Getting Out While the Getting Is Good

Safety Positioning (Evacuation and Sheltering)

The topic of this article is dealt with in the Safety Member Certification training modules "Storms and Disasters", "Arson and Fire Safety", and "Active Shooter Response," as well as the related Church Security Guide articles, "Fire Safety in the Church", "Preparing Your Church for Natural Disasters", and "Church Safety Teams and Active Shooter Training".[1][2][3][4][5].

From the Bible –

For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy (Psalm 61:3).

The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble (Psalm 9:9).

I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest (Psalm 55:8).

Introduction

There are several situations when safety positioning is a critical priority. This is assuring that people are in safe places. There are two basic divisions of safety positioning, evacuation and sheltering. The choice and kind of safety positioning depends on the situation. We need to know what the best choice is, and we need to be prepared.

In the News -

These stories feature evacuating and sheltering for several reasons:

Wildfires,

Southern California, January 8, 2025 - Several churches and church-operated schools were evacuated before they were destroyed or damaged by the Southern California wildfires.[6].

Fire or Smoke,

Conway, South Carolina, March 22, 2019 - The First Baptist Church in Conway and its daycare center were evacuated because of smoke. The source of the smoke was an electrical equipment room, but there was no actual fire. At the least, the evacuation was for the health of staff and children.[7].

Tornado,

Mayfield, Kentucky, December 10, 2021 - Four downtown churches in Mayfield were damaged to various degrees by the tornado that roared through the center of town on its 223-mile run. Two of the downtown churches were occupied at the time. In the Methodist church, the pastor and his wife sheltered in a closet while the tornado took down all the outside walls except for the front façade. The pastor of the First Baptist Church, a staff member, and their wives were in the church. They took refuge in a tunnel between the church and the educational unit on the other side of the street. All six persons in the two churches were safe.[8][9].

Flooding,

Pikeville, Kentucky, February 15-17, 2025 - The Immanuel Baptist Church in Pikeville was not exempt from the weekend flooding that ravaged Eastern Kentucky. The pastor's residence and the church's fellowship hall were flooded. Fortunately, services had been cancelled, a case of preemptive evacuation to keep everyone safe.[10].

Structural Failure,

Adams County, Pennsylvania, February 28, 2024 - A church-operated daycare center in Adams County was evacuated when a part of the ceiling began to fall. Children and staff were safe.[11].

Active Killer,

Houston, Texas, April 9, 2025 - The fatal shooting of a man in a car near Texas Southern University prompted a lockdown of the school and other entities in the area. The lockdown was later lifted when it was determined that the shooter was no longer in the area.[12].

Planning for the Unplanned -

Unplanned events (unplanned by us, that is) can disrupt business-as-usual. Some of these events require getting people out of the way and into a safe place for their own protection (Safety Positioning). The safe place may be outside or inside the building, depending on the nature of the threat, calling for either sheltering or evacuation.

Whether a situation calls for evacuation or sheltering, we should plan and prepare for it.

Types of Safety Positioning -

There are two basic types of safety positioning: evacuation and sheltering. Within each are subtypes:

• Evacuation _
• From the Building,
• From the Area,
• Pre-emptive Evacuation (canceling, postponing, or re-locating events).
• Sheltering _
• Lockdown,
• Shelter in Place,
• Designated Shelter.

Evacuation:

The most likely causes for evacuation are:

• Fire,
• Wildfire,
• Active killer (preferred when possible),
• Flooding,
• Landslide,
• Structural failure,
• Earthquake (when feasible).

From the Building,

First of all, plan the evacuation routes and exits for each evacuation cause. For instance, in case of a fire, have people avoid the fire on their way out.

Then designate a reunification area:

• This should be far enough from the building to be safe from fire.
• For an active shooter, it should provide concealment and/or cover from gunfire.
• In case of a bomb threat, it should provide blast cover.

In all cases, the reunification area should not be in the way of emergency personnel (firefighters, law enforcement, medical responders, search-and-rescue team).

