509th EOD responds to suspicious package in Warrensburg

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jason Barebo
  • 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
The 509th Explosive Ordinance Disposal Squadron and the 509th Security Forces Squadron K-9 Unit responded to a suspicious package June 7 in Warrensburg.

The suspicious package was discovered in the parking lot of Community Behavioral Healthcare in Warrensburg with a note attached stating "to you from God.".

"EOD will deploy a robot to locate the suspicious package and take a look at it visually using the cameras," said Capt. William Frost, 509th EOD commander. If required, the package can be removed from a location adjacent to valued resources to a remote location for proper.

"A suspicious package and bomb threat are two separate situations. In the case of a suspicious package, the suspected device is already located, trained K-9 units would not be utilized to clear the package but would instead be used to clear for secondary devices after the initial threat is disposed of," said Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Marksmeier, 509th SFS K-9. "In the case of a suspicious package, EOD would send in their robot and x-ray the threat to identify exactly what the package is."

The suspicious package turned out to be empty, however EOD effectively responded to the call to quickly and safely isolating the package and determined if it posed a real threat.

Following EOD's "all clear", Staff Sgt. Kevin Hemme and military working dog Eddy,509th SFS K-9, along with local K-9 units, swept the area and adjacent building for secondary devices. As a result, secondary devices were not found and the area returned to normal operations.