How Do Churches and Community Groups Build an Emergency Plan?

A church or community group builds an emergency plan by assigning clear roles with backups, keeping a member contact tree that works without the group text, writing facility plans for evacuation and sheltering, setting up communication fallbacks, and running regular drills. Start with the gatherings you hold most often, like weekend services or weekly meetings, then expand to events, trips and how you'll support members after a local disaster.

Who does what when something goes wrong?

The first few minutes of an emergency go badly when everyone looks around for someone to take charge. Name the roles in advance and assign a primary and backup for each, since the primary won't be there every week.

• Incident lead. Makes the calls and coordinates with responders.
• Communications. Handles announcements, contacts emergency services, and runs the contact tree afterward.
• First aid. Volunteers with current CPR and first aid training who know where the AED and supplies are.
• Facilities. Knows the utility shutoffs, alarm panels and exits.
• Children's area lead. Keeps kids together and releases them only through your check-in system.
• Sweepers. Ushers or greeters who clear restrooms, classrooms and side rooms during an evacuation.

Write the roles on a single page and post it where volunteers will see it. Everyone on the list should know their job without having to look it up.

How do you build a member contact tree?

Group texts and email lists are fine for normal announcements, but they fail in predictable ways during a disaster. Messages get buried, people assume someone else replied, and nobody knows who hasn't been heard from. A contact tree assigns responsibility. Each leader is responsible for reaching a small group of members, often five to ten households, and reports back up the tree.

The tree is how you check on members after a storm, flood or fire in your area. Ask members whether they'd like to be flagged for extra check-ins, such as older members living alone or families with medical needs, and respect their privacy. Keep a printed copy of the tree with each leader, since phones and church databases may not be available, and update it at least a few times a year.

What goes in the facility plan?

The facility plan covers what happens inside the building during a gathering. At a minimum, it should spell out evacuation routes and an outdoor assembly area, the shelter area for severe weather (usually an interior room on the lowest floor, away from windows), and how you'll handle a lockdown. Mark the locations of the AED, first aid kits, fire extinguishers and utility shutoffs.

Children's ministry needs particular care. Decide how kids will be moved during an evacuation or shelter, where they'll go, and how they'll be released to parents using your existing check-in system. Parents rushing to classrooms during an emergency can slow everything down, so tell families ahead of time how reunification will work. Plan for members with mobility needs as well, including who helps them and which exits they'll use.

How do you communicate when phones fail?

A PACE plan gives your team layers to fall back on. PACE stands for Primary, Alternate, Contingency and Emergency. A typical setup might use a group text as the primary, phone calls through the contact tree as the alternate, runners in person across the campus as the contingency, and two-way radios as the emergency layer. Our beginner guide to backup communications and PACE planning explains how to set one up.

Radios are useful on a large campus or during a community response, but licensing matters. FRS radios need no license but are low power. GMRS radios, such as those in our BTECH GMRS and ham radio collection, have more range options but require an FCC license, and one license covers only the licensee's immediate family. Volunteers from different households who use GMRS each need their own license, so factor that into the plan.

How often should you drill?

Run a tabletop exercise with your leaders at least once a year. Walk through a scenario, such as a severe weather warning during a service, and have each person say what they'd do. Gaps show up quickly. Practice evacuating the building and the children's area, and test the contact tree by sending a check-in and timing how long it takes to hear back from everyone. Write down what didn't work and fix it before the next drill.

How can you help members plan at home?

A group's resilience after a disaster depends on how well its members' households are prepared. Many churches and community groups host a planning workshop, then give families the tools to build their own plans. ReadyPlan guides each household through a first draft based on their location, household size and local risks, and the Contingency Planner Complete Kit gives them a written plan that works without power, signal or a login. For churches, schools, neighborhoods and teams, we handle group orders through our wholesale and group orders page.

Common questions

Do we need a license to use radios at church events?

It depends on the radio. FRS radios need no license. GMRS requires an FCC license with no exam, and one license covers the licensee's immediate family, so volunteers from different households each need their own. Amateur radio requires passing an exam.

Should the plan cover security threats?

Many churches keep a separate security plan for threats like an active assailant, often developed with local law enforcement. The general emergency plan should still cover lockdown basics and how you'll communicate and reunite families afterward.

How do we keep the contact tree current?

Tie updates to something you already do, such as a membership directory refresh or the start of a new ministry year. Ask each tree leader to confirm their group's numbers a few times a year.

Can we order planners for our members in bulk?

Yes. Churches, schools, neighborhoods and teams can request a group order through our wholesale and group orders page.

If you're planning a workshop or want planners for your members, start with our wholesale and group orders page.