Critical Incident Program

CSO 3120-1 Critical incident Program

Identification

Date of issue: 14 March 2022
Date of Modification: NA
Approval Authority: This CSO is issued by Cmdt RMC under authority of QR&O 4.12 and DAODs 1000-0 and 1000-2.
Enquiries: RMC J3, 613-541-6000 Extension 6543

Policy Direction

Context

A critical incident is a high-risk incident requiring the mobilization of several emergency or law enforcement resources. Critical incidents include armed intruders, hostage taking, barricaded persons, bomb threats, and suspicious packages. It is important for DND employees and CAF members to know and apply the correct response in these situations.

Facing the threat of nearby physical violence, the possible responses for nearby DND buildings include:

lockdown;
shelter-in-place; and
evacuation

A lockdown is only conducted or ordered for the immediate location of the critical incident (inside or outside, but related to the specific building). A shelter-in-place is conducted or ordered for the immediate surrounding area (including buildings) of a critical incident. For example, if an Armed intruder enters a building, a lockdown would be ordered. However, if the Armed intruder were to be contained within the parking lot, the buildings in the immediate area would be ordered into a shelter-in-place.

The Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) standing orders pertaining to Critical Incidents shall reflect Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Kingston’s Base Standing Orders.

Individual Responsibilities

All CAF members, DND employees and non-DND personnel (i.e. contractors) will familiarize themselves with the procedures for each type of response and their responsibilities during each type of critical incident.

USS Responsibilities

The Unit Security Supervisor (USS) shall create and maintain a map of designated assembly areas for use during critical incidents. These assembly areas will be different from fire muster points and will respect the following criteria:

assembly areas are to be easy to access; and
assembly areas are to be easy to evacuate if needed.

J3 Responsibilities

RMC J3 will:

conduct annual briefings, post-annual posting season (APS), for all members of the unit (eg during Orientation, or USS monthly security briefing);
follow-up with rehearsals in a manner deemed appropriate by the Cmdt;
strive to make every room within every building able to be secured from the inside, providing safe refuge for those hiding from an armed intruder;
display/post response procedure posters throughout RMC campus; and
participate in Base run drills as directed.

MP Sec Adv Responsibilities

The RMC MP Security Advisor will assist the RMC J3 in planning and conducting rehearsals in a manner deemed appropriate by the Cmdt.

SSW Responsibilities

As required, RMC Support Services Wing will assist and enable J3 to:

strive to make every room within every building able to be secured from the inside, providing safe refuge for those hiding from an armed intruder; and
display/post response procedure posters throughout RMC campus.

J1 Responsibilities

RMC J1 will maintain a Telephone Checklist for Bomb Threats at all central/main reception areas.

ISSO Responsibilities

The RMC Information Systems Security Officer (ISSO), with support from the RMC Information Management Officer (IMO), will establish and maintain a Mass Notification plan, leveraging the Base’s Emergency Mass Notification Service (EMNS)

Procedures

Mass Notification

In the event of a critical incident or a threat inside a building or on the outside but related to a building, the SCC shall notify the MPs, who will in turn inform Base G3, the office responsible for activating the Mass Notification System (MNS).

This follows CFB Kingston policy (reference D).

Lockdown

In the event of a critical incident or a threat inside a building or on the outside but related to a building, a lockdown shall be ordered by a Department Head and above, on-scene police commander or equivalent. The person receiving that information will immediately announce clearly and calmly: “Emergency, emergency, emergency, Initiate lockdown”.

When a lockdown is ordered personnel shall:

lock main building doors;
if 9-1-1 has been called, stay on the line and wait for further direction from the 9-1-1 operator;
route outside activities to a safe location away from the building (predetermined evacuation sites may be used);
move to a safe room;
close and lock doors and windows, and close blinds;
turn off lights (including computer monitors);
as necessary and appropriate, improvise a barricade;
verify attendance;
stay quiet;
ensure cellular telephones are silenced and are only used by designated personnel;
do not respond to fire alarms as usual, remain locked down unless physical signs of fire are obvious (smoke, fire, heat), and be prepared to respond to the most immediate threat; and
do not open the door, and remain in lockdown in location until an “All Clear” message has been given by the local commander or “All Clear” is announced and confirmed by the RMC Cmdt or military or civilian police.

