Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 25 September 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.

If You See Something, Say Something® Awareness Day | Homeland Security

From the DHS website:

Year-round, the “If You See Something, Say Something^®” campaign works to empower and educate the public on the importance of recognizing the signs of terrorism-related suspicious activity and how to report it to local authorities. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has designated September 25 as “If You See Something, Say Something^®” Awareness Day, also known as #SeeSayDay. On this day, DHS and its campaign partners across the country come together to remind the public to be aware of suspicious activity and how to report suspected activity to local authorities.

How to Participate

“If You See Something, Say Something^®” is more than just a slogan; we all play a role in keeping our communities safe. For #SeeSayDay 2024, we encourage the public to “Spot the Signs. Report the Activity”. On September 25 and year-round, stay prepared to spot the signs, report suspicious activity to local authorities, and help prevent terrorism-related crime.

On #SeeSayDay, share the message on your personal or organization’s social media channels using #SeeSayDay social media graphics and draft posts below, available in English, Spanish, Hebrew, and Arabic. Use the hashtag #SeeSayDay to note your involvement!

The website provides numerous resources and provides ideas and recommendations for a variety of organization types.

For Places of Worship, DHS provides the following:

• Raise awareness with printable #SeeSayDay graphics throughout your organization’s spaces – including common, academic, community, and parking areas, employee and food service facilities, and more.
• Include the #SeeSayDay slide in rotating informational displays throughout all facility buildings. 
• Place campaign materials for your state/territory throughout facilities (employee breakrooms, storage, office corridors/hallways, restrooms, etc.).
• Share the campaign’s indicator infographic during events or in employee/volunteer trainings and member organization meetings.
• Promote #SeeSayDay graphics on the organization’s social media platforms and website.
• Empower community ambassadors, staff, and leadership to add a #SeeSayDay email signature graphic or virtual meeting background during September.
• Add #SeeSayDay graphics into staff, security, and member communications (e.g., broadcasts, newsletters, apps, text alerts, email alerts, etc.).
• Encourage faculty, staff, volunteers, and members to utilize the campaign’s interactive map to find the appropriate reporting number for wherever they live, gather, worship, or spend time.

For Schools and Academic Institutions, DHS provides the following:

• Raise awareness with printable #SeeSayDay graphics throughout school buildings – including employee facilities, classrooms, student housing, academic buildings, parking areas, stadiums, playgrounds, gymnasiums, and more.
• Place campaign materials for your school’s state/territory throughout facilities (classrooms, employee breakrooms, corridors/hallways, restrooms, gymnasiums, etc.).
• Share the campaign’s indicator infographic during school events or in employee trainings and student organization meetings.
• Promote #SeeSayDay graphics on the school’s social media platforms and website.
• Empower teachers and staff, student and parent ambassadors, resident advisors, and student organizations to add a #SeeSayDay email signature graphic or virtual meeting background during September.
• Add #SeeSayDay graphics into faculty/staff, school safety, and student communications (e.g., webinars, newspapers, apps, text alerts, email alerts, etc.).
• Include the #SeeSayDay slide in rotating informational displays throughout all school buildings. 
• Encourage faculty, staff, and students to utilize the campaign’s interactive map to find the appropriate reporting number for wherever they live, study, or spend time.

Analyst Comments:

Faith-Based Organizations (FBO) should consider using some of the DHS recommendations and resources today and throughout the year. The recommendations and resources can be used to improve security at places of worship and FBO affiliated schools.

The campaign’s interactive map provides posters and other materials that include the particular state’s suspicious activity tip line. As always, when there is an emergency, reporters are instructed to call 911. 

FEMA Updates its National Disaster Recovery Framework to Enhance Disaster Recovery

From FEMA:

FEMA is requesting public comments on updates to its National Disaster Recovery Framework, which provides a flexible structure that enables disaster recovery practitioners to operate in a unified and collaborative manner. The 30-day public comment period is open through Oct. 23, 2024.

States, local governments, Tribal Nations and territories, as well as nonprofits and the emergency management community, are encouraged to visit fema.gov to review FEMA’s updates to its National Disaster Recovery Framework. Key revisions focus on clarifying roles and responsibilities, detailing the Federal Recovery Support Function structure and its role in supporting local recovery goals, enhancing collaboration across the whole community and providing practical resources to assist in recovery planning efforts.

The updates reflect feedback from Tribal Nations, territories, state and local partners, nonprofits and voluntary organizations. FEMA also engaged business, industry and community partners to gather lessons learned, best practices and other input to maximize the usefulness of the Framework.

The 30-day public comment period is opens today, Sep. 24, and written comments may be submitted through the fema.gov through Oct. 23. Any remarks received during the comment period will be reviewed and considered for the final version of the Framework.

Analyst Comments:

The updates reflect feedback from different entities, including nonprofits and voluntary organizations. Any Faith-Based Organization (FBO) that provides assistance after the initial response to an emergency should consider submitting written comments on the updates through fema.gov by 23 October.

Commenting on the draft National Disaster Recovery Framework may lead to improving a FBO’s collaboration with FEMA and other organizations while the FBO is providing recovery assistance. A review of the framework will also familiarize FBOs with the national recovery process.