The Columbia Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Field Office will hold a Situational Awareness symposium

from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Sept. 22 , at Brookland Baptist Church (1054 Sunset Blvd.)  West Columbia. David A. Thomas, Special Agent in Charge of the  in South Carolina released an advisory, Tuesday.

It states: “In the wake of the recent tragedy in Charleston, the FBI began hosting these symposiums, specifically for houses of worship, throughout South Carolina. The FBI encourages all clergy and layperson leadership from houses of worship in Columbia and surrounding communities to attend this event. The FBI will provide the latest information and share lessons learned in an effort to assist houses of worship and hopefully mitigate these potential emergencies.

“The FBI plans to conduct these symposiums, over the next several months, at several locations throughout the state (Columbia, Charleston, Greenville, Myrtle Beach, and Rock Hill, to name a few). Topics to be covered include: who is an active shooter and pre-incident behavioral indicators; dealing with the national news; supporting victims, including families and the officers involved; crisis management; and use of IEDs by active shooters. Inquiries about attendance should be directed to Ms. Denise M. Taiste, Public Affairs Specialist, Community Relations Unit, at 803.551.4352 or by email at [email protected].”