Prepare Now for Spring Storms

March 2, 2016

With the arrival of spring, weather concerns gradually shift from snow and frozen pipes to flooding and lightning storms. By taking these precautions, your church can get a head start on storm preparedness, so an emergency situation won’t catch your ministry off guard.

General Preparedness

  • Use a NOAA weather radio, mobile notifications, or a similar tool.
  • Conduct Sunday emergency drills. They offer a great way for church leaders to identify blind spots in the ministry’s emergency procedures, such as:
    • Clogging at popular exits when other exits are available.
    • Individuals returning to the building for lost items or people.
    • High noise levels, cutting off instructions from leaders.
    • Confusion distinguishing different types of emergency alarms.

High Winds and Tornados

  • Replace gravel or rock landscaping with shredded bark. It’s less likely to cause damage in high wind.
  • Trim trees and shrubbery to reduce the likelihood of falling branches.
  • Install storm shutters, when practical, for use with large windows, sliding glass doors, and stained glass windows.
  • Move outside furniture and equipment indoors, if possible.

Lightning

  • Install a lightning protection system for your building to help prevent lightning strikes from causing fires, explosions, and structural damage.
  • Invest in quality surge protection to protect lightning strikes to your building or at a nearby location from ruining computers, sound systems, alarms, and other electronics. To protect your church against this kind of loss, invest in quality surge protection. Some low-end surge protectors are built to support small appliances and should not be used for computers and office equipment.

Flooding

  • Ensure that your church has a plan for gathering sandbags and pumps when a flood watch or warning is posted, particularly if your church is located in a low-lying area or has a basement. Consider moving electronics and valuables to the highest floor of your church.
  • Maintain a comprehensive inventory list in case your church experiences serious losses caused by adverse weather or looting.