From the Area,

When getting people out of the building and off the grounds, direct them to places of known safety. The location will depend on the kind and location of the threat.

• Obviously, for flooding this would be high ground.
• In case of a hazardous materials incident, this would be out of the "cone of contamination" (where the hazardous material will most likely spread).
• If there is an incident with a likely explosion (such as a rail derailment) any direction as long as it's far enough away.

Pre-emptive,

There are times when we have warnings or are made aware of impending threats to the safety of the church's area or hazardous conditions for traveling to church. Use mass notifications to keep people away. The service, class, or event can be cancelled, postponed, or relocated.

Sheltering:

Two types of sheltering are sheltering-in-place and going to a designated shelter. Sheltering in place may be the best option if there is not enough time to safely go to a designated shelter or to evacuate the premises.

• The Causes for Sheltering in Place are -
• Active Killer,
• Hazardous Materials,
• Possible explosion expected (other than a bomb threat, when evacuation is best),
• Severe weather - esp. tornado (when they can't get to designated shelter),
• Earthquake (shelter under protective items).
• The Causes for Designated Shelter (preferred option) are -
• Tornado,
• Possible explosion expected,
• Hazardous materials,
• Wildfire (if the church is fire resistant and there's not enough time to evacuate the area).

Shelter in Place,

Shelter-in-Place is usually understood as making your current location a shelter from the threat.

Active Killer (Lockdown),

If there is an active killer in (or almost in) the church, the common defense for most locations in the building is a lockdown. Securely lock the door. Barricade it if you can. Keep everyone out of sight from windows. Remain there until responding law enforcement officers announce an all-clear.

For locations in the church that cannot be locked (such as the sanctuary), the choice should be to evacuate the room to either outside the building or a securable area inside (see "Providing for Safety Positioning" below).

Hazardous Materials,

If a room is properly situated and supplied, it can be made into a shelter from a hazardous materials threat. See "Providing for Safety Positioning" below.

Possible explosion expected,

Find and use features or contents of the room for blast protection. One example is turning a table onto its long side with the top facing the expected direction of the blast. If next to a bookshelf which is in the path of a blast, or the like, get under a table, desk, or chair in case it falls.

If there is an explosion, be ready to evacuate in case of a resulting fire.

Severe weather (when can't get to designated shelter),

A designated shelter is usually the best option for a severe weather threat, such as a tornado. But if there is not enough time to get to the designated shelter, then shelter in place where you are. Get away from windows. Sit on the floor against a wall. Put your head down between your knees (if you can), and cover your head with your hands.

Earthquake (most likely means),

The best first option for an earthquake is to shelter where you are. If these items are available, get under tables, chairs, pews, benches, anything that will cover you from things that fall, such as items on shelves, bookcases, chandeliers, ceilings, walls, etc. When the shaking stops, get out of there, evacuate! You're better off outside. However, if something does fall over you, you may be pinned, waiting for rescue. If you are covered, then you have a better chance of not being seriously injured.

Designated Shelter,

Every building should have a place which can be designated as a shelter. In most of the country, this would be a tornado shelter. It's a good idea to make it also a shelter for other possible threats.

Tornado,

Since the signature of a strike by a tornado EF2 or higher is serious structural damage, a tornado shelter should be more likely to survive a twister. Ideally this would be in the basement or in an interior room. Listen for tornado watches and warnings as well as tornado sirens. You need to know soon enough to get everyone to shelter.

Possible explosion expected (preferred),

There are some situations with a strong possibility of an explosion, for example, a tanker truck hauling volatile fuel wrecks on the road near the church, or a nearby train wreck with explosive cargo. The designated shelter should be on the side of the church away from the road, at least not next to an outside wall on that side. A well-planned tornado shelter may be used as a blast shelter.

