Retired detective offers explosive training

By Ashley Livingston

Saturday, Nov. 22, 2008 | midnight

Surrounded by a suicide bomber's vest, a molotov cocktail, C-4 and clothespin and rat trap detonation devices, Silverado resident Mike Surick says the more than 1,200 bomb threats delivered annually in the Las Vegas Valley should provide more than enough incentive for residents and companies to learn how to handle explosives-related incidents.

And due to his extensive experience in the field, he's the man to teach them.

With 20 years as a robbery and homicide detective with Metro Police and about 300 successfully investigated bomb threats and explosives-related cases under his belt at the time of his retirement, Surick formed CounterThreat Consulting Inc., a company that trains businesses and government agencies how to prepare for and manage bomb threats and explosives related incidents.

For each training session, Surick calls on his background with Metro, letting trainees listen to audio from real past bomb threats and passing around dozens of examples of inert explosives.

Surick said his main goal is to provide companies and first responders across the board with the skills necessary to respond to these threats.

He said he realized the need for such training while he was still working with Metro.

"Most businesses, agencies and hotels, don't really know how to handle threats," he said.

Among his clients are Metro police, the Nevada Highway Patrol, Station Casinos and numerous state agencies and offices including the Nevada Department of Homeland Security.

One of the first things Surick said he teaches these groups is not to evacuate.

As counter intuitive as that may be to some, Surick explained that evacuation usually results in a needless loss of productivity as 95 percent of bomb threats are hoaxes. In only 5 percent of cases is a device actually located and in only 1.2 percent of cases is an explosive actually involved.

"Ninety nine percent of the time it's best to manage the call and conduct a thorough, systematic search," he said.

Three modules are included in Surick's full training session: bomb threat management, explosives components and improvised explosive devices and basic search and evacuation techniques.

The sessions cost $3,000 for a full group training session or $200-$300 per person.

There is sufficient reason to believe that Las Vegas is a future target of terrorism, Surick said. The fact is that Las Vegas is looked at by terrorists, domestic and international, as a target.

"(The training) is all about familiarization and having an appreciation for the danger," he said.