The document discusses disaster preparedness for faith-based communities and churches. It emphasizes the importance of churches having emergency action plans to care for congregants during disasters and shelter people if needed. It provides guidance on assessing risks, organizing resources, and ensuring plans account for the needs of all, including those with disabilities. Religious leaders are advised to prepare spiritually to support their flock during times of crisis when faith may be challenged.

1. Disaster Preparedness For The Faith-Based Community

2. The Church Within the faith-based community, along with the community-based organizations and government agencies, Disaster & Immediate Evacuation and its affiliates, through our products and services will train facilitate service coordination, and equip faith communities and their leadership for preparedness, response, and recovery if necessary so the church can focus on healing the congregation in the most critical of time.

3. Planning For A Sustainable Future Think of a church struck by a disaster – tornado, hurricane, fire, earthquake, power-outage, building collapse, or Marshall Law. Think of the scenes of destruction and devastation that have become all to familiar when one of these hazardous situations interrupts our lives. Or, consider church that recognizes its vulnerability before a disaster occurs and has the foresight to plan ahead and take action to reduce the impacts of hazards, including loss of life, possible injury, and damages sustained to our homes, businesses, and neighborhoods. When your church plans for a sustainable future, it encompasses all of these potentialities and ensures that from the Pastor, to the most important asset in the church which is the congregants, are prepared for the worst case scenario.

4. Planning For A sustainable Future These calamities makes us come to terms with the power of nature, and for this reason, because we do not prepare for these things, we become victims of them.

5. A Pro-Active Church A sustainable faith-based community works to maximize the overlap among environmental, economic, social, and religious values. An essential characteristic of a sustainable faith-based community is its resilience to disasters. This process consist of four components. Organizing Resources Assess Risk Develop a mitigation plan Implement the plan and monitor the progress

6. A Pro-Active Church People usually has little or no control over the cause of a disaster. We do, however, have the ability to mitigate its effects through planning, developing practical skills, practicing the plan for efficiency purposes, and partnering up with others ahead of time to maximize optimal results in your Planning. This is what we call; The Cycle of Emergency Management. Preparedness Response Recovery

7. Faith-Based Community Preparedness Disaster & Immediate Evacuation will help train church leadership & personnel through the basic fundamentals of disaster preparedness, and help facilitate an easy transition of continuity planning with other religious leaders and their congregants.

8. Basics for Faith-based Communities After a disaster, the needs of the church will grow and intensify dramatically. Some folk who have neglected their spiritual lives and obligations, will return to their faith, while others will seek meaning for the first time. As a religious leader, responding to these complex issues in a truly meaningful and helpful way requires Knowledge and complete understanding.

9. The Roll of Religious Leaders In Disasters Religious leaders, when confronted with a serious hazardous situation, must bring all seminary wisdom to bare for the continued sanctity of the church. Scores of congregants will be spiritually challenged in terms of their belief during a disaster because of the current danger that they find themselves in at the time. That’s when the leaders of the church must then step in and begin to implement the: “R.E.A.P.” ReligiousEmergency Action Plan, in which it details the whole notion that the “One” who created the universe, and whom has enlightened our Prophets, Disciples, and Shepherds to it’s Providence of Salvation, must now see this doctrine to the bitter end.

10. A Disaster Cycle Emergency management is best described as four phases. Mitigation Preparedness Response Recovery

11. A Community Effort Emergency managers should team up with people in all parts of the community including: Community and religious leaders Government agencies Nonprofits with disaster-specific missions Businesses Social service, community-based, and faith-based organizations Individuals Many church leaders could have roles in all, or, most of the partner sector. Which means they should not wait to the last minute or when there’s an disaster looming. These partnerships should be forged during the planning process. All of these entities should be able to contribute resources when needed.

12. Using Your House Of Worship As A Place Of Refuge Let’s face it, during a hazardous crisis, your church will experience a hardship like you never seen before. In reality, your Sunday service is a glimpse of what can happen if every one has to shelter in place over a stretch of time. The Pastor of the church should at least twice a month, be looking at his or her church from this perspective. That’s why planning and practicing a plan is so important, that to not do this makes you question the integrity of that church. The Shepherd should have the best interest of his or her Flock at heart.

13. Using Your House Of Worship As A Place Of Refuge Mitigation. The action of preventing the severity or intensity of the disaster’s impact on your facility and community. Plan for existing and expanded ministries. If your disaster plan (if any) calls for maintaining ongoing programs, make sure you account for the resources you may need to support them. This is a crucial area for church’s, since it may have to accommodate the very people that it services on any given worship day.

14. Sheltering In Place Taking shelter is critical in times of disasters. Sheltering is appropriate when conditions require that you seek protection in your home, place of employment, or your church. To effectively shelter in a church, you must first consider the hazard, then refer to the church Emergency Action Plan (E.A.P.). Then you can go in to full implementation of your plan.

15. Sheltering In Place There are a number of things that must be considered when using your church for sheltering before, during, and after a hazardous situation. One, sit down with your immediate staff & personnel and develop your E.A.P. Emergency Action Plan, and then designate who is going to do what. Floor plans for the church should also be present during the planning process. All areas must be cleaned and sanitized for potential space use. Depending on the size of your church, this will determine how you will service families according to their size.

16. Sheltering In Place You must also consider what hazard your church is vulnerable to. This will impact your E.A.P. in the most fundamental of ways. Your church should have monthly inspections and drills so actual hazardous situations can be as smooth as possible. Your congregation will feel a little more at ease when they know that their place of worship is organized and confident in the process. There should also be a compartmentalization process in your church where each area of the church should have insurance to cover shelter operations. That’s why floor plans are important in the planning.

17. What Other Programs Use your Building Your house of worship is probably used for many different programs. There are senior programs, daycare, food distribution, and a host of other things that go on during the course of a week. Your church has to be ready for the worst case scenario. The heads of these non-religious programs, should be meeting with the Pastor and his team in the monthly meetings to coordinate all plans in case of a disaster that threatens any of these operations.

18. How Many Small Areas Can Be Used In Your House Of Worship Offices, closets, and storages rooms should be included in the planning. These will prove to be very useful during a disaster. Always keep these areas un-obstructed because they will be needed for immediate use. First-Aid products, food storage, and sanitation will be essential to these rooms. The kitchen is the other important area in the church. Here, size is important because this will determine how many meals can be prepared depending on the congregation size.

19. Handicapped Challenged Individuals Support services will be important for these individuals because some will be blind, deaf, or crippled, whatever the situation, your place must be ready to service them adequately. They are no more vulnerable than the people who do not plan properly for disasters. Everybody is a potential asset or liability. How they respond to your plan will determine the out-come. Make sure the information is readily available and accessible. Also, make sure that challenged individuals are a part of the planning because people like to feel that they are a part of the solution as oppose to the problem.

20. Religious And Spiritual Preparedness Finally, it is vitally important that the Pastor (Shepherd) is ready to lead his or her flock. In a disaster situation, the congregation will be heavily dependent on the leaders of the church more than ever. They will question their religiosity more than ever because faith is an easier proposition when there is nothing to test it. The Pastor has to be ready at all times all the time, because his or her faith will be tested as well. So be proactive instead of reactive and things will be a little more digestible by the congregation. Remember, preparedness is one of the most essential doctrines that the Gospel itself propagates for Mankind’s salvation. Prepare yourself!