Church Civil Defense
Church Emergency Plan Template, Exercises, and Kits
Christian churches and church goers are always under threat of attack, but especially when there are wars in the Middle East. Below is a plan I wrote in 2012 that could help your church prepare for that possibility. Sadly, this is the world we live in.
Thank God Americans are heavily armed and can protect their families, religious leaders, and churches because so many are legally carrying defensive weapons in the pews. Anyone attempting to kill American Christians in church will find that, unlike in say, Israel, the return fire will be massive, deadly, accurate, and rapid.
Here are some other links on this subject on this topic in my poetslife civil defense blog. NOTE: The first link provides an actual church emergency plan template as it was too long to include in one substack post. I also link to two table top exercises you and your church can run to exercise an emergency plan.
https://poetslife.blogspot.com/2019/09/church-emergency-response-plan-example.html
https://poetslife.blogspot.com/2017/05/church-emergency-evacuation-shelter-in.html
https://poetslife.blogspot.com/2018/09/church-tabletop-exercise-one-potential.html
https://poetslife.blogspot.com/2018/09/church-tabletop-exercise-two-category-4.html
Tip: The one item you need to include in your first aid kit is a tourniquet. It will prevent death in the golden hour you have to keep a serious wound causing bleed out and death. Here is a tourniquet that has been used thousands of times successfully toward that end:
In the early 1980's I visited Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) throughout the United States. The best ones were in Texas (they face the most and greatest threats and therefore have to rise to the event) and Utah (the Mormons are survivalists as part of their religion and due to their history ). Otherwise, most Americans were (and are) unprepared for an emergency, a state of affairs still true today. And one of the most unprepared is churches.
In hopes of changing that, here is a template I wrote that you and your church can use to prepare for emergencies. Over a thousand people downloaded this on Knol before that site was taken down, so it must offer something you can use.
I wrote it in an afternoon for my church (St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Poplar Springs, MD) and many parishioners found it useful
In response to your request for beginning a safety and emergency preparedness plan for the church, here are a few ideas. I tried to provide what is useful, practical, and mostly free. This is a process that will take some time. It is an all threats approach (jihadi's, hurricanes, fire, shooting). Hope this is a good beginning.
Personal, Fire and Security Awareness
Take a comprehensive approach to address personal, fire and security situations. Emphasize what is unique about each, but that common strategies for handling them exist. You will need to develop this plan. It should include:
Fire – what to do and how to do it
What to do if a distraught parent shows up (custody battle where, usually, the father is going to kidnap the child)
Sexual predators – how to identify them, how to keep them away
Angry Parishioner out of control
Mentally unbalanced individual
Criminal entering the building – obvious and not so obvious
Weather emergency
Natural Disaster
Jihadi's
Communication
Cell Phone Broadcast Message – Before an event, create a list of the cell phone numbers of all parents. Use this list to do a broadcast email or text message if weather or an emergency warrants it.
Teacher to Teacher – Have teachers in exchange their phone number with the teacher closest to them when they teach.
Staff to Staff – Have staff members exchange their cell phone number with the staff member that is closest to them.
ICE – In Case of Emergency –ICE, is a program that enables first responders, such as paramedics, firefighters, and police officers, to identify victims and contact their next of kin to obtain important medical information. Have staff dial in their emergency contact numbers on their cell phones.
Telephone Contact List – Get cell, home, work numbers and email addresses of all staff and volunteers. Create a one page table with name, cell, home, work number and email. Distribute list to all on it, Father Mike, and other relevant parties.
Emergency Contact List – In addition to 911, add emergency fire, ambulance, and police full numbers to a list for Carroll, Frederick, Howard and Montgomery Counties. One problem when you dial 911 in this area is that you spend valuable time explain what county you are calling from. Then, you get transferred and transferred again. This list will avoid that problem as well as giving the precise number and service to call.
First Aid
Teach Staff, Volunteers, and Coaches First Aid – Have a nurse volunteer teach them, or have the Red Cross teach them during the blood drive.
Distribute Basic First Aid Kits – Place larger first aid kits in the large rooms (church, gym, cafeteria, and library) and smaller first aid kits in each classroom.
Defibrillators – Purchase at least one and place it outside in the vestibule where it can be reached from all areas.
North American Rescue is an excellent source of first aid and medical supplies.
Weather
Critical Weather can notify you of about the weather, but this system will also notify staff of national and regional emergencies. Sign up staff for the Emergency Email and Wireless Network. Get notified of an emergency by email, cell and pager.
Volunteer Mobilization Center
This Volunteer Mobilization Center template is a structure for how to identify, brief and use effective volunteers (skilled construction workers, nurses, doctors) and how to send away ineffective volunteers (those with no skills). This was proven in the response hurricanes in Florida in the 1980’s, and has proven useful ever since.
Emergency Supply Kits
Purchase and distribute a basic emergency supply kits. Many kits are available online. Here is one good source:
https://tacda.org/the-survival-store/
The items listed here are just suggestions. You will have to decide what is necessary, practical and useful for your unique situation. I believe that whistles, water, and food are the most basic and are absolutely necessary. The rest are as money permits.