Hazardous materials (preferred),

If there are likely locations of a hazardous materials incident close enough to the church to be considered a threat, then a shelter should be readied to meet that threat. Considering the requirements for sheltering from a hazardous materials incident, use a small place that can still hold the expected number of persons. The fewer the windows, the better - ideally no windows. For this reason, a tornado shelter is preferred if it is above ground.

Wildfire (conditional),

It is natural for many of us to expect wildfires in California and other southwestern states. Really, wildfires are possible in most areas of the county, especially in dry weather, even in the Pacific Northwest coastal rainforests. For example, recent years have seen serious wildfires in Tennessee, Minnesota, the Carolinas, and Florida.

The prime response to a wildfire is evacuation. In fact, authorities do order evacuation when a wildfire threatens populated areas. But what if the fire is too close and moves too fast to evacuate, especially when the evacuation route is cut off? In 2016 and 2018 there were at least two church buildings that survived wildfires. In the 2018 case, almost 3 dozen people could not get out of town and found refuge in a church.

The Smokey Mountains wildfire that infringed on Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and Sevierville destroyed some churches, but there were a few that survived [13]. On the other side of the country, a fire-resistant church sheltered 35 people safely while Magalia, California burned [14].

Planning for Safety Positioning -

Successful safety positioning requires planning. The bigger the church, the truer this is. There are a few critical considerations in planning:

• Likely threats,
• Evacuation plans,
• Sheltering in place,
• Designated shelters.

Likely threats,

This is a job for the Risk Assessment Team. Have them consider the group of likely threats that will require safety positioning, whether by evacuation, pre-emptive evacuation, sheltering in place, or designated shelter. This will take into account the levels of weather and geological risks particular to the church's location as well as human risks and the grounds and facilities of the church.

Evacuation plans,

On a floor plan of the church, map evacuation routes to exits. Plan the shortest route to an exit for each location in the church. The exception for this would be to not have too many persons using one exit, so consider how many people will be in each room when filled to capacity. This means that the worship center and the fellowship hall should each have several exits.

Plan alternative routes for fire evacuation. If one route is blocked by the fire, there would be another available route.

Next, select the re-unification area. Factors in selection will be

• Safety from the threat,
• Accessibility, and
• Clearance for emergency services.

Sheltering in place,

Decide how to make rooms in the church suitable for sheltering in place. For severe weather this means features and furnishings that can be readily used as cover for falling objects. For likely blasts, this is similar with the additional consideration of lateral impact, such as tables and benches that can be turned on their sides as shields. One suggestion is extra folding tables that can be easily stored and quickly set up. As a bonus, these will be available for activities.

Designated shelters,

With enough warning time, people can be moved to designated shelters. The prime example is a tornado shelter. It is on the first floor or in the basement. It has short ceiling spans with sturdy beams and walls, such as a hallway or narrow classroom with no windows. The door should open inward. That way it can still be opened if there is debris against it. The tornado shelter can also be a blast shelter.

If hazardous materials incidents are a reasonably possible threat, you can supply the tornado shelter for conversion to a hazardous materials shelter - that is if it is above ground. Most hazardous materials are heavier than air. If the tornado shelter is in the basement, use an above-ground room.

First of all, the space for sheltering from hazardous materials can be much larger than a tornado shelter. The object in safety from toxic materials is to keep them out, in other words to seal the space. All windows and doors should be closed, heating and cooling systems turned off, all vents to hallways and other rooms sealed.

Providing for Safety Positioning -

Preparing for safety positioning is not always a cheap shot. There are material things to be provided, building changes to be made.

For Evacuations and Reunification Areas,

Here's a list of provisions for evacuations:

• Evacuation instructions for each room,
• Emergency lights (in case the power is out),
• Exit lights and evacuation direction signs,
• Horns with strobe lights for fire alarms,
• Halls and doors wide enough for the expected number of people evacuating,
• Signage to identify reunification areas,
• Barrier at the reunification area, such as a brick or stone wall, to provide cover from active shooters or blasts.

