Thread: Church Fire Drills Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.


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Posted by Surfing Madness (# 11087) on :
 
Not sure this is the right place, but we are planning to run a fire drill at church. Was just wondering if anyone else has done this? How was it received by the congregation? I'm already having people who are concerned about the disruption it will cause.
 

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Posted by lily pad (# 11456) on :
 
There was a comprehensive discussion about this several years ago. Oops, just looked it up. Begin again.

We discussed this about a year ago..... link to thread here.
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
There's an announcement the previous week that a drill will be held to comply with the insurer's requirements. Usually it is held just before the Peace. Everyone leaves, there's a check that the church is empty and then everyone goes back The Peace follows and so forth. It's done with good humour and an understanding of the need. IIRC, on one occasion when the evacuation was due, it was pouring rain. The drill was delayed a week on the basis that there could never be a fire in such weather.
 

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Posted by Curious (# 93) on :
 
We've done it a couple of times. We warn the congregation a few weeks in advance that it will be sprung as a surprise within X number of weeks.
Usually happens just before the final hymn, so that everyone can go outside & be dismissed from there.
Congregation have been fine with it.
Curious
 

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Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :
 
Someone brought this up with our insurer who, knowing the church, said a drill wasn't necessary and that it would be confirmed in writing.

When the letter came it included ...the only person who may be trapped in the event of fire is likely to be your organist: you should make sure they realise this and that their escape route will be to jump down into the nave from the organ loft in the event of fire.

So I can get down from the loft but will probably break both legs in the process
 

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Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :
 
You need to get someone to fit a firemans pole to slide down. Maybe an inflatable slide like the evac slides on aircraft.
 

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Posted by Spike (# 36) on :
 
A couple of years ago we all had to evacuate when the thurible set the smoke alarm off!
 

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Posted by Net Spinster (# 16058) on :
 
I gather after the last Ash Wednesday's service the local university chaplain contacted the University fire people (apparently the service got a bit exuberant with burning paper and the alarms hadn't gone off in the university chapel from the smoke). Their main concern is probably not services since the congregants probably know how to get out of the building (including the tricky bits with some of the door knobs though the organist might be lucky just to break his legs [though there are two stairways out of the loft]) but large numbers of tourists including many whose English is weak or non-existent.
 

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Posted by Sandemaniac (# 12829) on :
 
I suspect I mentioned it in the last thread. but here goes anyway. At the annual candlelit Christmas service a few years ago, there was much fuss about fire risk and strategically placed buckets of water here there and everywhere.

Some bright spark left a tealight under the plastic broadcast unit for the PA, and blew the sound system when it melted...

AG
 

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Posted by Belle Ringer (# 13379) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by L'organist:
Someone brought this up with our insurer who, knowing the church, said a drill wasn't necessary and that it would be confirmed in writing.

When the letter came it included ...the only person who may be trapped in the event of fire is likely to be your organist: you should make sure they realise this and that their escape route will be to jump down into the nave from the organ loft in the event of fire.

So I can get down from the loft but will probably break both legs in the process

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