Welcome to the Columbia Metro Connection, a podcast where you can go to get valuable, relevant, and quality resources for you and your congregation.   SUBSCRIBE:  iTunes| RSS | Stitcher | TuneIn Radio | Google Play        The Columbia Metro Connection is sponsored and supported by the Columbia Metro Baptist Association and the almost 100 partner churches that support the ministry of the CMBA.  Special support for this episode was given by the Connie Maxwell Children's Home.       Joining us this week is Matthew Quinton with Southern Mutual Church Insurance Company. Southern Mutual Church Insurance Company has been working with churches in a variety of ways for a number of years. In their continual pursuit to meet the needs of the local church, they've been working diligently to educate churches on the importance of up to date safety and security procedures. Hosts for this week's Podcast:

• Chris Reinolds of Killian Baptist Church (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram)
• George Bullard the CMBA Director (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram)

Highlights: If you have a fire hydrant in your home, then you care about taking steps to prepare for unforeseen events.  The same principle applies to church security and safety. The first step to a more secure facility is having the conversation about the importance of security.  The second would be getting a facility assessment from local law enforcement. The church security program is built on three pillars:  Equipment, Protocols, and Training. It’s not enough to have armed people in your church.  There are rings of security that exist around every church.  It’s important to leverage those rings to prevent incidents from occurring. We either react or respond.  A reaction is what our instincts do, and most people react poorly.  A response is when our training kicks in to handle certain situations. Churches need more than aspirin and band-aids to treat people in the event of a mass casualty event. Limiting access and entry points after a service has begun is key to protecting your people. Don’t underestimate the power of the five-word statement, “How may I help you?” Concealed Weapon Permit (CWP) training is not enough to qualify someone to work on a church security team.

 

Resources:

Southern Mutual Church Insurance Company

Matthew Quinton

Safety and Security Video

Safety and Security Resources

The Draco Group