Shelter-in-place

A shelter-in-place is a response to an on-going critical situation that allows for DND employees and CAF members to remain in place when the situation is outside and not related to the building (e.g. when a critical incident occurs near a DND occupied building but is not on the premises). The shelter-in-place should be ordered by a Department Head and above, on-scene police commander or equivalent. The person receiving that information will immediately announce clearly and calmly: “Emergency, emergency, emergency, Initiate Shelter-in-place”.

When a shelter-in-place is ordered personnel shall:

if designated to do so, call the military or civilian police, and report they are in a state of shelter-in-place (not using the 9-1-1 line);
route outside activities to a safe location away from the building (predetermined evacuation sites may be used);
close and lock exterior doors and windows and close blinds;
silence all telephones; and
remain in location until an “All Clear” message has been announced.

Evacuation

Evacuation is an orderly departure from a building to a safe location. Evacuation instructions should clearly identify designated assembly areas, or areas which are situated far enough away from the building to protect personnel from the threat. An evacuation is ordered by the on-scene police commander or equivalent by announcing clearly and calmly: “Emergency, emergency, emergency, evacuate”.

Personnel going through evacuation procedures will go to their designated assembly area. If the designated assembly area is compromised, personnel are to find an alternate safe location.

Armed intruder

General

An armed intruder is one or more suspects who demonstrate intent to grievously cause bodily harm to others. This could be with any type of weapon including but not limited to firearms and knives. These situations are dynamic and evolve rapidly, demanding immediate deployment of law enforcement resources to stop the event and mitigate harm to innocent victims.

In the case of an armed intruder, a decision to evacuate may be preceded by a lockdown of a building or area, or a shelter-in-place, in order to reduce the exposure of personnel to the threat. The decision to evacuate can only be made by the on-scene police commander. If the on-scene police commander orders an evacuation, the normal evacuation procedures, as those for a fire emergency, will be followed. The on-scene police commander will also be responsible for:

directing a quick search of evacuation routes before the evacuation;
controlling the floors or areas to be evacuated in a partial evacuation (fire alarm shall not be pulled); and
preventing re–entry to evacuated areas until the “All Clear” signal is given and re-occupation is specifically authorized.

Armed intruder Outside the Building

If an armed intruder situation is currently happening outside but unrelated to the building (i.e. a violent incident near but not on the property), then a Department Head and above or local police shall initiate the shelter-in-place procedure in that area. Refer to section 3.3 for the shelter-in-place procedure.

Armed intruder Outside the Building but Related to the Premises

If an armed intruder situation is currently happening outside the building and is related to the building, then a Department Head and above or local police shall initiate the lockdown procedure.

Armed intruder in the Building

If an armed intruder is believed to be present in the building, then a Department Head and above, local police or DND employees and CAF members must initiate the lockdown procedure. The emergency action plans must stress the importance of locking down and securing the building as quickly as possible in an armed intruder situation. In doing this, it is important that the occupants:

immediately cease all activity (teaching, group work, meetings, recreational activities, etc.);
remain calm and encourage others to remain calm;
provide assistance where required (e.g. helping those who have a physical disability or those who may have language comprehension difficulties);
lock themselves in a safe room;
dial 9-1-1, and be ready to provide as much information as possible; and
if the members are in immediate danger and are directly threatened, fight the aggressor using whatever means available.

Evacuation

Evacuation is only conducted on order of the on-scene police commander. Upon receiving the order to evacuate, personnel are to:

exit the building immediately:
leave personal possessions indoors;
follow all law enforcement commands, such as “get behind me”, “get on the ground”, “show me your hands”, etc (Pat down search may occur);
keep hands raised above head when leaving the building. This is to let the police know that you are not armed. Be prepared to be aimed at with weapons until deemed not a threat; and
relocate to and remain at the designated assembly area until directed to move to a more secure alternate location.

