Central SF Safety Playbook

Escalate Now

Press & hold the
top center radio button and say

"Security Emergency"

"Medical Emergency"

Tap to call
dispatch

v0.5 · Draft · Last updated May 7, 2026

Each procedure is self-contained. Open it and you'll see the team roles, the steps, the radio calls, and the dispatch actions all in one place.

Medical

Security

Children & Family

Facility & Environmental

Team Operations

Team Ops

Safety Team Operations

Identification, posts, scope, and day-to-day posture

At a glance: Visible volunteers in lanyards. Each post owns a roving area within the building. First response to small incidents. Support the Medical Responder during medical calls; support WARG during security calls. Move people away from threats — never engage.

Staff badge policy (all staff)

All Central SF staff wear a photo ID badge with first name, last name, and photo
Badges must be worn at all times while on-site — not in a pocket, not in a bag, not on a desk
Hip clip is provided by Central SF — standard issue, no exceptions for personal preference
Badge must be visible to guests — clipped at the hip on the outside of clothing, not under a jacket or behind a sweater
Lost or stolen badge: report to the Programming Director immediately. The badge is deactivated in UniFi (if it doubles as a door access credential) and a replacement is issued. A found badge is a social engineering risk — do not delay the report.
Damaged or unreadable badge: replacement issued. A badge that can't be visually verified isn't doing its job.
WARG is the exception — plain clothes by design, no visible identification. See WARG Operations.

Safety Team identification — in addition to the staff badge

Lanyard reading "Safety Team" worn in addition to the standard hip-clip badge
The lanyard is the recognition signal — visible at distance so guests can spot a Safety Team member quickly
The hip-clip badge is for identity verification on closer contact
Dispatch room access: Safety Team uses the intercom at the dispatch door — we do not have badge access. Identify yourself through the camera and the dispatcher unlocks from inside.

Posts

Posts are roving areas, not fixed points. Move throughout your assigned area — eyes on entrances, presence in gathering spaces. Each post is a watch zone and a search zone (for lost child) and a sweep zone (for severe weather, fire, suspicious package).

Post	Area	Members
Post A/C	Area A (Offices) + Area C (Common Spaces)	2
Post B	Area B (Worship Center, North Lobby, Concourse)	2
Post D/E	Area D (Kid Central) + Area E (Next Gen & Gym)	1

WARG handles other posts — exterior, parking, perimeter, and any non-Safety-Team posting needs are WARG's responsibility, not Safety Team's.

Post D/E (Kid Central + Next Gen) — special responsibilities

Visible coverage of all check-in stations
Watch for unauthorized adults near children's areas
Custody-aware: verify pickup matches check-in record
Coordinate with Kid Central Pastor and classroom leaders
Locks down first at any Threat Level 4+, regardless of trigger area

Scope — what Safety Team does across all incident types

The same skills carry across every procedure. Below is the full scope, grouped by what you'll actually do during an incident.

Eyes & first contact

Observe and watch for security-related concerns; greet and disarm with friendly first contact
Approach unfamiliar people with a smile: "Hi, I'm with the safety team here at Central. Can I help you find what you're looking for?"
De-escalation as default first response — calm presence, listen first, redirect when appropriate
Closest post to an alarmed zone does eye-on verification within 60 seconds (Fire procedure)

Medical support

Support the Medical Responder — perimeter, family liaison, fetch AED, flag EMS at the door
Provide CPR / AED / first aid / Stop the Bleed within trained scope until the Medical Responder arrives
Hold parking lot and exits during EMS arrival; release after dispatch announces "EMS clear"
Sign as witness on patient documentation when needed

Pastoral & mental health

First responder to mental health calls until the pastor arrives, then transition to perimeter
Physically find the on-call pastor if radio fails — do not wait for someone else to do this
Logistics: water, tissues, escort, second-responder presence (two-responder rule, never alone with a person in crisis)
Trained members may lead grounding: "Name 5 things you can see. 4 you can touch. 3 you can hear."

