Emergency Procedures

[funkStrat_97]

This past Easter Sunday, we had a medical incident at church that got me thinking about emergency procedures.  Now I've been going to church all my little life and I can never recall at any time, an emergency plan ever having been mentioned....at any church.  Sure, there are clearly marked exit signs, but I have no recollection of instruction being given on what to do or where to go once you got out of the building in the even of an emergency evacuation.  This could especially be a potential issue for larger churches where families are not in the same place (ie; children's church, day care, Sunday School classes, etc.).  Having said that, we can be thankful that incidents of this nature have been quite rare (nothing in the headlines recently).

[under13]

Hmmm

[nessalynn77]

Good thought.  Maybe the announcer should tack on a statement... Nah, better yet post signs in the entry area, and bathrooms.  Also a little blurb that flashes on the overhead might be cool, too. 

[lordluvr]

You know, you raise a good point.  I think I'll talk to my pastor about getting training on how to handle certain emergencies. 

[chevonee]

You do raise an excellent point. SOmetimes people think that the church is the last place an emergency may take place but nothing could be further from the truth. I know a lady who fell dead in church. A lot of people said it was just her time to go but I don't know about that. I made it my business to learn CPR because ain't nobody gone die without me having tried to save em. People used to clown on me for learning how to swim until we had someone almost drown on a church trip. It's important for us to trust God but also use the resources that he has made available to EVERYONE! That's just my two and a half cents...

[B3Wannabe]

I've seen two people die in the same church, within a month of each other. No one knew cpr. Everyone just prayed.

:|

[under13]

I've seen two people die in the same church, within a month of each other. No one knew cpr. Everyone just prayed.

:|

wow. Must have been a small church. Not one nurse there?

You do raise an excellent point. SOmetimes people think that the church is the last place an emergency may take place but nothing could be further from the truth. I know a lady who fell dead in church. A lot of people said it was just her time to go but I don't know about that. I made it my business to learn CPR because ain't nobody gone die without me having tried to save em. People used to clown on me for learning how to swim until we had someone almost drown on a church trip. It's important for us to trust God but also use the resources that he has made available to EVERYONE! That's just my two and a half cents...

troof.

This reminds me of the church bus crash where 6 people died because a tire blew out. 8 more were injured. I think they said that the weight was not evenly distributed between the passengers so it was harder for the driver to handle the bus. I'm sure a transportation company would make sure that the tires were good and that the people were seated properly, why wouldnt a church do the same? Is the church above such precautions?

[chevonee]

I've seen two people die in the same church, within a month of each other. No one knew cpr. Everyone just prayed.

:|

See that's the kind of stuff that makes me want to

[LaylaMonroe]

So true. This is a very hard message to get across to small, Black churches (at least it has been in my experience). It's included in all my start-up training, yet people don't respond to it at all. Both the pastors and the people scoff at it or just kinda brush it off.

I remember several months ago, I was in service and just happened to notice the exit signs had been removed from the doors. I asked our facilities mgr what happened and he said that we had never had any. I knew that wasn't true because it was on my checklist and would've been a major red flag for me (I thought it was illegal there as it is in GA, but apparently, it's not). Anyway, it turns out my pastor had removed them bc they were bulky and gaudy.

Administration is a gift. Good administrators make sure that stuff is covered. 

[chevonee]

I think people sometimes take things from one extreme to another. God doesn't want his people to float around singing the Hallelujah chorus. God wants us to have faith but accept the fact that we live in a real world also. He put tools here for us to better ourselves, it's up to us to use them.

[funkStrat_97]

I think people sometimes take things from one extreme to another. God doesn't want his people to float around singing the Hallelujah chorus. God wants us to have faith but accept the fact that we live in a real world also. He put tools here for us to better ourselves, it's up to us to use them.

You have to watch as well as pray.

[chevonee]

You have to watch as well as pray.

Amen

[T-Block]

Wow, this is a nice thread. Never even thought about this topic before. We have exit signs at our church, but usually if there is a big emergency people just run out. Might have to consider some of yall's advice here.

[nessalynn77]

LOL, up until now, an emergency kit at church was a box of tissues, breath mints for working the altar, fall-out sheets, and anointing oil...

[T-Block]

LOL, up until now, an emergency kit at church was a box of tissues, breath mints for working the altar, fall-out sheets, and anointing oil...

WOW, u ain't neva lied there.

[JustBritt]

We had an incident a few years back where one of our Deacons passed out during service. Thankfully, we have a few people who work in the hospital, so they ran to his aid without hesitation. They called the ambulance, everyone in the church started praying, and they carried him out on the stretcher. He eventually popped up. He didn't take his pills, or something like that. IDK.

Another incident which was after church, this chick was just sitting on the inside of the church.  She was cool for a good minute, then al of a sudden she started sweating and stuff. People kept walking by her asking if she was ok. She said yeah, and that she was just hot or something. I know all of this because I was sitting right there the whole time. So, eventually she passed out. She took some pills without eating. 

[BassbyGrace]

Ive seen a few incidents, but they were at a church where 80% were military, so we all knew what to do.  Every church should at least have a fire escape plan that includes evacuation and meeting points for accountability.  Even if its just a simple hand drawn sign by the doors.