For the Larger Rooms
Food and Drinking Water
• Pouches of emergency water
• Packs of high-calorie food rations
Emergency Whistle
• Used to attract attention
• Contains a compass and reflection mirror
• Water-tight compartment
Flashlights
• Provides spot-to-flood light
• Can be set on end
• Anodized for corrosion resistance
• Dependable in emergency situations
Emergency Strobe Lights
• Used as a beacon because it is very bright
• Can be spotted through smoke and light debris
Build your own Emergency Supply Kit Contents based on your requirements, but they can include:
• Light and sound generating devices
• Inclement weather/exposure protection
• Respiratory protection
• Movement and relocation supplies
• Communication information
• First-aid and life safety supplies
• Food and drinking water
• Emergency egress supplies
• Escape hoods – for fires
Life Safety Supplies
• CPR barrier
• Latex gloves
• Quick reference CPR guide
• Two containers glucose tablets
• First-aid kit and supplies like metal instruments
Latex Gloves
• Provides protection against body fluids
Emergency Egress Supplies
• Heavy-during gloves
• Safety glasses
• 30-foot of bright orange webbing
• Mini radios
• Batters for flash lights and portable radios
• Collapsible reading glasses
Movement and Relocation Supplies
• Stored in sealable document storage bags
• Multipurpose tools
• Small roll of duct tape
• Map pack
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Barrier
• Mask serves as a protective barrier when administering mouth-to mouth
• One-way valve and directional diaphragm allows no back flow of air
• Consult quick reference CPR guide
Glucose Tablets
• Glucose tables like candy to provide sugar immediately
• Never put them in the mount of someone in shock
For the Smaller Rooms
Food and Drinking Water
• Pouches of emergency water
• Packs of high-calorie food rations
Emergency Whistle
• Used to attract attention
• Contains a compass and reflection mirror
• Water-tight compartment
Emergency Communication Methods
• Non-toxic glow sticks
• Heavy-duty mini-mag light
Continuity of Operations
Store vital documents in a fireproof box.
Store critical computer data on backup hard drives
Keep backup hard drives at a secure location
Give staff a memory stick. Have them keep their on critical data on that memory stick
Special Needs – Seniors, the Disabled, and Young Children
Seniors, disabled people, and young children have special needs, especially in a power failure or disaster. Using common sense, try to plan for and meet their needs. For example, keep backup generators for power failures and diabetic foods ready for diabetics.
Young children also have special needs. NOTE: Keep a few stuffed animals, toys and games around to give them to occupy them in an emergency.
The immediate threat at my church one time was a hurricane. I wrote the email below and the church secretary sent it to all our parish members before it struck. You can create your own email template to have it ready to send when disaster is about to hit your church.
http://www.accuweather.com/blogs/news/story/54158/hurricane-irenes-impacts-on-ea.asp
Real Meteorological Information
Prepare spiritually and physically.
Pray.
Pray always, and if you don't, an earthquake and major hurricane within one week should make you begin.
Here is how you may prepare physically.
Hurricane Irene is forecast to impact the State of Maryland this weekend.
Although there are still uncertainties in the final track of the storm, we urge all residents to begin to prepare now.
Please remember that this is a large and powerful storm and it will not need to pass directly over Carroll County to cause heavy rainfall and high winds.
You can receive up to date information on Hurricane Irene directly from the National Hurricane Center at
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov and your local National Weather Service office at: http://www.erh.noaa.gov/phi/.
Additional information can also be found at.
https://www.facebook.com/notes/cecil-county-department-of-emergency-services/hurricane-irene/266632026697500.
Please consider the following items as you prepare for Irene.
Make sure your family, friends and other important phone numbers are available.
Know where your family, friends and neighbors are in case you need them or they need you.
Have emergency supplies ready BEFORE the storm.
Check your emergency kit. Learn more about what to keep in your kit at http://www.ready.gov
- Ensure that insurance information is current and stored in a safe location.
- Secure any outdoor items.
- Check and clear rain gutters and drains.
- Check the serviceability of sump pumps if your home has one.
- If you must leave your home, do not cross flooded roadways.
- Ensure that you are registered to receive emergency notifications from the Department of Emergency Services at http://www.ccdes.org
Hurricane Irene updated strike path information and situation...
http://www.emergencyemail.org/newsemergency/anmviewer.asp?a=1352&z=1
MEMA Maryland
http://www.mema.state.md.us/MEMA/index.
jsphttp://www.mema.state.md.us/Pages/default.aspx
http://www.vuetoo.com/vue1/SituationPageNews.asp?sit=7565&ref=anm
http://www.accuweather.com/blogs/news/story/54158/hurricane-irenes-impacts-on-ea.asp
If you smell gas or suspect a gas leak:
Leave the area immediately and go to a location where you no longer smell gas, and report the leak by calling 911 (If Fire Rescue is not already on the scene).
In any event: Do Not:
Light matches or smoke. Avoid use of all open flames
Try to locate the source of the gas leak
Use any electrical device, including cellular phone, I-pods etc.
Turn light switches On and Off
Re-enter the building or return to the area until it has been declared safe to do so by Fire Rescue Personnel
As with all my civil defense tactics and tips, use what is useful and disregard the rest.
Praying you have a successful church civil defense plan.