. “We train on scenarios, create a device and use equipment provided by the FBI or that departments have bought themselves, to deal with the device that is concerned. We also discuss ongoing cases and new information.”

There are two working groups like this in the United States, and the idea is being worked on as a concept in other areas. “It allows us to group resources,” Tucker says. “In multiple-events situations, like the young man who was planting pipe bombs in mailboxes across the Midwest in 2002, we transfer information between squads.”

“What's neat for the U.S. is that cops and firemen at top levels had information filtered down,” Hines adds. “The exchanging of information and equipment was made available. Training was there that may or may not have been available before. Good things did come from the tragedy of 9/11.”

Waukegan, Ill.

Waukegan bomb team leader Lt. Thomas Christensen has been a certified bomb technician since 1996, and he knows the advantages of having firefighters respond to such calls. “We already have knowledge in hazmat,” he says, “and the incident command system has been in fire service forever. Police are just starting to develop this. Firefighters are way ahead of the game.”

The Waukegan bomb team was formed in 1971 by then-Lt. Dale Adams under the direction of Fire Commissioner Edward “Butch” Pavelick, who received initial training from the New York Police Department and further training at the Redstone Arsenal. “We are very grateful he had that vision to get it started for us,” says current Chief Patrick Gallagher.

The team consists of five certified bomb squad members today and a sixth was trained at HDS in May. They are equipped with both a PAN and a Royal Arms electric disrupter, search and bomb suits, and a digital and analog X-ray machine. The team handles calls that range from IEDS like pipe bombs to a very few sophisticated devices, “but we mostly get calls of suspect packages,” Gallagher says.

“It's easier to validate our existence [today],” Christensen explains. “[Sept. 11] highlighted how dangerous society can be. Funding increased. It also developed better inter-relationships with fire, police and federal agencies.”

To that end, the team makes it a priority to hold regular meetings. “Last year we hosted a seminar on terrorism and explosives,” Gallagher says. “People from across the U.S. came. The Transportation Security Administration, who was the sponsoring agency, was there, [as well as] ATF, FBI — it was very successful and well-attended.”

Christensen and his squad also get together every month with other Great Lakes — area bomb techs to discuss the latest trends and share information. Furthermore, the team is a member of the International Association of Bomb Technicians and Investigators, an organization with more than 4,000 members in some 60 countries, who share training, expertise and information among law enforcement, fire and emergency services, military, and other related fields.

Little Rock, Ark.

A functioning group within the Little Rock Fire Department since 1973, the Hazardous Devices Team is made up of 10 members and has at least two bomb squad personnel on duty every day to respond to an average of five calls each month — numbers that increased dramatically with 300 calls immediately following Sept. 11 and 172 calls last year. “We do some military ordnance, sometimes with the aid of the military,” says Bttn. Chief Jack Ballard, the bomb squad commander. “And we get calls for pipe bombs, like metal and plastic.”

The team is equipped with a Remotec robot and has two more on order, five PAN disrupters, a Proparms Neutrex disrupter, and X-ray machines. Re-certification by HDS is required every three years. The team also are members of the IABTI. “Mandates [for training] are given by the FBI's HDS,” Ballard says. “And we try to have quarterly meetings with other bomb squads in the area, the FBI and the military. We train with the Air Force as well.”

Springfield, Mass.

Training with the Massachusetts State Police, the FBI, ATF, DOD, the U.S. Secret Service, and the state fire marshal's office, the Springfield Bomb Squad is composed of six certified bomb techs and two support personnel. The group also serves as the city's arson team and is tasked with investigating the causes of all fires in Springfield.

“We investigate suspicious packages and bomb threats,” says the commander, Lt. John Friberg, who has been involved with the squad for four years. “Sometimes we have to go out of town to surrounding cities where there isn't a bomb squad. We're also the backup for the state police. Right off the bat [after Sept. 11], we were wicked busy with suspicious stuff because there was more awareness. If someone left a briefcase at a bus stop, usually people would just pick it up and open it. But not anymore.”

The squad trains on a weekly basis and meets monthly. “We do drills on the robot and X-ray [machines],” Friberg says. “We even create our own packages and ask the technicians to X-ray and dismantle it.” They have one Remotec robot and another on order through a Department of Homeland Security grant, an RTR-4 computerized X-ray machine, an analog X-ray device, two PAN disrupters, and two trucks.

There also is annual training with other squads in the area. “Every year, through the FBI, we host a gathering of the New England bomb squads,” Friberg says.

