Last week, while visiting a church in Atlanta, we conducted two crucial tabletop exercises, one on responding to a bomb threat and the other on an active shooter scenario. These exercises reminded me of an essential truth: no plan survives its first real test.
I’m taken back to a time two years ago when I worked with a church in California. We had just completed a vulnerability assessment, enhanced their emergency plans, and wrapped up some tabletop exercises. At the end of it all, the executive pastor asked me, “Simon, are we now safe?” My answer was straightforward: “No, but you are safer. This is just the start of your journey one that never truly ends as you continually strive to improve.”
In emergency management, it’s often less about the decisions you make and more about how you make them. This might sound strange, but building emergency resilience is about empowerment learning to make key decisions quickly and confidently based on the facts at hand. Delay in an emergency can turn a manageable situation into a disaster.
I spent three years as head of counterterrorism at the Mall of America in Minnesota, the country’s largest entertainment and retail center, over 7 million square feet and 700+ stores. We dealt with many suspicious incidents that were treated as potential bomb threats. Murphy’s Law ensured that most of these occurred when I was at home, leaving my second-in-command to handle them. But because I had empowered, trained, and supported her, she was able to manage those situations effectively.
And that’s why tabletop exercises are so critical. They’re a great way to develop your team’s resilience and ability to make tough decisions quickly. Let me share a basic framework you can use to conduct a tabletop exercise at your church, so you can strengthen your emergency preparedness.
Step 1: Define the Objectives
Start by clearly defining the objectives of your tabletop exercise. What do you want to achieve? Your objectives might include:
- Testing your current emergency response plans.
- Identifying gaps in your procedures.
- Improving decision-making under pressure.
- Training new team members on emergency protocols.
Step 2: Assemble Your Team
Gather the key players who will participate in the exercise. This should include:
- Church leadership (Pastor, Elders, etc.)
- Security team members
- Children’s and Youth Ministry leaders
- Communications team
- Volunteers involved in emergency response
Step 3: Choose a Scenario
Select a realistic scenario that your church might face. Common scenarios for houses of worship include:
- Active shooter situation
- Bomb threat
- Medical emergency
- Fire or severe weather event
- Child abduction
Step 4: Develop the Scenario Details
Once you’ve chosen your scenario, flesh out the details:
- Setting: Where and when does the scenario take place? (e.g., Sunday service, mid-week youth group, etc.)
- Trigger Event: What initiates the emergency? (e.g., a suspicious package is found, a gunshot is heard, etc.)
- Complications: Introduce complications that could arise during the event (e.g., communication breakdown, injured personnel, etc.).
Step 5: Assign Roles
Assign roles to your team members based on the scenario. Roles could include:
- Incident Commander (usually the person in charge)
- Communications Lead (handles internal and external communication)
- Security Lead (manages security response)
- Medical Lead (handles any injuries)
- Logistics Lead (coordinates resources and supplies)
Step 6: Conduct the Exercise
Start the exercise by presenting the scenario to your team. Allow them to respond as they would in a real emergency. Guide the exercise by introducing new information or complications as the scenario unfolds. Remember:
- Keep the pace realistic allow time for decision-making.
- Encourage open communication among participants.
- Observe how decisions are made and note any delays or issues.
Step 7: Debrief and Evaluate
After the exercise, conduct a debriefing session. Discuss what went well and what could be improved. Key points to cover:
- Were the objectives met?
- What gaps or weaknesses were identified?
- How effectively did the team communicate and make decisions?
- What changes need to be made to your emergency plans?
Step 8: Document and Implement Improvements
Document the findings from your debrief and update your emergency plans accordingly. This might involve:
- Revising protocols
- Conducting additional training
- Purchasing new equipment or resources
Step 9: Schedule Regular Exercises
Tabletop exercises should be an ongoing part of your church’s safety and security program. Schedule regular exercises to ensure continuous improvement and readiness.
By following this framework, you can conduct a tabletop exercise that will help your team build resilience, improve decision-making, and ultimately enhance your church’s overall safety and security.
Simon Osamoh serves as the editor of Security Connections and is nationally recognized for his work in safeguarding houses of worship. He began his career in England, spending 14 years as a detective specializing in serious and organized crime before leading Counter Terrorism at the Mall of America in Minnesota. Simon founded Kingswood Security Consulting and the Worship Security Academy, providing security solutions to houses of worship. He is the author of two Amazon bestselling books and the host of the Church Security Accelerator podcast. For submissions or topic ideas, reach out to Simon at sosamoh@worshipfacility.com
