What’s a narwahl?
When training for an active attacker incident (they are not all shooters) the experts agree that that there are three options: run, hide or, if your life depends on it, fight using whatever is at hand to stop the attacker (see JCRC-NY’s) dedicated webpage www.jcrcny.org/activeshooter for more information)
During many trainings we’ve cited a June 2017 incident in the London Bridge vicinity. After ramming pedestrians and totaling their van, the attackers jumped out and wielded knives. They entered the Boro Bistro and were soon met with a fusillade of pub stools and pint mugs. The terrorists promptly exited. QED. Use whatever is at hand.
During an attack last week in the London Bridge area, the well-trained staff of Fishmonger’s Hall knew what to do in the event of an attack. They saved lives when jumped into action fighting off the attacker, even using a 5 foot narwahl tusk and a fire extinguisher.
Thanks to Carly Maisels for this detailed account. When we train our constituencies for active attackers our goal should be to empower them so that they can do whatever needs to be done.
The Chief Executive of Fishmonger’s Hall pays tribute to the bravery his staff showed during the London Bridge attack. #BBCBreakfast pic.twitter.com/mnXFILlBTR
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) December 2, 2019
Who might commit a mass killing? New insights.
One of the surest ways to prevent a mass shooting is to identify potential threats before they actually attack. Often the threats are “insiders”.
James Densley, co-founder of the Violence Project and a criminal justice professor at Metropolitan State University, said researchers looked at factors in the lives of shooters, including mental health troubles, whether they considered suicide, and how they had access to guns. These findings were reported in the New York Times/Associated Press:
“For a start, we need to be a little bit more attuned to the fact that people are in crisis, and are looking for help, and perhaps aren’t getting it.” Researchers found that 98 percent of mass shooters were men and that 52 percent were white. The proportion of mass shooters who had been diagnosed with mental health conditions was only slightly higher than the general population, according to researchers.
Importantly, school mass shooters are most often insiders. Here are more recent tools to help with threat assessments:
- Protecting America’s Schools: A U.S. Secret Service Analysis of Targeted School Violence. Ensuring safe learning environments for elementary and secondary school students, educators, administrators, and others is essential. Consider what role you can play in the larger efforts to make our schools safer.
- Making Prevention a Reality: Identifying, Assessing, and Managing the Threat of Targeted Attacks. This report, a practical guide on assessing and managing the threat of targeted violence, contains concrete strategies to help communities prevent these types of incidents. United States Department of Justice. Federal Bureau of Investigation.
DHS Active Shooter Training | Nov 15
DHS CISA Region-II Training & Exercise Coordinator, cordially invites you to participate in a one-day active shooter security workshop. Be advised Registration closes 11/13/2019 at 12:00 pm. Link is provided on the flyer and here https://www.govevents.com/
November 15th, 2019 (8:30am – 4:00pm)
Pace University, New York City Campus
One Pace Plaza (Student Center West)
New York, NY 10038
Preparing all of your constituencies for a potential active shooter incident is an integral component of an organization’s incident response planning. Because active shooter incidents are unpredictable and evolve quickly, preparing for and knowing what to do in an active shooter situation can be the difference between life and death. Every second counts.
A Unique Training Opportunity
Pace University and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, are hosting a one-day security workshop to enhance awareness of, and response to, an active shooter event:
- Educating participants on the history of active shooter events.
- Describing common behavior, conditions, and situations associated with active shooters.
- Fostering communication between critical infrastructure owners and operators and local emergency response teams. This course includes discussions of interoperability, communications protocols, and best practices for planning, preparedness, and response.
Who Should Participate?
This event is open to:
- Organization and corporate and facility security professionals and leaders from the private and public sectors
- Supervisory first responders
- Human resource managers
- Community response officials
- Homeland security representatives
Registration
- Registration for this event is free; please click here to register.
- Registration closes 11/13/2019 at 12:00 pm (EDT).
Please see attached flyer and invitation for more details on this workshop. We appreciate your engagement in this process; your participation will enhance and contribute significantly to building your organization’s incident response plans. Should you have any questions or concerns, please let us know.
Very Respectfully,
Stephen Allyn
Region-II Training & Exercise Coordinator (RTEC)
Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
Northeast & Caribbean NY~NJ~PR~USVI
Cell: (917) 710-4764 | Stephen.Allyn@hq.
