People who use equipment they do not know how to properly operate are often characterized as “a danger to themselves and others.” Many kinds of equipment and tools have inherent hazards. Certification is intended to be documentation that a person is qualified, knowing and understanding the rules and laws pertaining to their use.

For church safety ministries, a weapon is any object used to defend the flock against an attack. The church needs to set policies and guidelines for the possession and use of these weapons, especially firearms. Those carrying and using lethal and potentially lethal weapons should be trained and qualified in their use.

While we may need a concealed firearm for defense against deadly force, we do need to know how to defend against non-lethal force. Even if we do have self-defense training, we may at some time need a non-lethal weapon to bring a violent disrupter under control.

We are all familiar with the safe driving slogan, “Buckle Up for Safety,” which urges us to use our seat & shoulder belts. For Church Safety and Security Teams, this takes on a different connotation. A security belt can be where a Church Safety Team member carries some of the equipment used in guarding the flock, especially items used for defense.

Most church safety team members will never have to use self-defense measures, such as holds and takedowns, while guarding the flock. In most cases, verbal de-escalation followed by pastoral and/or professional counseling should be sufficient. Learning and practicing unarmed self-defense will equip us just in case it is needed.

Parry? What is that? it has come to mean blocking any kind of attack. For church safety and security teams, it means stopping a threatening blow in close quarters. As with situational awareness, this needs to be practiced until we naturally carry it out effectively in a disruptive incident.

As safety team members responsible for the safety of other people, we cannot responsibly back away from every potentially dangerous situation. There are times when we must be involved with a disruptive person, but there are ways of increasing our safety while doing so, such as how we stand and how close we get.

An essential component of safety and security is situational awareness. This is both environmental awareness, being alert to what is around you, and being aware of the situation – what is happening and what is developing.

Most injuries to which we respond in the church are accidental, some may be intentional and besides injuries, we may need to respond to medical emergencies. A person trained to respond to injuries and medical emergencies may know what to do, but not have what is needed at the time. Does your church have the necessary items to be prepared to respond?

As with other hazards on this planet, churches are not exempt from mass casualty events. If one struck your church, would you be ready to respond to the injuries? To be ready for a mass casualty event requires us to plan, train, practice, and equip now.