Training Program Promotes Improvised Explosive Familiarization Initiative

On Thursday, November 19, 2009, the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office will present an improvised explosives demonstration. Members of local law enforcement organizations and other first responders, representatives from the private sector, and members of the media are invited to attend the demonstration.

When:   12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., November 19th  
Where:  The Salt Lake City Airport Police Training Center
  3950 West 2100 North, Salt Lake City, Utah
What:    A visual demonstration of more than a dozen examples of improvised explosive      
              and incendiary mixtures that have been used by terrorists around the world
Who:     12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m., the following people will be available for interviews

• Ken Porter, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI Salt Lake City Field Office
• Donald Sachtleben, Retired FBI Special Agent Bomb Technician/Consultant
• Steve Marlovits, Chief of Salt Lake City Airport Police 

More about NIEF training

This demonstration is part of the three-day National Improvised Explosives Familiarization (NIEF) training course in Salt Lake City. The NIEF initiative supports the FBI’s top priority to protect the United States from terrorist attacks by training our investigators and law enforcement partners in regard to the emerging improvised explosive threat. The NIEF initiative is a partnership between the FBI Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate, FBI Laboratory and FBI Critical Incident Response Group, along with the 56 FBI field offices and the more than 100 Joint Terrorism Task Forces based out of those FBI field offices. “The FBI remains fully committed to sharing knowledge with our partners about the threat of improvised explosives in the fight against potential terror attacks,” said Dr. Vahid Majidi, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate. “The opportunity to exchange information and raise awareness among the general public is also a key goal as we continue this vital outreach effort.”

Participants in the three-day NIEF training receive in-depth instruction and course materials in accordance with their respective roles, responsibilities and technical certifications. The goal of this training is to enhance awareness and outreach programs to first responders, and to inform private sector wholesalers, distributers and retailers of precursor chemicals that can be used by terrorists or experimenters to make improvised explosives. 

Information for media planning purposes  

Suggested route to Airport Police Training Center:  I-215 to 2100 North Exit, drive westbound to 3950 West

12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.: Media interviews
1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.: Demonstration (ending time is estimated)