By MYFOXATLANTA STAFF/myfoxatlanta
FOX 5's Portia Bruner was there as police and firefighters learned how to recognize improvised explosive devices, known as IEDs, manufactured from simple ingredients.
A large metal file cabinet was no match for the index card-size explosive placed inside by FBI bomb experts during a first responders training class.
While authorities may not run across the large scale improvised explosive devices everyday, the FBI's Steve Lazarus says common household and hardware store ingredients can create explosive situations for unsuspecting first responders in just a matters of seconds.
"The FBI realized years ago that we had an obligation to train our state and our local law enforcement partners about the dangers of improvised explosives. How to deal with them and what to do if they come across them, and how to identify them," Lazarus said.
That's why dozens of police officers, firefighters, and EMTs watched closely as federal bomb technicians demonstrated how even the most common products can turn deadly.
Gwinnett Police detective James Flanagan says the training is invaluable.
"It's the first responders that have to identify these improvised explosive devices," Flanagan said. "We do have incidents in the past several years in Gwinnett where devices..such as these were found."
Bombs techs from the FBI routinely conduct the IED training sessions for first responders across the country.
