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Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post

Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 22 January 2024

Faith-Based Security Headlines

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:

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).

More Faith-Based Stories

27-year-old man arrested, accused of brandishing imitation firearm inside Long Beach church

AZ: Two adults, two teens arrested after aggravated robbery in church parking lot

VA: Prince George church reeling after $30,000 in HVAC units stolen: ‘It’s a gut punch, a really low blow’

NC: Nonprofit that promotes LGBTQ equality broken into overnight, safe stolen. The office is located in the basement of First Congregational Church in Asheville.

CT, AZ, CO: SCN SITUATION REPORT: Multiple City Council Meetings Targeted with Antisemitic Zoombombings

Jewish groups press for additional security grant funding in 2024 appropriations bill

Hundreds call for intifada, hail Houthis at Columbia University anti-Israel protest and CAIR-NY Condemns Reported Spraying of Foul-Smelling Chemical on Peaceful Protesters at Columbia, Demands Law Enforcement Action

In snowy DC, the March for Life rallies against abortion with an eye toward the November elections

A quarter of Methodist congregations abandon the church as schism grows over LGBTQ+ issues and New conservative Methodist denomination eyeing expansion in the Southwest

CAIR-NY: Anti-Palestinian, Anti-Muslim Bigotry and Hate Crimes are on the Rise Nationwide (Video)Chinese pastor sentenced to 14 years for peddling ‘superstition’

Catholic families left homeless as Nigerian explosion kills 2, leaves 77 injured

India’s Modi to inaugurate Hindu temple in Ayodhya, where rioters destroyed a mosque and ‘Might get worse’: As Modi unveils Ram temple, Indian Muslims fear future

Chinese pastor sentenced to 14 years for peddling ‘superstition’

Toronto Jews anxious amid unprecedented antisemitic spillover from Gaza war

Church of England ‘risked teenager’s safety’ at parish attended by paedophile predator

Global: Catholic priests arrested, abducted, killed reach record high in 2023: report

Global: ‘We Have to Kill Those Who Preach Christianity’: The Persecution of Christians, December 2023 (Christmas Edition)

Select All-Hazards Stories

2 U.S. Navy SEALs Presumed Dead: What to Know

CT: Man Charged In Bomb Threat Targeting Police, Federal Buildings: PD

Authorities map out potential threats ahead of New Hampshire primary

CTC Sentinel | January 2024 VOLUME 17, ISSUE 1 Published by Combating Terrorism Center, DOWNLOAD SHARE+ VISIT CTC

Former Jan. 6 Select Committee deleted more than 100 encrypted files from its probe in the days before Republicans took over the House majority

UK’s counter-terror chief warns of ‘unprecedented’ rise in terrorism threat since Israel-Gaza war started

Calendar of Resistance for Palestine 2024

Updates on Grounding of Boeing 737 MAX 9 Aircraft

Israeli Strike Kills Five Iranian Military Advisers in Syria, Iran Says and Hezbollah blames Israel for second assassination in southern Lebanon in two days

IRGC, Hezbollah commanders in Yemen to direct Houthi attacks – report

Ice Accumulations Across the Plains and Mississippi Valley; Excessive Rainfall along the Gulf Coast; Active Weather in the West National Weather Service

Tragic End for Siblings Scammed on Facebook: Morata de Tajuña Mourns

Did someone tell you to move or transfer your money? It could be a scam

Classic Baggie: Part Three – the Romance Scam Victims

Accepting a calendar invite in Outlook could leak your password

CNMF marks a decade Defending the Nation Cyber National Mission Force of the US Cyber Command

Vans, North Face owner says ransomware breach affects 35 million people

Meta won’t remove fake Instagram profiles that are clearly catfishing

Growing Oct. 7 ‘truther’ groups say Hamas massacre was a false flag

Elon Musk Feeds Viral Conspiracy Theory That Patriot Front Actually ‘Feds’

More Security-focused Content

Read a report detailing attacks on Faith-Based organizations following the Dobbs ruling.
Read the October 2023 Threat Level Statement Update
Access all-hazards resources from public and private sector partners, curated by the FB-ISAO team.

The FB-ISAO’s sponsor Gate 15 publishes a free daily newsletter called the SUN. Curated from their open source intelligence collection process, the SUN informs leaders and analysts with the critical news of the day and provides a holistic look at the current global, all-hazards threat environment. Ahead of the daily news cycle, the SUN allows current situational awareness into the topics that will impact your organization. To sign-up for The SUN, please sign up below.

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