Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 22 January 2024

These updates are shared to help raise the situational awareness of Faith-Based organizations to best defend against and mitigate the impacts from all-hazards threats including physical security, cybersecurity, and natural disasters.

Hand sanitizer used in Rochester church arson causing $4M in damages: Charges

Fox 9 in Rochester, NY reports:

A woman has been charged after allegedly starting a fire at a Rochester church with hand sanitizer, resulting in over $4 million in damages.

According to court documents, the Rochester Fire Department and police department responded to a fire alarm at a local church. After the fire was put out, investigators found a 64-ounce jug of hand sanitizer in a dumpster on the property, which was later determined to be the accelerant for the blaze.

The FB-ISAO’s Daily Awareness Post regularly reports on fires at houses of worship. Some are accidental, however, many are arson.

Today’s related articles:

• FBI Houston announces up to $10,000 reward for information on New Caney Buddhist temple arson suspect
• Maryland high school student arrested for alleged ‘threats of mass violence’ and arson
• Possible arson fire under investigation at Pasadena church
• Christian man killed by militants in Sudan; church set on fire

Analyst Comments:

The use of a large container of hand sanitizer as an arson accelerant illustrates how using fire as a weapon does not require expensive materials or advanced skills. Common accelerants, such as gasoline for grounds maintenance, and in this case, large volumes of hand sanitizer, can be secured to prevent easy access.

The $4M in damages shows that a fire, whether an attack or accident, can devastate an FBO. Worse, lives can be lost, like the two woman killed in a 14 January Portland church fire.

FBOs should consider inviting the local fire department to tour their facilities and provide advice. The tour will also make first responders more familiar with the facilities if an incident should occur.

CISA provides a two-page Fire As A Weapon Action Guide. This guide helps identify potential indicators of an attack using fire as a weapon and provides mitigation strategies and recommended response procedures.

The Gate 15 Interview: Foster on building high-performing cybersecurity teams, complex threats, bringing the noise and musical obsessions

The Gate 15 Interview is a monthly interview between Gate 15’s Founder and Managing Director, Andy Jabbour and guests from throughout the homeland security risk management community addressing a wide range of all-hazards topics and issues.

n this episode of The Gate 15 Interview, Andy Jabbour welcomes Eric Foster, Chief Operating Officer at Stairwell.

This interview addresses:

• Eric’s origin story
• His experience as a founder and entrepreneur, and the importance of mentorship
• Building high-performance teams and developing corporate culture
• Eric’s work from founding CYDERES to his current work with Stairwell
• The complex intersection of geopolitical threats and increased conflict in a world that is rapidly accelerating in positive directions in technology
• We play Three Questions and talk careers in an alternate universe, flying through space with Elon, Eric’s musical obsessions, and more – including Radiohead and Sleep Token!

Information on other Gate 15 podcasts can be found at Podcasts (gate15.global).