Perimeter & crowd control

Hold perimeter during incidents — keep media, bystanders, and unauthorized people out
Move people away from threats; do not move toward them
Crowd control at reunification points — direct parents to family liaisons, manage the line
Visibly position nearby (not crowding) when escalation begins on agitated person, suspicious person, or custody dispute

Evacuation, lockdown, shelter

Sweep your area on evacuation, direct people to the nearest safe exit, account for known guests at the assembly point
Direct congregation to interior shelter on severe weather (closest-exit-per-row routing); sweep restrooms and common spaces; bring anyone outside back inside
Close any propped-open doors on lockdown so UniFi lockdown holds; move people away from windows; lights out where possible
Hold the line on no-pickup during evacuation and shelter. Parents will try to retrieve children. Direct them firmly to assembly or shelter and explain reunification follows the all-clear.
Direct evacuation routes that bypass any reported package or threat (suspicious package); monitor the assembly area for unusual items (secondary devices)

Lost child & reunification

Your post area = your search zone for lost child. Search adjacent rooms, hallways, restrooms; expand outward.
One Safety Team member becomes family liaison and stays with the parent until the child is found.
Escort found child to the parent's current location — do not move the parent.

Comms backup

Physical runner between dispatch and posts when radio or other comms degrade (power outage, cellular outage)
Post signs at restrooms and other affected areas during water failure

Out of scope

Engaging armed or actively violent threats — that is WARG
Advanced medical care beyond CPR / AED / first aid / Stop the Bleed — that is Medical Responder and EMS
Any action requiring a weapon
Pastoral content (sermon disagreements, ministry conflict, theological questions) — hand off to pastor on-call

Post shifts by threat level

L1	Standard layout. Rove your area.
L2	Affected area post becomes more visible. Other posts maintain.
L3	Affected area post-holders converge to support Medical Responder or WARG. Other posts hold.
L4	All posts execute lockdown or evacuation. Area D locks down regardless.
L5	Posts dissolve into Run/Hide/Fight. Closest team members become responders.

Recognizing WARG

WARG is plain clothes — no visible identification by design
You should be introduced to WARG officers in person before serving — know them by face
Don't assume someone in plain clothes is or isn't WARG

"Dispatch, can you confirm WARG positioning in [building]?"

Posture

Visible, approachable, calm
Greeters first, responders second
Always able to point to a WARG officer or call dispatch

Team Ops

WARG Operations

Plain clothes, concealed carry, professional security

Authority: Full operational authority at Threat Level 4+ (life-threatening or imminent). For L2 and L3, Programming Director leads — WARG pre-positions, advises, and stays ready to escalate. WARG always defers to Programming Director on non-life-threatening calls; the only exception is when delay would cost a life.

Identification

Plain clothes — no visible identification by design
Most are SWAT officers or work for Homeland Security
Identifiable to Safety Team via prior introduction
Dispatch room access: WARG badges are provisioned for direct dispatch room entry via UniFi Access. Other roles intercom in — see Dispatch Room SOP.

Scope

Armed response to credible or active threats
Operational lead at Threat Level 4+ (life-threatening incidents)
Pre-position and advise at L2 and L3 — Programming Director leads at those levels
Direct coordination with arriving PD/EMS at L4+
Trained engagement of armed or violent persons within their authority
Basic medical training — can assist medical response

Posts & rotation

WARG sets its own post structure and rotation pattern
Officers rotate through posts during the event by design
Rotation timing and order is internal to WARG
Rotation provides counter-surveillance benefit and keeps officers alert

Post shifts by threat level

L1	Rotation per WARG schedule. Standard observation.
L2	Pre-position one officer toward affected area. Others maintain rotation.
L3	Two officers minimum near affected area. Rotation pauses. Pre-position and stay ready — Programming Director leads response.
L4	Full operational lead. Establish IC at dispatch. Direct threat engagement within authority.
L5	Engage threat within scope. Coordinate arriving agencies. Triage.

Coordination with Programming Director

L4+ (life-threatening): WARG acts. Full operational authority. No approval needed. Programming Director supports.
L2 / L3 (non-life-threatening): Programming Director leads. WARG pre-positions, advises, and prepares for escalation. WARG does not take operational lead at these levels.
When in doubt: WARG defers to Programming Director. Exception is only when delay would cost a life.