For a Lockdown,

There are some items needed to successfully lock down rooms:

• Obviously, lockable doors:
• A door that cannot be easily broken (not lanai),
• Sturdy door casing -
• Screwed into the studs,
• Lock not easily jimmied (as with a card) [15],
• Can be quickly shut and locked,
• Recommended is the Gotega Door Stopper. The door latch can be left locked. All that needs to be done to lock down the room is to kick down the lever. The door jammer comes down. Close the door and it's locked [16].
• Secure windows:
• Locks,
• Safety glass to make it shatter-proof,
• Secure window casings.

For Fire Resistance,

The best time to make a church building resistant to wildfires is when building it. However, some changes may be made to an existing structure and the grounds. In lessons learned from incidents, here are a few suggestions:

• Use fire-resistant materials on the exterior, including the roof.
• Have fine screens on all vents to keep flying embers out.
• Also enable emergency closing of all vents.
• Don't plant shrubbery and trees next to the building.
• Use less flammable trees and shrubbery in the landscaping. This means no oily plants.
• Multi-pane windows to better withstand heat.

For Tornado and Blast Shelters,

The primary criterion for tornado shelters and blast shelters is withstanding damaging physical forces that can tear buildings apart. This takes into consideration that if a tornado hits the church, the shelter might be all that's left. Also, people may have to remain in the shelter awhile. So how do we ready the shelter?

• Have short ceiling spans, no more than double the width of an average hallway.
• Have sturdy walls.
• Have the door open inward. If it is blocked by debris, it can be opened. Then maybe the people inside can move enough of the debris to get out. If they can't remove debris, at least this will allow fresh air to get in, and they can call for help, attracting the attention of rescuers.
• Have enough seating (folding chairs) for all or most of the people in the shelter.
• Have bottled water on hand.
• Have ready-to-eat foods on hand.
• Have sanitary facilities and means to wash/cleanse/sanitize.
• Have medical response supplies.

For Hazardous Materials Shelters,

When people shelter from hazardous materials, the first consideration is keeping the toxic matter out. This raises the question of how long they'll be there. What do we need?

• Plastic sheeting and sealing tape. This is to seal all openings. Have enough on hand. This is no time to run to the store.
• Have a step ladder for reaching the highest points when putting up the sheeting.
• Have battery-powered lights in case the power goes out.
• Have enough provisions and sanitation supplies in case people have to shelter for days.
• Have mobile phones. Let authorities know where you are and how many people are in the shelter.

Practicing Safety Positioning -

We need to know what to do in an emergency. The first question is, "Do we evacuate or shelter?" Answering this question is easier when we have practiced it. Train the team for each type of situation that requires safety positioning. Then conduct drills for each. Drill for the likely situations in your area.

• Fire Drill,
• Active Shooter Drill,
• Tornado Drill,
• Bomb Threat Drill,
• Hazard Materials Drill,
• Earthquake Drill,
• Wildfire Drill.

Training Note -

See that all your Safety Team members have been trained and certified through the Sheepdog Church Security course Safety Member Certification with its eight training modules [1]:

1. Safety Team Fundamentals
2. Active Shooter Response
3. Deescalating Disruptive Persons
4. Protecting Children from Abuse
5. Basic Use of Force Laws
6. Arson and Fire Safety
7. Storms and Disasters
8. Mass Trauma Emergencies

Free Download -

Our free download this week is "Broaden Your Readiness Guide."

Download the Broaden Your Readiness Guide to expand your church safety preparedness. Learn step-by-step plans for fire evacuations, medical crises, and severe weather scenarios to ensure your team is ready for any emergency.

Click *HERE* to get it [17].

Conclusion -

There may be a time when you think, "We have to get out of here!" Will you evacuate or go to shelter? Are you ready?

