Suspicious packages are any items capable of concealing or containing harmful substances that have been left unattended or visibly show indicators of posing a potential threat.
Characteristics
- Marked with any threatening language
- Strange return address or no return address
- Postmarked from a city or state that does not match the return address
- Not addressed to a specific person
- Incorrect titles or title without a name
- Misspellings of common words
- Excessive postage
- Handwritten or poorly typed addresses
- Marked with restrictions, such as “Personal,” “Confidential” or “Do Not X-ray”
Key Appearances
- Ticking sound and/or protruding wires or aluminum foil
- Oily stains
- Discolorations
- Odor
- Excessive packaging material
- Excessive weight
Items such as briefcases, gym bags, suitcases, etc., may be deemed suspicious solely because they are discovered unattended in a public place or near a sensitive facility.
What to Do with a Suspicious Package
- Remain calm.
- Do not use radios or cell phones near the suspicious package.
- Call 911 or the University Police at 205-726-2020.
- Isolate the area and evacuate everyone from the immediate area.
- Do not touch, move or attempt to clean up unknown material.
- If you had contact with unknown material, thoroughly wash your hands with soap and warm water, and shower with soap and warm water as soon as possible.
- Do not use bleach or other disinfectants.
- Provide a list of everyone who may have come into contact with unknown material to emergency personnel.