Posture

Blend in — guests should not be able to identify them
Continuous awareness, low visibility
Move toward threats; Safety Team moves people away

Team Ops

Dispatch Room SOP

Equipment, comms, logging, degraded modes

Dispatch is the record of truth. Every incident gets logged with timestamps. The dispatch log is the source for after-action reviews regardless of who held command at any moment.

Equipment in place

Notifier hardwired remote annunciator (mirrors main FACP)
Dante paging mic — Worship Center, overflow, gym, kids, lobby
One Talk LTE phones (cellular failover for 911)
UniFi camera viewing station
UniFi Access control event feed
Radio base (Relay) — monitors Safety, WARG, Dispatch, Production channels
Printer — for printing check-in rosters before each service or event

AEK Emergency Kit cabinet — alarm response

The AEK Emergency Kit (epinephrine, naloxone, bleed control) is mounted in the North Lobby right outside the dispatch room. Opening the cabinet sounds an alarm. The alarm is loud and is heard inside dispatch.

If you hear the alarm: a medical emergency is in progress at the cabinet. Treat it as a "Medical Emergency" radio call and respond accordingly — ping Medical Responder, Safety Team, and call 911 if not already.
Visual confirm: camera feed of the North Lobby shows who opened the cabinet and what's happening. Pull up the feed immediately.
Don't disable the alarm to silence it. The alarm is a feature, not a fault — it's how the building knows the kit is in use. It will continue until the cabinet is closed and reset.
Log every cabinet opening — timestamp, who opened, why, what was used. Restock follow-up goes to the Programming Director.
Inadvertent / curious opening: if someone opens the cabinet by mistake (kid, curious adult), still treat as a medical alert until cleared. Confirm via camera and radio. Then reset and log.

Room access

WARG officers badge in via UniFi Access. Their credentials are provisioned for the dispatch room.
Everyone else uses the intercom at the dispatch door. Press the intercom, identify yourself and your role, and the dispatcher unlocks the door from inside.
This includes Safety Team, Medical Responder, pastoral staff, Programming Director, and any Central SF staff — if they don't have a WARG badge, they intercom in. No exceptions.
During an active incident, the dispatcher should still verify identity through the door camera before unlocking. Slow down for the verification — it takes a few seconds and prevents social-engineering access.
If the dispatcher is overwhelmed handling the incident, they may delay unlocking. Anyone responding to dispatch should radio their arrival rather than expecting immediate door access.

Printed check-in rosters — physical copies for reunification

For every service or event with children checked in, dispatch prints a physical roster of every checked-in child. The printed copy is the source of truth for accountability and reunification — especially if cell service or building power is out and the digital check-in system is unavailable. Paper survives outages.

Print at the start of every service or event where children check in. Sunday services (every service time), Wednesday night student ministry, weekday events, and any other gathering where children are checked in to a room.
Re-print mid-event if check-ins continue. For events with rolling check-in (parents arriving over a window), update the printed roster with late arrivals so it stays current.
Roster includes per child: name, age/grade or class, room or area assignment, parent / authorized pickup name and contact, security tag number, any medical or custody flags.
Two copies printed. One stays at the dispatch desk; the second goes to the Kid Central Pastor immediately so they have it before any incident. Do not wait for an event to deliver it.
Why physical: in a power outage, network outage, or cellular outage, the digital check-in system may not be reachable. The printed roster is the only thing we'll have for accountability. Treat it as the authoritative document for reunification when systems are down.
Disposal: after reunification is complete and the event is closed, both printed copies are shredded. Rosters contain personally identifying information (children's names, parent names, contact info, custody flags) — treat as sensitive.

When dispatch isn't staffed

Dispatch is staffed during services and major events. Outside those windows — weekday office hours, evening ministries, late nights — the dispatch number forwards to the Programming Director's mobile phone. From the caller's perspective, the number is the same; the human answering changes.

