This past Sunday we had an all-church fire drill and tornado drill to prepare the leaders and our people in case of these emergencies. This was a huge success for several reasons.
First, for the fire drill we were able to evacuate the building in less than two minutes. This included everyone in the sanctuary, and children's classrooms downstairs. This was way better than anticipated.
Second, it gave congregants the opportunity to see and use the stairwell and emergency door at the front of the sanctuary. Since no one ever accesses it, it was good that everyone should know where it is.
Third, it was a great training exercise to see the areas that need to be changed, and how we can improve for next time.
Special thanks to Captain Brian Davis of the Des Moines Fire Department for evaluating our fire drill with the church elders. He was very impressed how quickly we all were able to evacuate the building. He also showed church leadership some trouble spots and things we should change to make it safer for those inside the building in case of a fire. Some are able to be implemented right away while repairs will be made in the near future for the remaining. But nothing to be alarmed about.
Thanks to all who attended and made it a point to be here for the special day. It is all because of you and for your safety that we were able to make this possible. Please email any notes or suggestions to Pastor Brent for further review to make this even better.