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SAFETY MANUAL 


  1. SCOPE 
This is a procedure manual to be used as a guide for the safety of all Community of Faith campuses. This manual documents expectations for all those who play a crucial role in the COF safety procedures.

  1. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE 
These guidelines outline the measures to be taken to reduce risk and equip COF Crew to handle situations including but not limited to: a lost child, medical emergency, de-escalation of hostile individuals and an evacuation or shelter in place order.

  1. GENERAL SAFETY ROLES AND EXPECTATIONS  

A.  ONSITE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER (IF ONSITE)
  • Will have a cruiser parked outside of the campus
  • Will be in attendance 30 minutes before, during and 30 minutes after service
  • Will mingle inside the church while on patrol 
  • Will be called upon for escalated and threatening situation

B. HEAD USHER
  • Will position themselves in the foyer or rear of Sanctuary so as to be vigilant to any incident and able to respond
  • Will remain on radio before, during and after service and respond for any need for leadership assistance
  • Will respond to any safety incident to de-escalate the situation 
  • Will help locate seats for guests and be prepared to add additional seating when needed
  • Will remain visual by greeting people and giving direction if there are questions as to locations of bathrooms, nursery, etc.
  • Will locate themselves into the general area of the Pastor immediately after service to intervene if an incident happens
  • Will work with and assist the Site Coordinator with general operations and decision making
  • Will adhere to Usher SOP expectations including but not limited to: attendance count, offering count, etc.

C. SAFETY MINISTRY LEAD
  • Will be responsible for scheduling Safety Crew member
  • Will train new Safety Crew 
  • Will remain visual, whenever at the campus, by greeting people and giving direction if there are questions as to locations of bathrooms, nursery, etc.
  • Will be vigilant, whenever at the campus, and advise the Head Usher of anyone seeming suspicious or out of the ordinary

D. SAFETY CREW
  • Will stay attentive to Community Kids Department at all times
    • Watch for children leaving unattended
    • Watch for unauthorized people in Community Kids area
  • Will remain observant and immediately advise if there is an incident
  • Will be vigilant as people walk into and around the Community Kids area
  • Will remain visual by greeting people and giving direction if there are questions as to locations of bathrooms, nursery, etc.
  • Will be vigilant and advise the Head Usher of anyone seeming suspicious or out of the ordinary
  • Will wear a Crew Lanyard to be easily identified for the safety of the guests
  • Will adhere to Safety Crew SOP expectations 

E.  COMMUNITY KIDS TEACHER (LILS AND BIGS)
  • Will stay attentive to Community Kids Department before and after service
  • Will be vigilant as people walk into and around the Community Kids area
  • Will remain visible and attentive to parents by greeting and checking children into service
  • Will wear a Crew Lanyard to be easily identified for the safety of the guests
  • Will ensure that there are an appropriate number of volunteers for kids:
    • Nursery 2:4
    • Community Lils 2:24
    • Community Bigs 1:14

F.  SITE COORDINATOR 
  • Will make rounds throughout every ministry area as to be vigilant to any incident and able to respond
  • Will remain on radio before, during and after service and respond for a request for leadership assistance
  • Will help Head Usher with decisions about Sunday morning safety when applicable

4. RADIO PROCEDURE 
The radio is one of our most important tools for communicating safety needs. Site Coordinator, Head Usher and Safety Crew will remain on radio before, during and after service. This tool must be reserved for only time-sensitive and pressing communication.

  1. SAFETY LANYARD EXPECTATIONS
It is critical that in the case of an emergency, each of our volunteer leaders are identifiable to any law enforcement or emergency personnel that arrive on scene.  For your safety and that of our church body, a Safety Lanyard (issued by Community of Faith) must be worn while serving in a leadership role.

  1. POTENTIAL SITUATIONS REQUIRING “ACTION”
*This is not an exhaustive list as potential situations are vast

A. Suspicious Persons
If the Safety Crew or Site Coordinator believes that an individual is in the church with poor intentions, they should make the Head Usher aware of their concerns immediately. The Head Usher will discretely observe the individual in order to ascertain the intentions.

B. Dealing with Unruly or Hostile Persons
In the event of a hostile person, the head usher will work to de-escalate the situation – any further action will depend on the hostile person’s subsequent actions.
  • Head Usher will tell the unruly person to stop the disruption or leave
    • If they choose to leave, allow them – document what’s needed (license plate, description, name, etc)
    • If the person remains on church property but is no longer a disruption, the individual should be observed until they leave. 
    • If the individual continues to create a scene, and refuses to leave the Head Usher will ask Site Coordinator to call 911 or if possible, get the on-site officer
  • Site Coordinator will stand by in the event the head usher needs further assistance

C. Menacing/Armed Individual Threat
In the event of a potentially dangerous/armed individual(s) Head Usher will radio to have Site Coordinator call law enforcement. If law enforcement is on site heed to the knowledge and expertise of the on-site law enforcement officer.
  • Head Usher will immediately radio for all leaders to standby for a Code Red with the location of the potential threat. 
  • All leadership should report to their spot to prepare for potential evacuation or shelter in place notification – see below.
  • Head Usher will continue to provide direction, while working to de-escalate a situation until law enforcement arrives 
  • If the threat is imminent, direction will be given by the law enforcement officer immediately without a standby 

D. Evacuation/Shelter in Place
The decision for evacuation or shelter-in-place will be initiated by Church Leadership and the Head Usher
  •     Law enforcement officers will go towards the threat (If on-site)
  • Head Usher will monitor the threat (if there is an officer on site will go to sanctuary to tend to the sanctuary)
  • Site Coordinator will call 911 and tend to the sanctuary
  • Safety Crew will tend to Community Kids

E. Missing Child
If a child is missing from Community Kids church The Community Kid lead will be notified and immediately tend to the family, if not already aware.
  • Head Usher and Site Coordinator will gather information from Safety Crew
  • Head Usher will ensure no one is leaving the building
  • Site Coordinator will orchestrate a search
  • Safety Crew will remain vigilant to watch Community Kids
  • Community Kids lead will tend to the family and help wherever needed
  • On-site law enforcement officer may be used as a resource if the situation escalates

F. Medical Emergency
If an individual experiences a medical emergency, we will seek guidance from the family member on site.
  • Head Usher will tend to the family
  • Head Usher will also connect with Law Enforcement Officer if needed (if onsite)
  • Site Coordinator will gather medical personal if needed – each campus is equipped with a list stored in the gray folder
  • Site Coordinator will ensure 911 is called if needed 

  1. Carrying of Concealed Firearms during COF Function 
Community of Faith, under no circumstance, has an expectation that anyone on the Crew carry a firearm.  In the event of an emergency, law enforcement will be called to the site. We want to ensure volunteers are not adding ambiguity to a potentially threatening situation and thus we are asking all volunteers to refrain from using a firearm during church functions.

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