References -

1. Kris Moloney, Safety Member Certification, Sheepdog Church Security, © 2020 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/bundles/safety-member-certification].
2. Kris, Moloney, Church Security Guide, Sheepdog Church Security, 2018 [https://sheepdogchurchsecurity.net/church-security-guide/] and [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?c=church-security-guide].
3. Kris, Moloney, "Fire Safety in the Church," Church Security Guide, Sheepdog Church Security, 2018 and 2023 [https://sheepdogchurchsecurity.net/fire-safety-and-evacuations] and [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?p=fire-safety-in-the-church].
4. Kris, Moloney, "Preparing Your Church for Natural Disasters," Church Security Guide, Sheepdog Church Security, 2018 and 2023 [https://sheepdogchurchsecurity.net/severe-weather-preparedness] and [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?p=preparing-your-church-for-natural-disasters].
5. Kris, Moloney, "Church Safety Teams and Active Shooter Training," Church Security Guide, Sheepdog Church Security, 2018 and 2023 [https://sheepdogchurchsecurity.net/active-shooter] and [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?p=church-safety-active-killer-response-strategies].
6. David Paulsen, "Episcopal church, 2 rectories destroyed by deadly fast-moving wildfires raging in Southern California," Episcopal News Service, January 8, 2025 [https://episcopalnewsservice.org/2025/01/08/fast-moving-wildfires-threaten-communities-force-evacuations-in-southern-california/].
7. Elizabeth Thomas, "Daycare evacuated at Conway's First Baptist Church," ABC 15 News, March 22, 2019 [https://wpde.com/news/local/daycare-evacuated-at-conways-first-baptist-church].
8. Lauren Adams, "Pastor, wife were inside 100-year-old Mayfield church as it was destroyed by tornado," WLKY, Updated December 13, 2021 [https://www.wlky.com/article/pastor-wife-100-year-old-mayfield-destroyed-tornado/38506654#].
9. Holly Meyer, "In tornado's wake, a church and pastor turn to God, service," AP News, December 16, 2021 [https://apnews.com/article/tornadoes-business-religion-kentucky-mayfield-7c290181b89cda16914d20d747ff4cbc].
10. Chip Hutcheson, "Eastern Ky. pastor finds God's providence and protection in chaos of flood," Kentucky Today, February 19, 2025, Updated February 20, 2025 [https://www.kentuckytoday.com/baptist_life/eastern-ky-pastor-finds-god-s-providence-and-protection-in-chaos-of-flood/article_6ed5a79c-ef00-11ef-9ba3-13665f63b88f.html].
11. Isaac Embry, "Ceiling collapses at Adams Co. church daycare," Local 12 News (CBS), February 29, 2024 [https://local21news.com/news/local/ceiling-collapses-at-adams-co-church-daycare].
12. FOX 26 Digital Team and Sherman Desselle, "Lockdown ends at Texas Southern University following nearby shooting," Fox 26 Houston, Updated April 9, 2025 [https://www.fox26houston.com/news/shooting-texas-southern-university-lockdown].
13. David Roach, "Fire-damaged churches: God is still with us," Biblical Recorder, originally in Baptist Press, December 1, 2016 [https://www.brnow.org/news/Fire-damaged-churches-God-is-still-with-us/].
14. David Roach, "'The woods exploded' amid pastor's fire rescue," Baptist Press, posted November 12, 2018 in Disaster Relief [https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/the-woods-exploded-amid-pastors-fire-rescue/].
15. WGV, "Strengthen the Gate," Sheepdog Church Security, March 28, 2022 [https://sheepdogchurchsecurity.net/articles/strengthen-the-gate/].
16. Kris Moloney, "Gotega Door Stopper, 2 Packs Kickdown Door Stop," Recommended Equipment for Safety Ministries, Sheepdog Church Security [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SHKQWWM?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzsafetyeq-20&creativeASIN=B07SHKQWWM&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.1ERD68BB0JGWR&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin&th=1].
17. Kris Moloney, "Broaden Your Readiness Guide," Sheepdog Church Security, 2025 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/broaden-your-readiness-guide].