The chances of your experiencing a fire, tornado or cyclone, or a terrorist attack on Sunday morning during the service is very small. Nevertheless, one of these calamities could occur. Your best chance for surviving these events is a detailed plan which fits the configuration of your church, the numbers of people who will need assistance, and the resources you can afford fo this planning.

You will find below some suggestions to assist your individualized emergency survival plan. For the purposes of this plan and our philosophy, we are treating children, adults over 70, and people with disabilities as one group.

1. Develop your individualized emergency survival plan as soon as possible.
2. Survey your building carefully. Note probable hazards. Consider ways of surmounting them.
3. enlist outside help if necessary. Your local fire department and American Red Cross are two possible allies.
4. Train the parishioners who will be called on to assist in the evacuation of the building. This list will include your staff, your ushers and greeters, and others in leadership positions. Always include the person or persons responsible for building and grounds maintenance.
5. Purchase any equipment you deem necessary, for example evacuation chairs.
6. Share your plans with the entire congregation. Ask them if they perceive other needs. Try to speak privately with every person who has a disability to gain their input and cooperation.
7. Prepare a document which alerts everyone to the exit route they should take in case of an emergency. This may be several documents depending upon where the parishioners are when the disaster occurs.
8. Choose an appropriate signal which will alert everyone to danger. Make sure all parishioners know what this signal is. You may want to practice from to time just as children in school practice with fire drills.
9. As the leadership of the parish changes, make sure new employees and volunteers become familiar with your emergency planning documents.