Dispatch number 605-929-3551 always works. Whether or not dispatch is staffed, the call connects to a human who can coordinate response. No one needs to remember a different number for "after hours."
Programming Director receives the forwarded call. Same authority, same response coordination as if dispatch were staffed. Calls 911 directly, alerts pastoral team, activates Safety Team or WARG as needed.
Receiver behavior is the same. Front desk volunteer, staff member, or anyone receiving an emergency call uses the procedure as written — "call dispatch" is the right action regardless of time of day.
Programming Director's tools are limited compared to staffed dispatch. No camera viewing, no remote annunciator, no paging mic, no radio base. They can call 911, coordinate by phone, and direct people on-site to act. For incidents that need live camera review or paging, they may need to drive to the dispatch room or direct a staff member to access cameras from the dispatch workstation.
If the situation is in-progress and Programming Director can't be reached: the receiver should call 911 directly. Don't wait. The on-call rotation is a backstop, not a single point of failure.

Open items still to resolve

Manning policy — every service vs. threshold-based
Worship Center (Area B) full UniFi conversion — replacing manual locks in progress
Sioux Falls PD remote door access — confirm credentials, test unlock from PD dispatch in progress
Pre-recorded paging messages — record and load (evacuate, shelter, lockdown, lost child, tornado)
911 dispatchable location test call with Sioux Falls PSAP
NOAA weather radio, SAME-programmed for Minnehaha County
Backup forwarding — if Programming Director is unreachable, who's next in the on-call rotation? Document the chain.

UniFi Access lockdown

Single-button lockdown — locks all UniFi-controlled doors instantly across the building.
After lockdown is engaged, three parties can unlock remotely:
- Dispatch (UniFi panel, on-site)
- Programming Director (Max via UniFi mobile app, anywhere)
- Sioux Falls PD dispatch (remote credentials)
What gets locked: all exterior doors, Area A (offices + Conference Room safe room), Area D (Kid Central), Area B (Worship Center) conversion in progress.
What does not lock automatically: classroom hardware locks (Area D, Area E) — those are locked from inside by classroom adults. Mechanical room — locked normally.
Test the lockdown sequence at least quarterly. Verify all UniFi-controlled doors lock on button press.

Phrase escalation routing

"Security Emergency" → pings WARG and Safety Team channels
"Medical Emergency" → pings Medical Responder, Safety Team, and Dispatch channels
Dispatch confirms receipt and bridges to the appropriate channel for response

911 calling

Dispatch makes the 911 call when possible — frees responders to stay with the scene
Use One Talk LTE phone (independent of building ISP)
Confirm address: Central SF Church, 3102 W Ralph Rogers Rd, Sioux Falls, SD 57108
State nature of incident, location within building, condition of patient or threat
Default EMS & fire entrance: West door, Area A. Only redirect to a different door if patient location justifies it — and explicitly tell dispatcher about the change
Confirm with caller on radio which door the greeter will be at
Stay on line until directed otherwise by dispatcher

Paging procedures

Area selection: page the affected building only when possible
All-call only at Threat Level 4+ or when explicitly ordered
Pre-announce chime fires automatically before mic opens
Use pre-recorded messages when available (evacuate, shelter, lockdown)
Live mic only for incident-specific information after the pre-record

Camera priority during incidents

Pull up cameras for affected area immediately on level call
Note camera names and timestamps in log
At Level 4+, all cameras recording; footage retention extended to litigation hold

Degraded modes

Dispatch unmanned: Anyone with One Talk can call 911 directly. Programming Director or Coordinator becomes interim comms lead.
Radio failure: Cell phone tree, then runner. Dispatch defaults to camera-only monitoring until radio restored.
Dante paging fails: Wireless handheld mic from FOH as fallback. Hardwired analog backup if available.
One Talk LTE fails: Personal cell phones. Document outage time and report to vendor.
UniFi Access fails: Manual door checks; rely on physical hardware locks until restored.

Logging

Every event timestamped with name of person reporting and dispatch operator
Paper log book is backup to digital — keep both
Log persists into after-action report; do not destroy or rewrite

Medical

Medical Emergency

Cardiac, seizure, fall, choking, allergic reaction, breathing difficulty

Stay with the patient. Dispatch makes the 911 call. The Medical Responder leads patient care. Safety Team supports — perimeter, family, fetch AED, flag EMS at door.

First decision: assist or EMS?

