UGA Police Department Bomb Disposal Team serves University and Northeast Georgia
Writer: Cynthia Hoke, 706/542-1024, cchoke@uga.edu
Contact: Jimmy Williamson, 706/542-5813, jwilliamson@ps.uga.edu; Lisa Ray, 404/635-7061, lray@gema.state.ga.us
Jul 29, 2004, 16:09

Athens, Ga. – The University of Georgia Police Department has received delivery of an advanced bomb response unit made possible through a $257,000 grant. With this high-tech equipment and specialized training, the UGA Bomb Disposal Team has been designated one of the state’s advanced bomb response units with the resources to respond to hazardous materials and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) situations, as well as conventional bomb threat incidents.

The university’s ability to provide bomb response capabilities comes from a longtime commitment of the UGA Police Department to train a bomb response team and collaboration and funding from UGA, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Georgia Office of Homeland Security (GAOHS) and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA). Through these partnerships, UGA will be able to serve not only Athens-Clarke County but city and county law enforcement agencies throughout Northeast Georgia alleviating the need for these local governments to use already limited resources to establish separate bomb response units.

“This is a state and local initiative that could serve as a model for the other communities across the nation,” said Hank Huckaby, senior vice president for finance and administration. “We are honored that the state of Georgia’s top security officials have designated UGA as a bomb response unit and grateful for the funding we’ve received to expand our efforts.”

During post -9/11 planning for bomb response, GEMA and the GBI became aware of UGA’s team, equipment and capability and worked to make the unit a partner in the statewide response plan.

“The UGA response unit will play an integral role in reinforcing the GBI’s bomb and hazardous material response capabilities,” said GBI Director Vernon Keenan. “We currently handle an average of four to six calls a week. With the deployment of this new unit, the GBI will be able to depend on UGA to respond to or assist with response to any type of call for service in the cities and counties around Athens and that section of Northeast Georgia.”

The state’s model bomb response program was made possible through strategic planning and partnerships initiated in 1999, according to GEMA Director Mike Sherberger. “Through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Domestic Preparedness grant process, approximately $6 million has been allocated to Georgia to implement a statewide bomb response plan,” said Sherberger. “When funding projects, those which have a regional impact are given the highest priority.”

According to Georgia’s Homeland Security Director Bill Hitchens, explosive devices continue to be the preferred weapon of terrorists. “Interagency cooperation is the key to funding projects of this importance and magnitude, particularly during today’s budget environment,” said Hitchens. “I am pleased that state government and the University System can work together to protect the citizens of our state by making projects like this a reality.”

The bomb response vehicle is a sparkling white emergency vehicle with flashing blue lights and grey lettering. It is outfitted with equipment identical to the GBI bomb response trucks, including a robot, a command/control center, bomb suits that weigh 90 pounds each, hazardous materials suits, a decontamination shower, emergency equipment and supplies, and computers with access to major law enforcement units.

“The UGA six-person bomb team, formed in 1996, is accredited by the FBI and is the only university police bomb team with a state-of-the-art vehicle which has a high-tech robot onboard and one of only 10 accredited university police bomb teams in the nation,” said Chuck Horton, the outgoing UGA police chief who was central to the development of the unit. “It is one of 450 accredited bomb teams throughout all law enforcement in the United States and one of only 252 teams that have robots.”

The response vehicle is maintained by members of the bomb team who commit 24 hours a month to bomb response activities. The vehicle is being housed at an Athens-Clarke County fire station.