A houses of worship security program will be held at the Hudson County Schools of Technology in Secaucus at the end of the month.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
The program, which is intended to provide faith leaders with security resources to keep their communities safe, will be held at the Hudson County Schools of Technology, 1 High Tech Way in Secaucus, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on January 31st.
“As one of the most diverse communities in the country, Hudson County is a melting pot of all races, ethnicities, and religions. Houses of worship should be safe spaces for individuals to freely practice their religion, without any concern for their safety,” Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said in a statement.
“We, along with our state and federal partners, are committed to working with all faith leaders to ensure they have access to resources to keep their congregations safe and prepared in the event of an emergency.”
Speakers at the event will include Suarez, New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness Division Director Thomas Hauck, Randy Parkes of the NJOHSP Training & Exercise Bureau, Ehtasham Chaudhry of the NJOHSP Operations Bureau, FEMA Faith-Based Coordinator Race Hodges, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security Protective Security Advisor Dan Schultz.
Topics to be discussed include active shooter response training, new state legislative emergency planning requirements for houses of worship, and other essential resources available to faith-based organizations.
“The Houses of Worship Security Program is one of many NJOHSP initiatives aimed at ensuring that New Jersey is a safe place to worship,” added NJOHSP Director Laurie Doran.
“It’s a collaborative effort coordinated with our federal, State, county and local partners all to provide faith-based communities with essential information, resources and contacts.”
All Hudson County religious leaders, security coordinators, and congregations of all faiths and denominations are invited to attend. Participants are asked to RSVP online here.
