Security & Emergency Information « Jewish Community Relations Council

High Holidays planning: Using the “Mass Gatherings” template

Posted on August 15, 2018

A recent DHS publication, Mass Gatherings: Security Awareness for Soft Targets and Crowded Places, can be a great template for your security planning process. Virtually every suggestion in the document can be applied to your High Holiday security planning process, as well as other special events.

Your services are usually associated with larger than normal crowds and could be an attractive target for terrorism and other crimes. By connecting with local authorities, developing plans to identify issues and support incident response, training staff and volunteers, and reporting concerns to emergency authorities, many incidents may be mitigated or avoided.

Organizations should “Connect, Plan, Train, and Report”. Applying these four steps in advance of an incident or attack can help better prepare our institutions and and their employees to proactively think about the role they play in the safety and security of their businesses and communities.

Download the document here and our library of resources here.

May 5779 be a year of peace and security; what you can do to help

Posted on August 09, 2018

Rosh Chodesh Elul includes clarion calls indicating that the High Holidays are coming soon. So, now is a good time to check out a recent presentation on synagogue security or to take a deeper dive into the library of documents available on the JCRC-NY Security Resources pages. Here are some relevant selections:

High Holiday Security and Emergency Preparedness Planning Library

Topical guidance

Are you prepared? 5 steps to make your facility safer and more secure
Sample Building Access Policies & Procedures (PDF)
Bomb Threat Guidance resources. See also Hoax threats can be scary, too, To evacuate or not to evacuate? That is the question., DHS’ Introduction to Bomb Threat Management, Manhattan bomb threat: lessons learned, Bomb threat training video.
Active Shooter Resources Page (DHS, FBI and NYPD)
Cybersecurity Resources Page
US Postal Inspection Service Guide to Mail Center Security (PDF)

Vulnerability, Risk and Safety Assessments and Planning

FEMA: Reference Manual to Mitigate Potential Terrorist Attacks Against Buildings
FEMA, Emergency Operations Planning
DHS:
- Potential Indicators, Common Vulnerabilities, and Protective Measures: Religious Facilities (Updated)
- Hometown Security Report Series: Houses of Worship
- K-12 School Security: A Guide for Preventing and Protecting against Gun Violence (2^nd ed., 2018) provides preventive and protective measures to address the threat of gun violence in schools. The Guide is delivered in two parts: the first portion is a PDF with general security best practices and considerations in narrative format; while the second portion is a Microsoft Excel-based security survey. Together, these documents outline action-oriented security practices and options for consideration based on the results of the individual school’s responses to the survey. While the primary audience for the Guide is the K-12 community, institutions of higher education or pre-K schools may also benefit from the information presented.
NYPD: Engineering Security: Protective Design for High Risk Buildings
OSHA: Evacuation Plans and Procedures eTool. This expert system will help you to create a basic Emergency Action Plan. This basic plan likely will be adequate for needs of many small and medium-sized entities. Most small and medium-sized entities can create basic plans using this system in 10 to 15 minutes. Larger, more complex organizations will require more work.
Practical Information on Crisis Planning: A Guide for Schools and Communities. U.S. Department of Education, Office of Drug Free and Safe Schools. Taking action now can save lives, prevent injury, and minimize property damage in the moments of a crisis. The importance of reviewing and revising school and district plans cannot be underscored enough, and Practical Information on Crisis Planning: A Guide for Schools and Communities is designed to help you navigate this process. The Guide is intended to give schools, districts, and communities the critical concepts and components of good crisis planning, stimulate thinking about the crisis preparedness process, and provide examples of promising practices.
Emergency Preparedness Planning Guide for Childcare Centers. From the Illinois Emergency Medical Services for Children (a collaborative program between the Illinois Department of Public Health and Loyola University Chicago). Lots of ideas to keep toddlers safe.
Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance Center, U.S. Department of Education
REMS: Conducting a Safety Audit
California STAS: Protective Measures for Enhanced Facilities Security
New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness Critical Infrastructure Protection Bureau: Facility Self-Assessment Tool (updated) and other tools here.

Posted in Active shooter, Anti-Semitism, Bomb, Computer Malware, Cybersecurity, Halachah/Preparedness, High Holidays, Jewish cybercrime hackers, Jewish Security, Nonprofit Security, School security, Suspicious Packages, Synagogue Security, Terrorism

K-12 School Security Guide (2nd Edition) and School Security Survey

Posted on August 08, 2018

K-12 School Security: A Guide for Preventing and Protecting against Gun Violence (2^nd ed., 2018) provides preventive (i.e., spotting potentially problematic individuals) and protective measures (i.e., policies and procedures) to address the threat of gun violence in schools.

The Guide is delivered in two parts:

a PDF with general security best practices and considerations in narrative format;
a Microsoft Excel-based security survey.

Together, these documents outline action-oriented security practices and options for consideration based on the results of the individual school’s responses to the survey. While the primary audience for the Guide is the K-12 community, houses of worship, nonprofits, camps, institutions of higher education or pre-K schools may also benefit from the information presented.

