A major priority of a church security team is to ensure a safe and secure children’s area whenever there are programs, classes or childcare in the church buildings. Every staff member and volunteer working with children or vulnerable adults is required to have extensive background checks which includes child abuse clearance and criminal background clearance. The paid staff must all have FBI Fingerprint clearance as well. The staff and volunteers follow an established Safe Sanctuary Policy, and we take your child’s safety very seriously.
In the fall of 2018, Grace Church leadership recognized the need to be better prepared for emergencies. A church should be prepared as possible for everything from an injured church member to a heart attack victim to a threat by an armed intruder. After extensive research and with input from the Pennsylvania State Police and Indiana Borough Police, a security team was brought together. Members of the Security Team are required to undergo extensive training and pass certain qualification criteria. Many are CPR certified with basic first aid training.
Along with security team, we also established a safety team made up of nurses, first responders, mental health workers and a safety engineer who respond as necessary to health emergencies and events. This team regularly checks our first-aid materials and the AEDs to be certain all are well equipped and in proper working order.
During the recent pandemic, our Trustees researched the best way to ensure good air quality throughout our sanctuary, Fellowship Hall and other main areas of the building. Ionizers that clean the air every 15 minutes have been installed on the main ventilation systems, and smaller portable units are in place in classrooms and offices as an added measure of protection.
Safety matters to us because you matter to us.
