Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 26 November 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.

Building Your Security Leadership Team

December 4 Session of

FB-ISAO’s Monthly Education Series: Standing Up Security Teams

Security Teams are an essential component of any security program. Building a security team to safeguard people is crucial for any house of worship. The Faith-Based Information Sharing and Analysis Organization is hosting a series of discussions on how to effectively create, develop, and manage a security team. Participants will learn best practices, strategies, and practical tips to ensure their security team is well-equipped to handle a variety of challenges.

The December 4 session is Building Your Security Leadership Team. 

Date: 04 December 2024

Time: 12pm ET

Effective establishment of a security team could begin with a leadership team specifically tasked with building the foundational elements to maintain a safe and secure house of worship. A security leadership team is generally established to provide development, management, oversight, and accountability of the security program. The security leadership team delegates responsibility appropriately depending on the size, scope, and risk tolerance of the organization.

• The role of the leadership team.
• Defining the necessary functions.
• Getting the right people to participate.
• Understanding the need for identifying your operational team at a later time.
• Strategies for, and benefits of, keeping the leadership group small.
• Identifying key roles and advisory positions.
• Determine Communications and Delegation of Authorities and Responsibilities (RACI.)
• Defining a vision, mission and key performance indicators.

The sessions are open to all.

To register, visit the events page.

Analyst Comments:

Developing a Security Team is a very complex task. FB-ISAO’s Standing Up Teams program can assist Faith-Based Organizations with developing their team.

Program references and resources can be accessed here.

Venue Guide for Security Considerations

On 19 November, CISA released the Venue Guide for Security Considerations.

From CISA’s website:

As the Sector Risk Management Agency for Commercial Facilities, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is committed to partnering with venue operators in mitigating the threat of targeted violence and preparing for potential incidents. In collaboration with industry experts and security professionals, CISA developed the Venue Guide for Security Considerations. Applying the guide will enable venue operators to effectively identify and manage risk. This guide serves as a broad catalog to support safe and secure day-to day operations and event management planning and execution.

The Venue Guide for Security Considerations serves as a broad catalog to support safe and secure day-to-day operations and event management planning and execution. This guide aims to help venue operators enhance safety, protect assets, and create secure environments through effective security measures and best practices.

PDF: Venue Guide for Security Considerations

Analyst Comments:

While Faith-Based Organizations are not part of the Commercial Facilities Sector, most Houses of Worship can be protected like “venues”. CISA’s Venue Guide for Security Considerations can be of assistance to those planning security for Houses of Worship.

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Good Thanksgiving Headlines

• Police and pastors offer helping hand for Thanksgiving
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• A ‘Good’ project brightens Thanksgiving for families in need