Safety Sabbath 2016 is here! You’ve registered your church to join other Adventist churches across North America who will take part in an important safety drill, conducted on any Sabbath during the month of March. Congratulations! You’ve taken the first step towards a safer church. You’re excited about participating in your chosen drill, and your excitement has rubbed off on the members at your local church.
Now, what?
- Who will be your point-person for the drill?
- Have the local emergency services been notified that your church is conducting a drill?
- Who will help evacuate church members, if needed?
Creating Your Team
Your Crisis Response Team should be made up of church members who will provide leadership during emergencies. Decide who will be in charge of the administrative and medical tasks and ensure that the areas of communication and security are covered.Are multiple persons assigned to each of the team’s four areas? It is not enough to have one person in charge of medical, one person in charge of security and so on. Every position should have a backup. The ideal team will have more than three people in each area. Adjust this number to fit your local church’s particular needs.
Review the responsibilities of each role together to make sure that all needs are taken care of. Here is a suggested list of team members to include in each area.
- Administrative: pastoral staff, ministry leaders, safety officer
- Provides overall leadership
- Contacts local responders
- Communicates necessary information to church members
- Communications: local and conference communication directors
- Communicates with media, external, and internal audiences
- Prepare communication statements for release to the media
- Maintain contact with emergency services
- Handles all media requests
- Medical: nurses, doctors and other medically trained individuals
- Provides immediate medical assistance
- Monitor patient’s vital signs
- Provides reports to paramedics/hospital personnel
- Equipped with medications and supplies
- Security: deacons, deaconesses, law enforcement
- Secures building and nearby premises
- Conducts strategic searches
- Collaborates with local law enforcement
- Has broad knowledge of building
Team Work Makes the Dream Work
When your team is selected and briefed, you can move forward with your selected emergency drill. Your team will help provide organization and safety throughout the drill, allowing for the church congregation to have a very clear idea of what should happen when the alarm sounds.For more information on the crisis response team and conducting your chosen drill, go to SafetySabbath.com!
