Your Church Should Be a Safe Haven. Make Sure It Is.

Houses of worship have become targets. That is a painful reality. But a prepared congregation is not a fearful one — it is a protected one.

We work with churches of all sizes and denominations to develop safety plans that honor the open, welcoming spirit of your community while ensuring your congregation, staff, and volunteers are ready for the unexpected. Our approach is sensitive to the culture of faith communities and designed to build confidence, not anxiety.

Security looks and feels different in a church than it does in a corporate office. We design every program accordingly.

What’s Included

• Active threat and intruder response training for staff and volunteers
• Congregation safety and evacuation planning
• Volunteer team development
• CPR and First Aid certification for key staff
• Customized Emergency Action Plan for your facility

Medical

Anytime there is a gathering of people, such as in a church or school, there is a risk of injury; either from a person who has a predisposed medical condition that just happens to exacerbate at that moment, or the very popular boy vs. wall (wall almost always wins).

The best way to deal with either is to have a trained medical team on hand to help the sick or injured at their most needed time.

Most organizations just hope that someone will be nearby when a medical emergency occurs. Instead of hoping that the lady who usually sits in the back on the left (someone said she was once a nurse) is available, make sure your organization is covered with a skilled, trained, scheduled medical team any time there is a scheduled meeting or special event taking place.

These trained professionals come from within your own organization to enable them to be even more caring and responsive to the needs of each other. Many times, in this situation, they are caring for friends, neighbors, or even family. The caregivers of the medical response team are able to provide basic first aid to anyone on the property according to the Good Samaritan Act as BLS providers. As such, no medications are to be distributed by the medical team, other than life-saving medications (such as an EpiPen); in that case, the team member may be called upon to assist the patient in self-medication.

Security

Even if the chances of events are rare, which thankfully they are, we need to be prepared for the more common events like a fall down the steps, child custody issues, and medical emergencies.

The significant visible deterrent to many crimes in schools and churches is a visible Security Team. These teams not only secure the areas they patrol but are also great hosts and informational resources to everyone coming into your building. In the event of any other type of event, it is imperative that there are trained individuals present to deal with whatever happens. It cannot be a hit-or-miss kind of thing. If needed, there needs to be the right trained people in the right place, at the right time.

Church Emergency Consulting is here to help you select, train, and manage a Security Team. This will not be a “rent a guard” situation where some stranger comes in and has no connection to the property or the people on the property. These are members of your organization that have a vested interest in the organization they are securing.

Working hand-in-hand with a skilled and trained Parking Team and Medical Team, the Security team can help make learning, worshiping, and serving a comfortable, peaceful experience.

Parking

When the bell rings and class has concluded, or when the speaker says “you’re dismissed,” do you dread the gridlock that ensues in the church parking lot??

With a highly trained Parking Team, you can decrease the wait time for the trip home, sometimes by half. Not only are you able to get out faster, but the arrival of the masses can be much more pleasant and organized, making for a much better experience for all.

By staffing a volunteer Parking Team from your own people, you can help everyone reach their destination quicker and with a smile and a nod.

This team can also notify greeters and welcome teams of visitors so as to make the first contact much more pleasant for visitors. The goal is to make coming in and going out less frustrating. And maybe, just maybe, you will still be able to get your favorite table at your favorite restaurant when you leave.