Operation Desert Storm – Iraqi Freedom – Enduring Freedom
New DHS resource guide and mail screening poster
New resource guide. Take a look at DHS’ new resource guide, Security of Soft Targets and Crowded Places. It’s essentially a one-stop table of contents for DHS’s free materials, including links for help on identifying suspicious activity, access control and screening, active assailants (they’re not just shooters anymore) and bomb threats. Follow the supplied links for an introduction to facility security that can serve as a good first step for houses of worship, schools and other soft targets. Resources include fact sheets, guidance, and online training and education courses.
Mail screening poster. Thanks to the world’s leading geopolitical intelligence platform, Stratfor, for its timely reminder about mail and package screening after an attempted bombing.
- While many questions remain in the case of a parcel bomb sent to a Mexican senator, the largest is why the mail of such a high-level official was not screened.
- While politicians and large corporations clearly must take significant measures to screen their mail, even ordinary people (and Jewish organizations) should open their mail cautiously.
- Simple steps can help everyone from the largest entities to the average citizen.
Note that Cesar Sayoc, 57, admitted in court to having mailed 16 explosive devices to a variety of officials and to CNN’s offices in October 2018. He allegedly said he would “eradicate the Jews” if he had the power to, along with lesbians, black people and Hispanic people.
We urge you to download the tips found on the Stratfor graphic and share it with your staff and others.
New security funding for NY Jewish organizations
As you are considering how to best secure your organization while remaining welcoming, UJA-Federation and JCRC-NY are pleased to offer, with generous support from the Paul E. Singer Foundation and the Jewish Communal Fund, additional resources to keep you and your stakeholders safe and secure:
PROFESSIONAL SECURITY ASSESSMENT: Through JCRC, UJA-Federation is making available at no cost to you, professional security assessments so that you can immediately start safeguarding your institution and be ready to apply for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and NY State grants. Organizations that professionally assessed are significantly more likely to receive funding than those that do not. For more information, review the information below or contact David Pollock at JCRC.
SECURITY GRANTS RECIPIENTS BRIDGE LOAN PROGRAM: Through the Hebrew Free Loan Society (HFLS), UJA has created a bridge loan fund providing capital to federal and state grant recipients to make all necessary upgrades immediately; and get reimbursed from the state later. Available on a first come, first served basis for organizations that have received security grants, but cannot afford to pay for security enhancements upfront while awaiting reimbursement from the government. This program provides interest-free loans of up to $150,000 to organizations in any of New York City’s five boroughs, Westchester, or Long Island Read here for more information, or contact HFLS Director of Finance Daren Scott.
- Schedule a terrorism vulnerability assessment for your NYC, Long Island or Westchester organization at no cost.
- How to prequalify for government grants in New York State.
- New York State Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes grants (apply by December 19, 2018)
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security Nonprofit Security Grants Program (available Spring, 2019)
- Hebrew Free Loan Society bridge loans for security grant recipients (available now)
Start with an assessment
A Terrorism Vulnerability Assessment examines the threats to your Jewish organization, documents the gaps in physical security measures and security policies and procedures, and the consequences of a terrorist attack. The assessment will also recommend specific steps to mitigate the threats, specifically written to comport with the federal and state grant applications. Click here to apply for an experienced and credentialed security professional to conduct a Terrorism Vulnerability Assessment of your Jewish organization.
Assessments will be scheduled until the funding is exhausted. We hope to serve as many deserving organizations as possible.
Find out how to apply for government grants
Soon, two grants will be available to certain New York nonprofits. Applications for both the state and federal grants must be submitted through the New York State Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. Click here for their nonprofit grants page. Here are the details.
New York State Grants Gateway/Prequalification
New York State will not accept applications for grants unless the nonprofit applicant is prequalified, i.e., applicants must upload basic organizational documents and answer questions about their nonprofit’s capacity and integrity. This portal is known as the “Grants Gateway.”
- New applicants. See JCRC-NY’s additional information about how to get started and special instructions for religious corporations at: http://www.jcrcny.org/document-vault-faqs/.
- Previously prequalified. If your nonprofit was previously prequalified, you will still have to update certain documents if your document vault “expires” (i.e, certain information goes out of date). Check out your Document Vault for more information.
Prequalification is not as hard as it may look, but it’s important to get started now! Your organization will not be able to apply unless you are prequalified.
New York State Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes grants
New York State, committed to ensuring the safety and equal treatment of all New Yorkers, is launching a second round of the Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes Program to boost safety and security at New York’s nonpublic schools, day care centers and cultural museums at risk of hate crimes or attacks because of their ideology, beliefs, or mission. In support of this effort, a total of $10.1 million in grant funding has been made available on a statewide basis.
- Availability. Now.
