IED Clearance Good Practice Guide

Interrupted laser line

Suspected tripwire

Laser pen

Image 14. Image showing the use of a laser pen as an aid to visual search locating what could be a tripwire

3.3.6.USING MIRRORS AS A VISUAL SEARCH AID Buildings and structures present an environment where IEDs and their components, including large components such as main charges, can be easily hidden by placing objects such as furniture in front of them, placing them around corners or edges such as doorways or around bends in corridors, or in overhead loft spaces. Once an initial visual search has been conducted, another aid to visual search of these obscured positions is a mirror held in a position to provide a vantage point to search the area. This mirror can be mounted on a small telescopic pole such as the example shown in Image 15.

IED main charge placed around the corner

Search mirror

Image 15. A purpose-made search mirror identifying a previously unsighted IED component

ׁ WARNING. Placing a mirror to observe an unsearched area may require the aid to be placed into an unsearched area. Before this, ensure a visual search and possibly tripwire feeler search have been conducted.

This is an adaptation of a technique used by static security personnel to rapidly search the underside of vehicles for suspicious objects before they enter an establishment.

Search core skills and procedures

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