Safety and security in places of worship has become an area of concern nationally in recent years.
A church safety conference hosted by the Barry County Sheriff’s Office is designed for church administrators and members with a focus on those who will be, or are, directly involved with security planning.
The conference is from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 16 at the First Baptist Church in Middleville.
It will provide guidance in the development of strategy in several areas including, first aid, CPR &AED, legal, Smart 911, active shooter, severe weather, insurance, team building and violence/intruder response/non-lethal.
“We help prepare churches for unexpected events. You don’t know when a tornado is coming, but you can be prepared for it,” Sheriff Dar Leaf said. “I’m pleased all of the classes are full; we’ll have another conference in the near future.”
The sheriff’s office gives the presentations as a public service, mostly with volunteers. They have hosted the conferences at several churches in Barry and surrounding counties.