- Eligibility. Nonpublic schools (Preschool-12), nonprofit day care centers (including those housed in JCC’s and synagogues) and cultural museums that are at risk of hate crimes or attacks against their facilities because of their ideology, beliefs or mission. For the purpose of the grant, terrorism is included as a category of hate crime. Click here for the exact details on eligibility.
- Maximum grant amount. Applications will be accepted for up to $50,000 per facility. Eligible organizations with multiple sites may submit up to three applications for a maximum total request of up to $150,000 allowed per organization.
- What will the grant pay for?
- Hardening the organization’s facility or facilities including recreational areas adjacent to the facility through exterior physical security enhancements; and/or
- Providing security training that will advance the knowledge of security personnel and staff.
- Deadline. Applications are due to Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services by 5:00 pm on December 19, 2018. Applications submitted past this date will be disqualified. Individual extensions will not be given.
- Application form. Applicants must complete the DHSES Risk Evaluation Tool to describe the organization’s significant risk of a hate crime and its proposed equipment and training needs to prevent and protect against a hate crime.
- Risk/Security/Threat Assessment. Applicants with a current or previously conducted (within three years) risk/security/threat assessment completed by a police department, private company or university should base their Risk Evaluation Tool submission on the information, analyses and findings contained in the risk/security/threat assessment(s). However, no assessment is required.
- What are your chances? Last year, all of the eligible applicants that filed a complete application were awarded a grant.
- Additional assistance. See JCRC-NY’s dedicated webpage at www.jcrcny.org/securitygrants.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Nonprofit Security Grant Program
Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) provides funding support for target hardening and other physical security enhancements to nonprofit organizations.
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- Availability. Sometime in Spring, 2019.
- Eligibility. Nonprofit organizations in New York City, Long Island and Westchester that are determined to be at high risk of a terrorist attack by the Department of Homeland Security.
- Maximum grant amount. Unknown. Last year the maximum was $150,000. The upcoming grant may place a $100,000 cap (or less) so that more organizations can be funded.
- What will the grant pay for? Allowable costs are focused on target hardening and physical security enhancements. Funding can be used for the acquisition and installation of security equipment on real property (including buildings and improvements) owned or leased by the nonprofit organization, specifically in prevention of and/or protection against the risk of a terrorist attack. This equipment is limited to select items in the following two categories of items on the Authorized Equipment List (AEL):
- Physical Security Enhancement Equipment (Category 14)
- Inspection and Screening Systems (Category 15)
- Training. Allowable training topics are limited to the protection of critical infrastructure key resources, including physical and cybersecurity, target hardening, and terrorism awareness/employee preparedness including programs such as Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training, Active Shooter training, and emergency first aid training. Training conducted using NSGP funds must address a specific threat and/or vulnerability, as identified in the nonprofit organization’s Investment Justification.
- Planning. Funding may be used for security or emergency planning expenses and the materials required to conduct planning activities. Planning must be related to the protection of the facility and the people within the facility and should include with access and functional needs as well as those with limited English proficiency. Examples of planning activities allowable under this program include:
- Development and enhancement of security plans and protocols;
- Development or further strengthening of security assessments;
- Emergency contingency plans;
- Evacuation/Shelter-in-place plans; and
- Other project planning activities with prior approval from DHS/FEMA.
Deadline. Unknown. It is unlikely that this grant will be offered until there is a federal budget in place.
Application form. Applicants must complete a spreadsheet called an Investment Justification. We assume that the 2019 Investment Justification will be similar to those used in previous years, so applicants thinking of applying for the federal grant should draft their answers using the 2018 form and cut and paste their responses into the 2019 form when it is released.
- Risk/Security/Threat Assessment. The Investment Justification asks for findings from a “previously conducted risk assessment. The most useful risk assessments are from certified, independent security professionals, but police department crime prevention surveys and self assessments are acceptable.
- What are your chances? Last year, 112 nonprofits in the New York area were awarded Nonprofit Security Grant Program grants and approximately twice that number applied.
- Additional assistance. See JCRC-NY’s dedicated webpage at www.jcrcny.org/securitygrants.
Hebrew Free Loan Society bridge loans for security grant recipients
The Hebrew Free Loan Society’s Security Grants Bridge Loan Program provides interest-free loans of up to $150,000 to Jewish Community agencies in any of New York City’s five boroughs, Westchester, or Long Island that have been awarded government grants to fund security improvements. These grants require agencies to pay up front for the work and then to submit receipts for reimbursement, which causes a cash flow problem for some agencies to the point that they are unable to take advantage of the award. HFLS is partnering with UJA-Federation of New York to provide interest-free bridge loan financing to ensure that grant awardees can proceed with the work necessary to increase security and safety for their community. Click here to learn more and here for the application.