Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 17 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.

Active shooter incident at Dillingham’s hospital leaves no reported injuries

Alaska Public Media, PBS reported:

“Dillingham’s Kanakanak Hospital had an active shooter early on Sunday morning, according to a press release from the Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation. No injuries were reported.

Jennifer De Winne, the Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation’s chief operations officer, said in a call to KDLG that the shooter unsuccessfully tried to enter the hospital’s emergency department. She said doors were locked at that time of day per hospital protocol, but the shooter fired several shotgun shells, some of them at cars parked near the hospital.

De Winne said that multiple members of the hospital’s staff called 911 immediately, and that the hospital followed its active shooter protocols.

She said the shooter eventually fled the scene on a four-wheeler and was arrested by Dillingham police further down the road.

The hospital staff, De Winne said, have already met to review the incident and will conduct a formal review this week.”

Analyst Comments:

It is good to hear that there were no injuries in an active shooter incident. The no-injuries outcome did not occur without planning. In addition to having a plan, the Kanakanak Hospital has already reviewed the incident, and will conduct a formal review.

Faith-Based Organizations (FBO) should consider developing an all-emergency plan, which includes active shooter prevention and response. For FBOs that have a plan; exercising, reviewing, and improving the plan is important. New studies, guidance, and training are regularly provided by the government and other organizations. Reviews and exercises, combined with new guidance, can greatly enhance a plan.

The Faith-Based Information Sharing and Analysis Organization (FB-ISAO) informs members of the latest studies, training, and guidance to assist communities of faith with developing and improving plans.

FB-ISAO also offers educational sessions and other activities to assist FBOs in preparedness and mitigation.

Additionally, Faith-Based ISAO’s website provides resources in the Resource Library, including information on Securing Facilities and People and Informing Preparedness Activities.

If not already a member, consider joining here.

The Committee for Religious Liberty of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Annual Report on the State of Religious Liberty in the United States, January 16, 2024 (PDF)

This report identifies the top five threats to religious liberty in 2024.

Related articles:

• US bishops name top 5 threats to religious freedom ahead of 2024 election
• US Catholic bishops warn ‘lives of people of faith’ at risk in 2024
• US bishops warn of attacks on places of worship from both left and right
• Religious Americans’ lives possibly at risk in 2024, new report by U.S. bishops says

Analyst Comments:

The report identifies the following threats:

• Attacks against houses of worship, especially in relation to the Israel-Hamas conflict
• The Section 1557 regulation from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which will likely impose a mandate on doctors to perform gender transition procedures and possibly abortions
• Threats to religious charities serving newcomers, which will likely increase as the issue of immigration gains prominence in the election
• Suppression of religious speech on marriage and sexual difference
• The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Pregnant Workers Fairness Act regulations, which aim to require religious employers to be complicit in abortion in an unprecedented way