Church Safety Toolkit: A New Resource for Emergency Preparedness
Chicago, IL - Church Safety Toolkit, a non-profit organization based in Chicago, has launched a website to provide exceptional safety and emergency preparedness content to churches and organizations. In the U.S., FBI hate crime statistics show that incidents in churches, synagogues, temples and mosques increased 34.8% between 2014 and 2018. Since the Columbine school shooting on April 20, 1999, there have been 23 fatal church shootings. The deadliest was the 2017 shooting at First Baptist Sutherland Springs in Texas, with 26 deaths including an unborn child. However, a survey conducted in 2018 by Jason Lowe, Director or Missions Pike Association of Southern Baptists showed that:
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5.9% have a written policy regarding weapons on church property.
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2.9% have a budget line item for safety and security needs.
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14.3% of smaller churches have an active Safety & Security Team, while 60.0% of larger churches do.
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57.1% of smaller churches lock their secondary entrances during worship services, while 80.0% of larger churches do.
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57.1% of smaller churches designate members to serve as safety monitors, while 90.0% of larger churches do.
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7.1% of smaller churches have a formal plan in place in the event of an active shooter, while 30.0% of larger churches do.
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None of the smaller churches surveyed provide training on safety and security procedures for children’s workers, while 25.0% of larger churches do.
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Church Safety Toolkit, Inc., offers a variety of services and resources, such as:
- Safety Moment Videos: short videos that cover various safety topics for church ministries, such as greeters, hosts, ushers, guest experience teams, lobby teams, production teams and parking teams.
- Toolkit Tuesday: a monthly online event that features experts and practitioners who share best practices and insights on different aspects of church safety, such as security, evacuation, mental health, armed intruder, de-escalation and more.
- Annual Safety Summit: a one-day conference that brings together church leaders, security professionals, first responders and community partners to network, learn and collaborate on church safety issues.
- Team Training: customized training sessions for church staff and volunteers on how to develop and implement effective safety plans and procedures.
- Plan Development: assistance with creating and updating comprehensive safety plans that address the specific needs and risks of each church.
- Consulting: guidance and advice on any safety-related questions or challenges that churches may face.
Church Safety Toolkit's mission is to equip first-line ministries to support church security teams and educate organizations on emergency preparedness.
The organization was founded by a group of church safety experts who have extensive experience in law enforcement, fire service, emergency management, security and ministry. "Church Safety Toolkit was created for ministries who are the first line of threat identification," said Angelia Hopson, the Executive Director of Church Safety Toolkit. "As church violence continues to increase, it is our desire to equip church ministry teams to support security teams. We want to make a global impact by helping churches and organizations become safer and more resilient."
Church Safety Toolkit is a registered charity and relies on donations and sponsorships to fund its operations and programs. The organization welcomes any support from individuals, churches, businesses and foundations who share its vision and values.
For more information, visit www.churchsafetytoolkit.org or contact info@churchsafetytoolkit.org.