Self Defence

If directly threatened, and as a last resort, CAF members, DND employees and non-DND personnel (i.e. contractors) have a right to self-defence.

Hostage Taking

Witnessing a Hostage Taking

CAF members, DND employees and non-DND personnel (i.e. contractors) must:

immediately notify the military or civilian police via 9-1-1;
refrain from intervening; and
clear the area or evacuate the building when ordered by the chain of command (ie managers, supervisors, directors) or by the military or civilian police.

Taken Hostage

In accordance with ref B section 16.76, If taken hostage, some mitigation strategies are to:

remain calm and passive;
under no circumstances should any person attempt to negotiate with the hostage takers. Police will have trained negotiators on scene;
speak only when spoken to;
refrain from volunteering suggestions or courses of action;
if there is more than one hostage taker, refrain from taking sides and appearing to favour one hostage taker more than the other;
stay as far away from the hostage taker as possible, preferably in a corner out of the way;
avoid calling the hostage taker by name;
follow the hostage taker’s instructions; and
be aware that help is being organized.

Bomb Threats

General

On receipt of a bomb threat, CAF members, DND employees and non-DND personnel (i.e. contractors) must:

record details of threat;
immediately notify the military or civilian police via 9-1-1;
individual work spaces are to be searched by the respective occupants as they are the most familiar with their own space. If something out of the ordinary is found, do not touch it, inform the Military Police;
clear the area or evacuate the building when ordered by the chain of command (ie managers, supervisors, directors) or by the military or civilian police.
do not use wireless communication systems. Switch off cellular phones and radios, as certain frequencies may trigger the device.

Factors

Factors to be considered in the case of a bomb threat include:

determining whether a thorough search of the premises was conducted;
the precise nature and character of the threat;
the anticipated time of detonation if this is known;
the character and the pattern of recent bomb threats in the area;
the importance of maintaining order;
an alternate rallying point in place of the buildings normal fire assembly area should be considered; and
the dangers inherent in ordering building evacuation (since bombs are often placed in evacuation routes such as corridors, stairwells, near or in elevator shafts).

Telephone Bomb Threats

When a bomb threat is phoned in, the person receiving the call must:

note the time the call was received; and
without antagonizing the caller, refer to the Telephone Checklist for Bomb Threats and gather as much information as possible.

In order to gather this information, the person receiving the call should:

keep the caller on the line as long as possible, and ask the caller to repeat the message in order to gain more time to record observations;
try to record every word spoken;
ascertain the location of the bomb if possible;
ascertain the time of possible detonation;
get a description of the bomb, paying particular attention to any technical terms used (e.g. switches, relays, etc.);
ask questions, and remain polite and sympathetic to the person making the bomb threat;
pay particular attention to and note background noises such as music, motors running, sirens, etc., which may give a clue as to the location of the caller;
listen closely to the voice (male/ female), voice quality (calm, excited), accents and impediment (stammer, stutter, lisp, etc.);
immediately following the conversation, record any call display number and use the Last Call Return (*69) or the Call Trace (*57) functions if available (in order to get the phone number);
immediately notify the military or civilian police via 9-1-1, depending upon the situation and jurisdiction, and pass on all information gained; and
gather the necessary information and remain immediately available to the military or civilian police.

Written Bomb Threats

When a bomb threat is received in written form (on paper, via email or text message), the person receiving it must:

immediately notify the military or civilian police via 9-1-1, depending upon the situation and jurisdiction, and transmit all information gained;
treat and protect all materials as evidence, including any envelope or container; and
avoid any unnecessary handling once the message is recognized as a bomb threat, and non-permeable gloves must be worn if further handling is required.

