Growing Terrorism Tactic Could Find Its Way to the U.S.
IAFC MEMBER ADVISORY Wednesday, May 15, 2002

IAFC Recommends Fire Service Awareness of "Belt-Bombers"

Wednesday, May 15, 2002- Fairfax, VA....On Monday, May 13, 2002 the Washington Post ran an article entitled, "U.S. Fears Use of Belt Bombs." According to the article, terrorism experts are fearful that, because of the rise in the number of "belt-bombers" attacking Israel, this same tactic will soon be used in the U.S.

"The reality is that events such as these will occur. Subsequently, fire chiefs must prepare our fire fighters to deal with the aftermath," says International Association of Fire Chiefs President, Chief John M. Buckman III.

Garry Briese, IAFC Executive Director, concurs, "We can expect with nearly 100% certainty, based on world wide incidents, that suicide bombers using bomb vests or belts will find their way to the USA within the next 12 months. Since our fire and EMS personnel have never experienced anything as horrific as what they will see, it is essential that we develop training materials to prepare them as much as possible."

What can be done ?

"One of the first steps that a fire chief can do is to read this article and begin the process of teaching personnel that individual suicide bombers using vest, belt or backpack bombs are a possibility in this country. It's important to begin preparing our personnel for this tactic, and the expectations of what they will find after a bomber strikes a highly populated area such as a shopping mall, airport check-in, grocery store, nightclub, movie theater or music concert," says Briese.

In addition to education, it's important that the fire service, as a whole, lobbies for additional funding from top levels of government. "Suicide bombings are a crime against the country, not against local citizens. The fire fighters, as America's domestic defenders, will be the first responders to these events with the primary responsibility to treat and care for innocent injured victims. The role of the federal government must be to provide financial resources to equip and train local fire fighters," says Chief Buckman.