Many medical calls don't need EMS — fainting that resolves, a fall without injury, a sugar dip. Always radio "Medical Emergency" — same phrase every time, no pre-triage. Medical Responder assesses on arrival and decides whether to escalate to 911. When in doubt, escalate.

Assist track

Patient is conscious and oriented, breathing normally, no severe injury, vital signs stable, declines EMS.

Examples: fainted but came around, fell but ambulatory, dizziness, sugar dip, minor cut, mild allergic reaction.

See Assist-track response below.

EMS track

Patient unresponsive, breathing trouble, chest pain, suspected stroke, severe bleeding, severe allergic reaction, head injury with loss of consciousness, anyone who declines EMS but Medical Responder judges they need it.

See EMS-track first 60 seconds below.

EMS track — recognize

Unresponsive person
Chest pain, suspected cardiac event
Active seizure
Severe bleeding or trauma
Breathing difficulty, choking
Suspected stroke (FAST: face droop, arm weakness, slurred speech, time)
Severe allergic reaction
Fall with injury or loss of consciousness

EMS track — first 60 seconds

Call it on radio. Say "Medical Emergency" — pings Medical Responder, Safety Team, and Dispatch automatically.

No radio? Call dispatch directly: 605-929-3551. Or use the format on radio: "Medical, [area], [nature]" — e.g. "Medical, Area B, possible cardiac front row left"

Stay with the patient. Begin CPR / AED / first aid as trained. Do not leave to find help.

Send a runner for the nearest AED. You stay.

Clear bystanders. Move family to a quiet space if possible.

Assign one person to flag EMS at the West door, Area A — that's the default rendezvous. If dispatch redirected EMS to a different entrance, confirm and post the greeter there instead.

Assist track — response

Call it on radio. Same phrase every time: "Medical Emergency" — pings Medical Responder, Safety Team, and Dispatch automatically.

No radio? Call dispatch directly: 605-929-3551. Don't pre-triage. Use the standard format: "Medical, [area], [nature]" — e.g. "Medical, Area B, member fainted but coming around, west aisle." Medical Responder decides assist or EMS on arrival.

Stay with the patient. Stabilize where they are if safe — don't move them unless there's a reason. Keep them calm and still until Medical Responder arrives.

Medical Responder assesses. Checks responsiveness, breathing, vitals, history. Makes the call: assist-and-release, refer to private follow-up care, or escalate to EMS.

If the patient or family declines EMS but the Medical Responder believes EMS is needed, escalate anyway. Patient autonomy ends where life-threatening risk begins.

If escalating to EMS: radio "Medical Emergency" immediately. Run the EMS-track procedure above.

If assist-and-release: Medical Responder fills out a Medical Release Form with the patient. Patient signs that they were offered EMS and declined. File within 24 hours.

If the patient refuses to sign, document that refusal with two witnesses present (Medical Responder + Safety Team member). Liability protection still applies as long as the offer was made and refusal documented.

Always escalate when: patient becomes unresponsive at any point, vitals are unstable, suspected head injury, anyone over 60 with chest pain or stroke symptoms regardless of severity, or your gut says something is wrong. Liability sits with us when we don't escalate, never when we do.

Service hold for EMS departure

The roads leaving the Central SF neighborhood clog severely when service lets out. If EMS is leaving with a patient and a service is approaching dismissal, the service is held in place until EMS clears the area. A 2–3 minute hold can mean the difference between a patient reaching ER in time and not.

When this applies

EMS is on-site and preparing to depart with a patient
A service is within 10 minutes of dismissal, currently dismissing, or just dismissed
Any combination of these events — the rule is "hold the congregation, clear the road"

Coordination

Dispatch identifies the conflict. When dispatch knows EMS is loading the patient, radio Programming Director: "EMS departing — need hold for service dismissal."

Programming Director or Dispatch makes the hold announcement via paging. If service is mid-flow: extend the worship close. If service has ended or is ending: announce a hold. "Friends, before you head out, we need everyone to remain seated for a few minutes — we're clearing the way for emergency services." Brief, calm, no detail about the patient.

Safety Team holds parking lot & exits. Anyone already in the parking lot stays put. Anyone trying to leave the building is asked to wait briefly. Drop-off lane and west entrance kept clear for the ambulance.