Searches

In the majority of cases, an immediate search of an area should be carried out rather than evacuating personnel. Searches should use personnel designated by floor or building emergency authorities. The chosen individuals should be familiar with the areas, so as to be most likely to notice suspicious or unfamiliar objects. During normal duty hours, individuals should monitor their own office or assigned areas and report suspicious articles to the designated floor or building emergency authority. Military or civilian police and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) personnel will not normally carry out building searches, although they can generally be expected to assist in the search of an affected area.

On discovering a suspicious object, persons must not touch or attempt to move the object. The floor or building emergency authority should be notified immediately, and this person in turn will advise the senior Military Police member on scene. Explosive Ordnance Disposal response will be initiated by the Base G3 or 2 MP Regt Det Kingston.

Before initiating an evacuation, the military or civilian police must:

conduct a quick search of evacuation routes before the evacuation is ordered;
an identified responsible person shall go from room to room to notify members of the evacuation and the safe route to take;
ensure evacuation routes that pass the location of the bomb are blocked and evacuees are redirected by a route away from the bomb’s location;
control the floors or areas to be evacuated in a partial evacuation; and
prevent re-entry to evacuated areas until the “All Clear” signal is given and re-occupation is specifically authorized.

When the building has been evacuated, personnel must avoid standing in front of windows or other potentially hazardous areas. The sidewalk or street must not be blocked. Evacuated personnel should regroup in a staging area designated by the military or civilian police so that police can account for their safety.

Evacuation

The decision to evacuate will be made by on-scene police commander or based on a recommendation from the 911 dispatcher.

The evacuation should only be ordered after carefully considering:

the precise nature and character of the threat;
the character and the pattern of recent bomb threats in the area;
the importance of maintaining order;
the dangers inherent in ordering building evacuation (bombs are often placed in evacuation routes such as corridors, stairwells, near or in elevator shafts). Use only exits that have been identified as safe; and
the effectiveness of the existing building or area security program.

Suspicious packages

General

The functions of the DND and the CAF expose them to the danger of receiving suspicious packages. A suspicious package can be a letter, parcel, suitcase, backpack, or other type of container. DND employees and CAF members can prepare for suspicious packages in several ways.

If a suspicious package is identified, the situation may be mitigated by adhering to the following:

immediately notify the military or civilian police via 9-1-1;
do not touch the package - if the package has been inadvertently picked up, it should be placed gently on a flat, stable surface. It should not be placed in water, sand, or into a container;
when ordered by the chain of command (ie managers, supervisors, directors) or by the military or civilian police, evacuate the entire area and advise others not to go near the package. Military Police on scene may adjust the size of the cordon according to information gathered or threat received;
observe (if it is safe to do) the physical characteristics of the package, taking note of its location and of nearby vulnerabilities (e.g. active heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems); and
wait for guidance from Military Police, a security practitioner or civilian law enforcement.

Mail

DND employees and CAF members in charge of receiving mail should institute practices of examining incoming mail for suspicious signs, such as:

no return address or a false return address;
addressed to an incomplete address, a badly spelled title, or to a title only;
excessive postage;
stains, discolouration or crystallization;
a strange odour;
protruding wires;
restrictive notes, for example “Personal”, or “Do Not X-Ray”; and
unexpected deliveries or deliveries from unfamiliar sources.

Suspicious Emissions

General

If substances such as powder, gas, vapour, or liquid are released from a package, CAF members, DND employees and non-DND personnel (i.e. contractors) should:

isolate, but not leave the area; and
not touch anything, except to wash their hands.

In the case of a powder contaminant, the following should be carried out:

brush any excess powder off hands to prevent chemical burns;
if available, rinse hands with vinegar to neutralize acid or other chemicals;
keep hands away from eyes, mouth and ears to reduce possible spread; and
when safe, seek medical assistance and take precautions against infection or contamination.

References

Source Reference

CFB Kingston BSO 9.00 Critical Incidents
National Defence Security Orders and Directives, Chapter 16: Critical Incidents
DND 4206-E: Telephone Checklist For Bomb Threats
CFB Kingston BSO 9.01 Mass Notification System (MNS) Policy

Date modified:: 2022-10-03