As church leaders, it’s important to protect our congregation from harm while they’re within our building. This includes dangerous fire accidents.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, there were approximately 1.3 million fires in the United States in 2019. Out of those incidents, 16,600 Americans were injured, while 3,704 were killed.
In order to prevent possible fires at your church, it’s important to follow these 6 steps. With regular maintenance and an eye for detail, we can do our part to protect our community.
1. Create a Fire Safety Plan
When it comes to fire safety, it’s always best to have a plan in place. By proactively creating an emergency evacuation plan, you can help protect your church goers. Make sure to design this plan with your staff to cover all of your bases, like the proper escape route and fire extinguisher placement.
Also be sure to hold regular fire safety meetings with your congregation, ensuring everyone knows what to do in case of a fire emergency.
2. Regularly Check Fire Alarms and Sprinklers
Fire alarms and fire sprinkler systems are designed to alert you to possible fires anywhere within your church. While effective, these systems only work when they are regularly maintained. The last thing you want is to not know about a dangerous fire because of a dead battery.
Make sure to check your fire alarms, smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors at least once a year. Be sure to replace their batteries if need be, or replace the device all together if they’re old enough. If you have a sprinkler system, make sure to have it professionally inspected once a year as well.
3. Maintain Fire Extinguishers
Just like with your other fire protection equipment, it’s always a good idea to regularly check your fire extinguishers.
Check not only if they work, but also if they are properly placed. Every area of your church should have a fire extinguisher within 75 feet. That way you can always quickly react to a small fire.
4. Inspect Your Building’s Wiring
Many churches have been around for multiple decades, with their appliances and wiring still from decades past. As you evolve your technology for younger groups, you’ll start to use more power than what your electrical system was designed for. That’s when electrical fires begin.
If your church building is older than 30 years old, be sure to have your internal wiring system professionally inspected to prevent fire accidents. By understanding what your wiring system can handle, you can make better decisions when it comes to upgrading equipment and trying new sermon ideas.
Most of all, you can prevent electrical fires and protect the lives of your congregation.
5. Be Careful Around Open Flames
Many religious ceremonies traditionally use open flame candles in order to participate. While we do recommend switching to flameless electric candles, we also understand that some traditions are difficult to shake.
If you are using open flames in your church, practice extreme caution. Keep them away from flammable materials and out of the hands of children or seniors. Have a fire extinguisher on hand, and reinforce your fire safety plan.
6. Talk With Your Local Fire Department
Every church is different, and a single blog post can cover every fire hazard within your place of worship. That’s why it’s important to bring all your questions to your local fire department. These experts can perform a risk assessment or walk through your building to look for problem areas.
Protect Your Investment in Richmond, VA
We can do everything in our power to reduce the risk of fires breaking out at our churches. But we can’t always stop a fire from happening. In these cases, you’ll want to ensure your building, congregation and important items are protected.
With a church insurance plan from Sanford Insurance, you can have a customized policy to protect what matters most for your church.
Get a quote and start planning on how to best keep your church safe from life’s dangerous accidents.