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Churches are particularly vulnerable to fire damage because they're often unoccupied for long periods of time. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, fire strikes about 1,300 churches annually in the United States, causing $38 million in damage. Moreover, there are indirect costs that are impossible to measure. Many of these losses can be reduced or prevented with effective fire prevention and evacuation plans.

Arson is the leading cause of church fires, followed by mechanical failures. Other common causes include candles, cooking equipment, extension cords, and office equipment. Prevention is the best protection against fires.

Here are several ways to develop a prevention plan:

• Illuminate the church building and its entrances.
  
• Keep trees and shrubs near the church trimmed.
  
• Use adequate locks on all doors and windows.
  
• Don't give vandals easy access to your roof.
  
• Keep track of keys and change locks if any keys are lost or stolen.
  
• Install a burglar alarm system that automatically notifies police.
  
• Request police patrols and ask your neighbors to be vigilant.

• Have the furnace or heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system professionally cleaned and inspected annually.
  
• Turn off electrical items when not in use.
  
• Replace frayed, worn, or dried-out extension cords.
  
• Don't store combustibles in the same room as the furnace or boiler.
  
• Check the fuse box and make sure all fuses are the proper size for each circuit.
  
• Evaluate the church's entire electrical system to make sure it's adequate for your power needs.

• Install smoke alarms. The sooner a fire is detected and extinguished, the less damage you'll suffer.
  
• Make fire extinguishers accessible. Place one in an easily accessible location on every level of your building, preferably one for every 2,500 square feet. Have a professional check them regularly to make sure they're in working order.
  
• Consider sprinkler systems. Sprinklers automatically extinguish fires as soon as they're detected—even if no one is in the building at the time.

Don't wait until the fire alarm goes off to realize what steps you need to take to protect your congregation—have a well-designed, comprehensive, and practiced evacuation plan in place. What's in a plan? The following:

• Include easily understood emergency procedures;
  
• Identify procedures to alert emergency services;
  
• Give attention to the special needs of congregants and children.

How do I create a plan?

• Ask the pros. Invite firefighters or paramedics to tour your building so that they can offer tips and suggestions on your plan and become familiar with your facility.
  
• Think it through. Identify all the possible ways people can get out of your building, noting which routes may be inaccessible to the elderly or disabled. Consider buying wagons or sturdy cribs on wheels to help evacuate the nursery.
  
• Assign responsibilities. Clearly define who's responsible for carrying out each part of the evacuation. For example, certain people should be assigned to notify emergency responders and ensure that the pre-designated assembly area is safe.
  

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