Don P. Haldimann

As the United States prepares for this weekend’s Super Bowl in Detroit , and the upcoming winter Olympics in Italy , the Federal Bureau of Investigation is working to provide security measures to ensure the safety of American citizens.

Don P. Haldimann, a 1976 and 1977 MSU graduate, has been behind the scenes as an FBI Special Agent Bomb Technician (SABT) for over 20 years ensuring that high-profile events are secure. The developer of the Bomb Management Center concept for Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Bomb Response in U.S. Special Events, Haldimann has assisted with previous Super Bowl events, Presidential Inaugurations, the baseball World Series, Kentucky Derby, NASCAR races, and Olympic Games in the U.S. and abroad. “We work with event security staff, on-site emergency response groups and public personnel to coordinate with emergency federal assets that might be needed in the event of a terrorism act,” he said.

Haldimann received numerous awards that recognize his efforts with such tragic events including the TWA 800, Oklahoma City bombing, the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and Pentagon bombing. “Numerous efforts have been provided through encouraging and developing extensive liaison contacts between other federal, state and local public safety resources in the Explosive Ordnance Disposal field (EOD),” he said.

Haldimann has provided administrative oversight to civilian public safety bomb squads in New York and Atlanta . “The FBI certifies all public safety bomb technicians and bomb squads in the United States ,” he said. “We host certification schools for bomb technicians and use a number of techniques in order to render safe Improvised Explosive Device (IED).”

Haldimann explained that the SABT evaluates any threat from an Improvised Explosive Device IED or suicide bomber, car or truck bomb, or a chemical or biological weapon. Additionally, the SABT acts as a conduit of information from intelligence community and through the FBI‘s Joint Terrorist Task Forces network located around the country for up-to-date threat information and ongoing terrorist investigations that might impact on the sporting venue and participants. “We also provide critical on-site EOD related training to a variety of event security personnel prior to the event starting and we are usually at the event weeks in advance in some capacity,” he said.

As the first responder to numerous crime scenes, Haldimann said their team investigates the scene of tragic bombing events. “We also provide critical infrastructure information at the scene of the damage, and if additional or other security concerns Haldimann’s investigative efforts span into more areas other than serving as a bomb technician.

Steadily focused on his career and humble about his national awards, Haldimann was honored for assisting with a three-decade old case involving the murder of an Atlanta police officer by a domestic terrorist group. The investigation led to an indictment and conviction in 2003. “This case was one of the biggest highlights of my career,” he said. “I worked domestic terrorism cases throughout my career and this particular case represented a personal best for me, especially with justice being served after 32 years for the assassination of an Atlanta police officer in 1971.”

Haldimann said witnessing numerous destruction scenes at these events has garnered stress counseling. “However, you put that aspect of it in the back of your mind because you know someone has to do this job,” he said. “One of the reasons I do this is the public service aspect of it.”

Haldimann also provides specialized EOD training to a variety of military assets in the U.S. who are directly involved abroad with the current overseas conflicts. He offered these classes in Texas , South Carolina , Virginia , Arizonia, and abroad in Malaysia , Cyprus , Iraq and most recently Germany .

Haldimann recently shared his expertise in terrorist operations with Germany ’s military police, providing guidelines for approaches and withdrawals from areas where IED’s are placed. “A large number of IED’s, averaging over 40 per day, are being used against Coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan .”

Haldimann and other SABT’s train military security and special operations personnel in how to identify a terrorist target and IED components. “These training sessions show how to respond safely and effectively to a terrorist conceived bombing incident with regard to establishing security perimeters, evidence identification, and recognizing scene safety concerns.“

Since the 9/11 attack on the U.S. , Haldimann said the FBI continuously reevaluates and revamps the fight against domestic and worldwide terrorism. “It’s better than it was before 9/11 through better cooperation with other Federal Agencies,” he said.

A native of Louisville , Ky. , Haldimann lives in Atlanta . He and his former wife, Phyllis Riley Haldimann, also a MSU graduate, have two children, Ryan, 29, and Cody, 24.