Document	Size
K-12 School Security Guide 2nd Ed. (2018)	1.22 MB
K-12 School Security Survey (2018)	3.31 MB

Posted in Active shooter, Nonprofit Security, School security, Schools

Active Shooter Resources

Posted on August 08, 2018

Increase in Active Shooter Incidents in 2017

The volume of active shooter incidents in the United States and the corresponding number of individuals killed and wounded in these incidents increased in 2017, furthering a trend in which the number of victims has grown each year since 2013. Active shooter incidents — which are attempts to kill people using firearms in populated areas — have occurred across all geographic regions with no identifiable patterns, according to FBI data from 2012 to 2017. The totals for 2017 are higher than each of the previous five years, but given that this data is preliminary because some shootings from 2017 remain under investigation, the final totals may be higher.

On average, each active shooter displayed 4 to 5 concerning behaviors over time that were observable to others around the shooter. The most frequently occurring concerning behaviors were related to the active shooter’s mental health, problematic interpersonal interactions, and leakage of violent intent.
In 2017, 29 active shooter incidents occurred in 15 states, which was an increase from 20 incidents in each of the previous years since 2014, according to FBI data. The October shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada-which resulted in 58 deaths and 489 injuries and the November shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas-which resulted in 26 deaths and 20 injuries-largely accounted for the rise in active shooting victims in 2017.
Between 2012 and 2016, 150 firearms were recovered from the 98 active shooter incidents. The firearms included 92 handguns, 37 rifles, and 21 shotguns. Many of the shootings were premediated, with planning timelines varying from days to weeks or months, according to FBI data. Numbers for 2017 are not yet available.
Males between the ages of 20 and 29 were responsible for most active shooter incidents between 2012 and 2017, according to FBI data; only three of the 130 shooters were female.

Planning and training tools

Active Shooter Attacks: Security Awareness for Soft Targets and Crowded Places. This short (two page) DHS document focuses on how people should be alert to signs of trouble and what people should do in the event of an attack (run, hide, fight). It can be used as a handout for training.
K-12 School Security: A Guide for Preventing and Protecting against Gun Violence (2^nd ed., 2018) provides preventive and protective measures to address the threat of gun violence in schools. The Guide is delivered in two parts: the first portion is a PDF with general security best practices and considerations in narrative format; while the second portion is a Microsoft Excel-based security survey. Together, these documents outline action-oriented security practices and options for consideration based on the results of the individual school’s responses to the survey. While the primary audience for the Guide is the K-12 community, institutions of higher education or pre-K schools may also benefit from the information presented.
NYPD Active Shooter:
- Recommendations and analysis for risk mitigation.
- Flyer. Good resource for distribution, especially as a training supplement and takeaway.
DHS Active Shooter Video: “Options for Consideration“
Houston, TX Active Shooter Video: “Run, Hide, Fight“
NY DHSES Video: 480 Seconds – Surviving an Active Shooter Incident
Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department: Active Shooter School Safety Considerations. Some solid suggestions for schools developing and/or refining active shooter plans. See the suggestions on what should be included in a “crisis response box.”
Best Practice Considerations for Schools in Active Shooter and Other Armed Assailant Drills, National Association of School Psychologists, 2014, was developed by school psychologists and resource officers to provide this guidance on armed assailant training. Download the Questions to Ask for Armed Assailant Drills Factsheet (2018)
Those Terrible First Few Minutes:Revisiting Active-Shooter Protocols for Schools, FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, September 1, 2010, Michael E. Buerger, Ph.D., and Geoffrey E. Buerger, Ph.D. The authors address the interval between the first contact with an armed intruder and the arrival of help arguing that planning is both possible and critical.
Active Shooter Emergency Action Plan Development Guide and Template, NJ Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness. Security and emergency preparedness at work, at home and in the community is everyone’s responsibility. Response efforts require a coordinated approach that can best be achieved through prevention, protection, response and recovery efforts. Preparedness plans require a coordinated effort among management, workers and local emergency first responders. This guide offers assistance in determining the information needed for the development of a facility Active Shooter Emergency Action Plan. This should be part of a larger facility Continuity of Operations Plan.

Background and research

A Study of Pre-attack Behaviors of Active Shooters in the United States Between 2000 and 2013. FBI behaviorists believe that there is cause for hope because there is something that can be done. In the weeks and months before an attack, many active shooters engage in behaviors that may signal impending violence. While some of these behaviors are intentionally concealed, others are observable and — if recognized and reported — may lead to a disruption prior to an attack. Unfortunately, well-meaning bystanders (often friends and family members of the active shooter) may struggle to appropriately categorize the observed behavior as malevolent. They may even resist taking action to report for fear of erroneously labeling a friend or family member as a potential killer. Once reported to law enforcement, those in authority may also struggle to decide how best to assess and intervene, particularly if no crime has yet been committed.
Active Shooter Incidents in the United States in 2016 and 2017, The FBI designated 50 shootings in 2016 and 2017 as active shooter incidents (20 incidents occurred in 2016, while 30 incidents occurred in 2017). All 50 FBI active shooter-designated incidents during the 2016-2017 time frame were single-shooter events, and all shooters were male. Casualty numbers were dramatically higher due to three incidents: the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada; the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida; and the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. As in previous years, the shooters’ ages spanned decades: from 14 to 66. No active shooter incidents took place at institutions of higher education or on military property in 2016 or 2017.
Preventing Violent Extremism in Schools. Office of Partner Engagement, FBI, 2016. High school students are ideal targets for recruitment by violent extremists seeking support for their radical ideologies, foreign fighter networks, or conducting acts of targeted violence within our borders. High schools must remain vigilant in educating their students about catalysts that drive violent extremism and the potential consequences of embracing extremist beliefs.