Dispatch confirms EMS is clear of the property and on the road. Once confirmed: "EMS clear — release dismissal." Programming Director or Dispatch announces release; Safety Team releases parking lot.

Why this matters: Central's neighborhood roads back up severely on dismissal. An ambulance leaving in the middle of that traffic can be slowed by 5–10 minutes. For a cardiac event or stroke, that delay is meaningful. The 2–3 minutes we ask the congregation to wait is a real gift to the patient.

Roles during this incident

Medical Responder

Leads patient care. Directs CPR, AED, first aid. Coordinates Safety Team support. Hands off to EMS with patient summary.

Safety Team

Perimeter, family liaison, fetch AED, flag EMS, gather patient information for handoff. Do not leave the patient unattended. If service hold is called: hold parking lot and exits until "EMS clear" is announced.

Dispatch

Calls 911 on One Talk. Logs everything with timestamps. Pulls up cameras for the area. Notifies Programming Director. If EMS will depart near service dismissal: radio Programming Director to coordinate the hold, or make the announcement directly via paging. Confirm EMS clear before releasing.

WARG

Maintains security posture. Available to assist with medical (basic medical trained) if needed. Maintains perimeter awareness while medical is in progress.

Programming Director

Coordinates the service hold — either makes the hold announcement directly or works through Dispatch's paging. Decides on extending or shortening the hold based on patient transport status. Pastoral follow-up with family after.

Dispatch's 911 script

Central SF Church, 3102 W Ralph Rogers Rd, Sioux Falls, SD 57108.
Medical emergency in [area].
Patient is [adult/child], [conscious/unconscious], [breathing/not breathing].
CPR [in progress / not started]. AED [applied / en route].
Entry: West door, Area A — greeter waiting.
(Or specify alternate entrance if patient location requires it.)

Default EMS & fire rendezvous: West door, Area A. Sioux Falls Fire and EMS know this is the standard entrance. Only redirect them to a different entrance if the patient location makes another door significantly faster — and confirm that change explicitly with the dispatcher.

AED locations

Area B — North Lobby, outside Dispatch Room (co-located with AEK Emergency Kit cabinet — see below)
Area C — Outside Mechanical hallway, near West Nursing Mothers rooms
Area D #1 — By Kid Central Check-In
Area D #2 — Outside CPK Office
Area E — Lower level, outside Studio near Gym entrance
Mobile (Roving) — Carried by the Medical Responder along with the medical bag. The Medical Responder rotates through the building during services, so this AED moves with them.

AEK Emergency Kit — epinephrine, naloxone, bleed control

Wall cabinet in the North Lobby (Area B), next to the AED outside the Dispatch Room. Three modules, three life-saving interventions. Turn the knob to open — the alarm will sound. That's by design; the alarm alerts dispatch. Always call 911 when the cabinet is opened.

Module	For	What to do
Epinephrine (EpiPen)	Anaphylaxis — severe allergic reaction with throat swelling, difficulty breathing, collapse, or known allergen exposure with rapid worsening	Inject into outer thigh through clothing if needed. Hold 3 seconds. Massage site 10 seconds. Lay person flat. Call 911. Symptoms can return after 15–20 minutes — second dose may be needed; EMS continues care.
Naloxone (Narcan)	Suspected opioid overdose — unresponsive person with slow/absent breathing, blue lips, pinpoint pupils, possible drug paraphernalia nearby	Spray one full dose into one nostril. Call 911. If no response in 2–3 minutes, give second dose in other nostril. Begin CPR if not breathing. Place in recovery position if breathing returns.
Bleed control	Severe bleeding — arterial bleed, large laceration, gunshot or stab wound, traumatic injury	Apply direct pressure first. Tourniquet for limb bleed: 2–3 inches above wound, tighten until bleeding stops, note time on tourniquet, do not loosen. Hemostatic gauze packed into wound for non-tourniquetable areas (neck, groin, armpit). Call 911.

You will not get in trouble for using this kit. Anyone trained on the contents can deploy them in an emergency. South Dakota has a Good Samaritan law that protects bystanders acting in good faith to help someone in a medical emergency. Use the kit; document the use afterward.

