I hope you had a terrific 4th of July.
Many Cities and Municipalaties in Texas cancelled fireworks
cellebrations this year because of high fire hazzard conditions. In
the last week we have seen wildfires wreak havic on Colorado and
Montana, as well as flooding caused by tropical storm Debby do damage in
Florida.
Disasters can strike at any time. That
is why it is important that we be ready. Last week was part one in a
three part series on making a disaster plan for your church. We covered appointing a disaster coordinator, contingency plans and contacting
your Members
Do not fear, for I am with you, do
not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help
you, I will uphold you with My victorious right hand. Isaiah
41:10
Today we are looking at the next three
points of a Disaster Plan.
- Create an Evacuation Plan
- Survey your building and determine the safest place for people to go if they are caught in your facilities in a storm. The best location will be an interior room on the lowest floor of your facilities. If you do not have an interior room, choose one with know windows.
- Post clear directions on what to do and were to go in case of a severe storm/ tornado warning.
- Develope an evacuation plan in case of fire. Have fire drills so your congregation is familiar with the plan.
- Have a battery-operated radio (perferably a weather radio) and flashlight in an accessible area. If a church activety is going on during a severe storm or tornado watch, have someone monitor the weather.
- Post Emergency Numbers by Each Phone
- if you don't have 911 in your area), poison controll, the Chairman of the Board of Trusties or Properties, The Pastor, and your insurance provider.
- Protect Your Church Records
- Put your inportant records in a fireproof safe or file cabinet. Do not keep money in this location. Ensure the safe is large enough to hold the kind of files you use to keep records
- Use a safe deposit box to store important records that are seldom used such as deeds,insurance documents, and mortgage documents.
- If the church keeps financial records and/or other vital church records, back up the data and store it off site in a safe place or store a backup on a reputable online back up system.
These steps are a vital part of a disaster plan for your church. Next
time we will look at steps to protect your facilities.
