Church Safety & Security: Stop Fire Before It Starts

Fire protection begins with fire prevention.  This also means putting up roadblocks for fires that do start.   This is just as important in churches and other places of worship as it is in homes, businesses, schools, and public buildings.  The whole package of fire prevention and fire blocking can be called "fireproofing."

Fireproofing is easier when it’s included in the planning for construction of the church building.  Whenever possible, and practical, use non-combustible materials.  Although not as fashionable, chose metal roof and non-combustible exterior wall coverings because they cost less than materials such as cedar shakes, asphalt tile, and wood or vinyl siding.  Keeping trees away from the building made it easier for attendees to park closer, as well as making it easier to keep the property clean.  Fireproofing measures will help your church survive if there should be a fire in the future.

Other fireproofing of a church building which can be intentionally built in are:

1) Adequate wiring with a capacity well above the expected level of use, Sprinkler systems

2) Kitchen fire suppression system

3) Fire alarm system, in-house and to local fire department

4) Quick-escape doors

5) Safety lighting

6) Corridors and room entrances designed to facilitate evacuation

7) Fire stops where utilities pass through walls, ceilings, and floors

8) Fire doors and fire-resistant walls

9) Planned locations of fire extinguishers

10) Up-to-date and fire-safe heating and cooling system

11) Fire-containment storage for flammable materials

12) Lightning arrester with high-capacity grounding

Any existing church building can be fireproofed.  However, the cost to retro-fit the building, depending on the way it is built, may limit you somewhat in how much you can accomplish.  Fires in older-style church buildings can be extremely difficult to fight, such as the Notre Dame fire in Paris and the fire in a Pittsburgh church on September 9.  So you might want to focus initially on the building’s most vulnerable areas.  The most obvious means of fireproofing an existing church building are to install a sprinkler system and a fire detection system.  Make sure to upgrade existing fire extinguishers and exit signs/lights and emergency lights.

Depending on the previous construction some other fireproofing measures could be:

1) Bring the building into compliance with the local fire code

2) In the furnace room install fire-proof walls, ceilings, and door

3) Upgrade electrical wiring including the panel and breakers

4) Upgrade your heating/cooling system

5) Inspect and repair chimneys

6) Upgrade emergency exits

7) If you have any flammable trees or shrubs such as Spruce, Cedar, or Pine near outside walls remove them  

One key to preventing fires in your church is to set up a regular cleaning and maintenance schedule. Here are a few maintenance tasks that will help minimize the risk of fire:

1) Perform annual maintenance on the heating/cooling system.

2) Repair or replace any damaged light switches and outlets.

3) Inspect kitchen appliances for damage and especially frayed power cords.  Repair or replace as soon as possible.

4) Inspect and test all fire extinguishers and fire alarms annually.

There are things around the church we can do to prevent fires, to keep those that do start from spreading, and to facilitate evacuation and firefighting.  This is not just for the Safety Team, but for everyone who participates in church programs, whether staff or volunteers. Some of these are:

1) Do not let children use candles without supervision by adults, and do not leave burning candles unattended.    

2) Be alert for fire hazards both in the building and on the grounds.

3) Do not overload electric circuits.

4) Keep trash and debris picked up to discourage arson.

5) And keep matches or lighters in a secure location

Only YOU can prevent church fires! 


Be Safe!

Russ Sharrock

I have made available for FREE, to anyone interested, a series of Do-it-Yourself forms that can printed for your use:

1) A Safety & Security Risk Assessment Form.

2) Church Emergency Plan Template

3) A General Fire Safety Checklist

4) A Bomb Threat Checklist

5) A Bomb Threat Distance Chart:  Covers various types of explosive devises to be referred to in an event of a bomb threat evacuation.  These are minimum distances to evacuate away from the area of explosion.

These MS Word documents can be changed as necessary to fit your church size and needs.  I will be adding new forms as time allows.

For a copy of any of these FREE forms, or if you have any questions, you can contact me at:

Integrity Security Consulting

Russ Sharrock

405-762-2471 | integrityseccon@hotmail.com

 

  or message me on my FB account.