See an overview here, the full DHS webpage here and click here for the NYPD recommedations.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) aims to enhance preparedness through a ”whole community” approach by providing training, products, and resources to a broad range of stakeholders on issues such as active shooter awareness, incident response, and workplace violence. In many cases, there is no pattern or method to the selection of victims by an active shooter, and these situations are by their very nature are unpredictable and evolve quickly. DHS offers free courses, materials, and workshops to better prepare you to deal with an active shooter situation and to raise awareness of behaviors that represent pre-incident indicators and characteristics of active shooters.

On this page:

Active Shooter: What Can You Do Course
Active Shooter Webinar
Active Shooter Workshop Series
Active Shooter: How to Respond Resource Materials
Options for Consideration Active Shooter Training Video
U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Active Shooter Related Research
Active Shooter Resources for Law Enforcement and Trainers: Request for Access to Joint Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Portal

Active Shooter: What You Can Do Course

DHS has developed an Independent Study Course titled Active Shooter: What You Can Do. This course was developed to provide the public with guidance on how to prepare for and respond to active shooter crisis situations.

Upon completion of Active Shooter: What You Can Do, employees and managers will be able to:

Describe the actions to take when confronted with an active shooter and to assist responding law enforcement officials;
Recognize potential workplace violence indicators;
Describe actions to take to prevent and prepare for potential active shooter incidents; and
Describe how to manage the consequences of an active shooter incident.

The online training is available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency Emergency Management Institute.

Active Shooter Webinar

A 90-minute Webinar can help the private and public sector understand the importance of developing an emergency response plan and the need to train employees on how to respond if confronted with an active shooter. The presentation describes the three types of active shooters–workplace/school, criminal, and ideological–and how their planning cycles and behaviors differ.

Active Shooter Workshop Series

Active Shooter workshops have already taken place in a number of U.S. cities and will continue to be held in a number of locations in the future. These scenario-based workshops feature facilitated discussions to engage private sector professionals and law enforcement representatives from Federal, State, and local agencies to learn how to prepare for, and respond to, an active shooter situation. Through the course of the exercise, participants evaluate current response concepts, plans, and capabilities for coordinated responses to active shooter incidents.

If you are interested in future workshops, please contact ASworkshop@hq.dhs.gov.

Active Shooter: How to Respond Resource Materials

DHS has developed a series of materials to assist businesses, government offices, and schools in preparing for and responding to an active shooter. These products include a desk reference guide, a reference poster, and a pocket-size reference card.

Issues covered in the active shooter materials include the following:

Profile of an active shooter;
Responding to an active shooter or other workplace violence situation;
Training for an active shooter situation and creating an emergency action plan; and
Tips for recognizing signs of potential workplace violence.

Available Materials

Active Shooter Booklet
Active Shooter Poster
Active Shooter Poster (Spanish)
Active Shooter Pocket Card
Active Shooter Pocket Card (Spanish)
Best Practice Considerations for Schools in Active Shooter and Other Armed Assailant Drills was developed by school psychologists and resource officers to provide this guidance on armed assailant training.

Options for Consideration Active Shooter Training Video

Options for Consideration demonstrates possible actions to take if confronted with a active shooter scenario. The instructive video reviews the choices of evacuating, hiding, or, as an option of last resort, challenging the shooter. The video also shows how to assist authorities once law enforcement enters the scene.

Posted in Active shooter, Jewish Security

Could you be the next victim? How the Russians hacked us.

Posted on July 16, 2018

Phishing has been in the news lately. The latest indictment from the Special Counsel’s Office (i.e., Mueller) shows that it’s easy to become a victim (see the screenshot below and click on it for more info). The attack was both sophisticated and surprisingly simple.

Government sources report that phishing attacks are up. You don’t have to be the target of sophisticated government cyber-warriors. Too many bad actors know the tricks of the trade and they can hijack your identity, your data and/or plant ransomware on your computer.

We’ve collected tips from various sources to help you to identify potentially-dangerous phishing emails. Just click on How to spot phishing like a pro. The document has several examples and is in PDF format so that you can download it and distribute it widely.

Remember to practice the basics:

Don’t click on links that you don’t recognize.
Use strong passwords.
Install anti-virus/anti-malware protection and keep the definitions up to date.
Install security updates for the software on your computer as they are released.

For more information, tips and resources see our dedicated webpage: www.jcrcny.org/cybersecurity.

Posted in Computer Malware, Cybercrime, Cybersecurity

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