Related Resources

• TRIPWire

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Office for Bombing Prevention

The Office for Bombing Prevention (OBP) leads the Department's diverse efforts to deter, detect, prevent, protect against, and respond to terrorist improvised explosive device (IED) threats. OBP works to ensure that current activities function together efficiently to meet evolving bombing threats and that new capabilities to improve national preparedness for IEDs are developed at all levels of government, among the public, and within the private sector.

OBP focuses on three core missions:

• coordination of national efforts,
• analysis of counter-IED requirements and capabilities, and
• promotion of information sharing and IED awareness and vigilance.

Coordinate National Efforts

The Office for Bombing Prevention works at the strategic level to assist the Department in the development of our national homeland security and preparedness approach for improvised Department leadership and partners within the Federal interagency, state and local governments, and the private sector.

These efforts include the development of the Department National Strategy for Improvised Explosives Devices and Homeland Security Presidential Directive-19, which outlines an integrated national approach to safeguard the nation and our citizens, property, and critical infrastructure and key resources from terrorist IEDs.

The Office for Bombing Prevention oversees the implementation of these strategies in part through its lead of the Department IED Working Group, which coordinates ongoing programs and new initiatives related to IED across all Department components, and by identifying and managing technology research and development processes in collaboration with the Science & Technology Directorate through the IED Countermeasures Integrated Product Team.

At the local level, the Office for Bombing Prevention works with emergency services and security partners in major cities to develop Multi-Jurisdiction IED Security Plans (MJIEDSP). These plans provide a consistent, repeatable IED security planning model for IED threats nationwide that integrate the capabilities of multiple emergency services providers in areas with many local jurisdictions.

Analyze Requirements, Capabilities and Gaps

The Office for Bombing Prevention's National Capabilities Analysis Database (NCAD) provides a uniform analysis of bomb squad, explosives detection canine team, dive team, and other key bombing prevention components’ capabilities. The task-based methodology measures readiness, equipment, training, and assets required for effective response to improvised explosive device (IED) threats. This information, integrated in the NCAD database, provides a snapshot of national IED preparedness to properly allocate resources and enhance capabilities.

Promote Information Sharing and Bomb Prevention Awareness

Keeping those charged with preventing or responding to IED attacks informed of the most up-to-date terrorist tactics is essential. The Office for Bombing Prevention sponsors the TRIPwire Technical Resource for Incident Prevention, an online information-sharing network for bomb technicians and other law enforcement officials to learn about current terrorist bombing tactics, techniques, and procedures, including IED design and emplacement.

The Office for Bombing Prevention also promotes awareness and vigilance of improvised explosive device (IED) threats among the public and private sector via the National IED Prevention and Awareness Campaign. The campaign features an ongoing series of media events with Department senior leaders in high-risk areas that coincide with IED prevention and response training for law enforcement and emergency services personnel.

This page was last modified on September 28, 2007