On January 24th, a Crisis and Security Summit was held by AM 980 The Mission in Bloomington. This informational event featured expert speakers and Q & A to help churches assess if they are prepared in the event of a crisis.
Notes from the AM980 Crisis and Security Summit:
Bryan Koulmann, Church Mutual Insurance
- Train Employees & Volunteers to be a 1st line of defense
- Almost every disaster, incident of violence & act of terrorism has warning signals- Train EVERYONE
- Only 70% of U.S. businesses have a violence plan
- Who are the bad guys? 96% Male, 34% female. Median Age of 35.
- Since 2015 U.S. Mass Shootings topped 300 with 475 Deaths and 1,800+ Injuries
- Implement physical security, intelligence network- monitoring & response protocols if threat materializes
- Red Flags in behavior: Comments about suicide, intimidating comments about hurting someone else, fits of rage, destroying property
- A Crisis Management & communication plans are needed- crisis have impacts good & bad.
- ALICE Training– Active Shooter Response training
Cyber-attacks are becoming more and more prevalent and plans need to be put in place to protect you and your church or organization
- Limit use of USB drives
- Protect your passwords by keeping them in a secure place
- Periodically back up important files to a network or external hard drive
- Find out whom to contact if your computer gets hacked
- Consider cyber liability insurance
Benjamin Brewer, Alertus Technologies on behalf of Summit Companies
Emergency Notification System Trends & Best Practices:
- There are multiple current infrastructures you may have that can help during emergency situations: Text Message, Email, Facebook, Twitter, Website, Computer, Digital Signal, Cable TV, Fire Systems, VOIP phone, Access Control, & Outdoor PA Systems. Use these to your advantage
- Integrate all notification assets
- Single point of activation
- Fill in gaps with innovating alerting endpoints
- Leverage Varied Capabilities- Sound, Visual, Engagement
- Hardware to consider: Alert Beacon, Panic Button, Alert Display, VoIP Phones, Apps, Cable TV override, Activation/Emergency Operation Center
- Daily or weekly functional testing
- Evaluate organizational effects & needs
- Periodic scenario based system tests
John Novotny, MN Armed Responsible Citizen
Stopping the Mass Shooter Trend:
- The trend of mass shooters are increasing since 2000
- 46% of mass shooter events happen as businesses, 24% at places of education, 9% outdoors, 10% government properties, 4% at churches, etc.
- 40% of mass shooters commit suicide, 23% attacker shot by police, 14% subdued by intended victims, 8% attacker leaves
- Average police response times to events- 4-9 Minutes after 911 is called
- 85% of mass shootings occur in gun free zones- Take down the signs that say “This is a gun free zone”
How do you get a permit to carry a fire-arm in MN:
- Attend a “Permit to Carry a Firearm” course conducted by an instructed certified by an organization approved by the MN Department of Public Safety
- Apply for a permit (in person) at your local sheriff’s office and bring the following:
- Accurate copy of course completion
- Valid Government ID
- Completed Application
- $100 application fee
- Sherriff’s have 30 days to conduct a background investigation
- Look at getting conceal & carry insurance to protect yourself legally and financially