Las Vegas

Serving a population of 536,000 over 130 square miles, the Las Vegas Bomb Squad has been a render-safe group since 1974. Currently under the fire marshal's office, it is a full-time arson and explosives unit.

Its three primary missions, according to Bttn. Chief Ben Hoge, supervisor of fire investigations and the bomb squad, are to determine the cause and origin of fire and explosions within the jurisdiction, enforce state arson statutes with full law enforcement powers, and mitigate all explosive and improvised device incidents in southern Nevada.

“We average approximately 160 explosive incidents annually with one-third of those calls being actual IEDS, one-third being explosive disposal, and the remaining third being calls for suspect items and ammunition and firework disposal,” Hoge explains. “The unit encounters many calls, such as deteriorated explosives and blasting caps, which are commonly found in the mining state of Nevada.”

The chief and eight team members are all certified state peace officers, bomb technicians and emergency medical technicians. Many are certified fire and police instructors and/or certified fire investigators. Their organizational chart will expand to include the hiring of four more techs and a full-time bureau training officer for the unit.

“The Bureau of Fire Investigations — Bomb Squad provides training and classroom instruction to all public safety agencies in its jurisdiction on topics such as response to explosive devices both from a fire and law enforcement perspective, WMD, suicide bombers, and post-blast investigation,” says Hoge. “They also support and teach bomb threat management to the hotel and private industry. Members of the unit obtain a minimum of 40 hours of educational training a year, and pursue up to 16 hours a month of hands-on bomb squad training.”

The group is currently working on obtaining a six-figure grant for funding advanced technology programs in collaboration with national and international vendors to provide equipment and render-safe capabilities that address the threats posed by the current climate of terrorism.

“Responses range from common anti-personnel devices to the more sophisticated, including several large-scale suspected WMD incidents,” Hoge says. “Sept. 11 changed a number of things, especially the awareness level of our surroundings and events that may seem suspicious. Public safety personnel and citizens alike are more inclined to report suspicious behavior, suspicious unopened packages, or incidents that don't look or feel right. This has increased our call volume for suspicious items. In addition to suspicious item calls, requests for training have doubled, which in part has prompted the organizational chart to include a full-time training officer for the unit.”

Currently members of the IABTI, the squad uses bomb suits, Golden Engineering diagnostic sources, PAN disrupters and Remotec robotic platforms.

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Jennifer Cox is an associate with Proparms Ltd., a Quebec, Canada, — based producer of explosives ordnance disposal technology.

Bomb Disposal Equipment

Many fire department bomb squads are beginning to receive money through FEMA. The agency brought a coordinated effort to national security from both natural and deliberate emergencies. Following the events of Sept. 11, billions of dollars in funding were directed to FEMA to assist communities in the fight against terrorism. Some of this funding will go toward training, upgrades and equipment acquisition. Bomb squads may be in the market for:

X-ray machines, such as Golden Engineering SAIC RTR-4. Digital X-ray machines like these can be set up in just a few minutes and provide a convenient and safe way of seeing all the components of an explosive device. Analog machines provide the same type of use.

Explosive ordnance robot. Robots are increasing end-user safety tremendously, and with increased funding and awareness, research and development into such equipment is gaining. Models like the Canadian-made EOD Performance's Vanguard MK1 was voted the best-performing and most-applicable system in a performance evaluation conducted for the Technical Support Working Group. And there are five variations of robotic platforms made by Remotec, such as the Andros Mark V-A1, fully equipped with cameras, a gripper, lights, two-way audio, and a track feature that enables the vehicle to climb up a 45° angle and climb over obstacles up to 2 feet high.

Disrupters, like those sold by Royal Arms, Proparms and Ideal Products. Water canons, or bomb disrupters, are devices that can shoot a stream of water or varying projectiles at a specific component of a suspect package, thereby rendering it safe without disturbing its contents. Disrupters come in different models, such as recoilless versions, and are available in varying calibers.

EOD suits, including entry suits, chemical suits, are used in protecting the technician from heat, overpressure, fragmentation and certain contaminants. Suits like those manufactured by Med-Eng Systems Inc. are worn by bomb techs in more than 130 countries and territories worldwide.

Hook-and-line kits allows bomb technician to gain access to an explosive device. The Hook and Line BombTec Rigging System made by PW Allen and Co. Ltd. is a lightweight and portable rigging kit that allows for speedy entry to locations where physical access is restricted.

Other EOD tools vary from car door openers and keyholder manipulators, to the Mudcat and Marshall Hooks, which clamp onto and lift suspect packages up to 50 pounds.