THERE ARE FOUR COURSES OF ACTION THAT CAN BE TAKEN WHEN DEALING WITH CAPTORS HOLDING HOSTAGES: USE OF CHEMICAL AGENTS, DIRECT ASSAULT ON THE CAPTOR'S POSITION, SHARPSHOOTING, AND CONTAINMENT AND NEGOTIATION. SINCE THE FIRST THREE ARE VIOLENT AND IRREVERSIBLE, THE LAST IS THE LOGICAL STARTING POINT. SECURITY PERSONNEL SHOULD ATTEMPT TO BACK THE CAPTOR INTO THE SMALLEST POSSIBLE AREA AND TALK TO THEM, USING THE TIME GAINED TO GATHER INTELLIGENCE, MANPOWER, EQUIPMENT, AND RESOURCES. SUPERVISORY PERSONNEL, IF NOT AWARE OF THE SITUATION, MUST BE ADVISED, ALONG WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES, LOCAL TELEPHONE AND UTILITY COMPANIES, AND THE FIRE AND AMBULANCE DEPARTMENTS. A COMMAND POST SHOULD BE SETUP, AND WHEN LAW ENFORCEMENT ARRIVES, THE SITUATION SHOULD BE TURNED OVER TO THEM ALTHOUGH ASSISTANCE SHOULD BE GIVEN UPON REQUEST. A 'HOSTAGE BOX' SHOULD BE KEPT IN ALL SUSCEPTIBLE FACILITIES CONTAINING WOODEN WEDGES, ROPE, A CHILD'S TOY PERISCOPE, BLANK FLIP CHARTS, GAS MASKS, RAINGEAR, IDENTIFICATION CLOTHING, TWO-WAY RADIOS, FLAK JACKETS OR BULLET-RESISTANT VESTS, TAPE RECORDERS, WALKIE-TALKIE EARPHONES AND MICROPHONES, AND PERTINENT INFORMATION SUCH AS THE BUILDING FLOORPLANS, PHOTOS OF BUILDING AREAS, AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS AND LOCATIONS. NEGOTIATION TECHNIQUES ARE OUTLINED AND INCLUDE THE USE OF JUDICIOUS SHOWS OF FORCE TO EMPHASIZE TO THE CAPTORS THAT ESCAPE IS IMPOSSIBLE, ENCOURAGING THE CAPTOR TO TALK, APPOINTING AN AUTHORIZED NEGOTIATOR, AND KEEPING FACE-TO-FACE CONTACT WITH THE CAPTOR. A HOSTAGE-INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SCENARIO IS OUTLINED FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE EVENT THROUGH ALL SUGGESTED ACTIONS, AND TIME FRAMES ARE NOTED. (DAG)