After EMS departs

Note time of EMS arrival, time of departure, hospital destination if known
Pastoral care follows up with family
Restock AED pads if used; replace battery if expired
Incident report filed within 24 hours
Clean affected area; bloodborne pathogen protocol if applicable

Medical Release Form — tap to expand

Used for assist-track cases where the patient declines EMS. Documents that the patient was offered emergency medical services and declined, protecting Central SF and the Medical Responder from liability. Filed within 24 hours; retained per insurance retention policy.

Required fields

Patient information — full name, age, contact phone number, emergency contact name and phone
Incident details — date, time, location (area), nature of incident (fainted, fell, panic, etc.)
Medical Responder assessment — observed vitals (responsive, breathing, color, orientation), apparent cause if known, recommendations given to patient
EMS offered — checkbox: "I was offered emergency medical services (911 / ambulance)"
EMS declined — checkbox: "I have declined emergency medical services. I understand the risks of declining and accept responsibility for my own care decisions."
Aftercare recommendation — what the Medical Responder advised (see your doctor, monitor symptoms, return if X happens, etc.)
Patient signature — signed and dated by patient
Medical Responder signature — signed and dated by responder
Witness signature — Safety Team member or other adult present, signed and dated
If patient refused to sign: note "PATIENT DECLINED TO SIGN" in patient signature field. Two witness signatures required (Medical Responder + Safety Team member).

Distribution

Original to insurance file (mandatory)
Copy to Programming Director
Copy to dispatch log
Patient may request a copy — provide one

Medical · Pastoral

Mental Health Crisis

Suicide threats, panic, disorientation, psychotic episodes, grief crises

Pastor leads. Safety Team supports. The on-call pastor is the lead responder. Move the person to the Pastor's office in Area A if at all possible. Never alone with the person — minimum two responders at all times.

First decision: which type of crisis?

Crisis type determines who responds and how fast. When in doubt, treat as higher severity. All five types share the same baseline: radio quietly, get pastor en route, move to Pastor's office, two-responder rule, document.

Type	What it looks like · response
Suicide / self-harm statement	Anyone says they want to die, hurt themselves, "won't be here next week," has a plan or means. Always call 988 — see resources below.
Psychotic episode	Paranoia, hallucinations, threats, grossly disorganized behavior, loss of contact with reality. WARG pre-positions silently. May need EMS.
Disorientation / confusion	Confused, can't recall name, dementia, possible stroke, possible substance. Medical Responder consults — could be medical, not psychiatric.
Panic attack / acute anxiety	Hyperventilation, sense of doom, chest tightness without cardiac history, shaking. Pastor leads, calm voice, quiet space, breathing.
Grief crisis	Active grief reaction during service — collapse, sobbing, dissociation. Pastor leads, gentle removal to private space, family contact.

First steps — all crisis types

Call it. Mental health crisis uses the standard "Medical Emergency" phrase on the radio — pings Medical Responder, Safety Team, and Dispatch.

No radio? Call dispatch directly: 605-929-3551. Or grab any Safety Team member with a radio. Don't try to handle it alone.

Exception: if the person has a weapon or is threatening one, say "Security Emergency" instead — that pings WARG.

Safety Team finds the on-call pastor. Dispatch radios the pastor; if no response, a Safety Team member physically goes to the pastor's known location (worship center, lobby, office). Don't wait for someone else to do this.

If the on-call pastor can't be reached, escalate to any pastor on staff present that day. If no pastor is reachable, Programming Director or Coordinator becomes interim lead.

Stay with the person. Calm tone, low voice, slow movement. Don't crowd them. Don't touch without consent. Listen more than talk.

Works: "I'm here." "Take your time." "Tell me what's going on." Avoid: "Calm down." "It'll be okay." "I know how you feel."

Move to Pastor's office (Area A) if the person is willing and able to walk. Quiet, private, away from service flow.

If they refuse to move, stay where you are. Don't force it. Bring a second responder to you instead.

Pastor takes lead on arrival. Safety Team transitions to perimeter — discreet positioning at the door, not inside unless asked.

Dispatch logs and notifies. Timestamp, area, type, responders. Notifies Programming Director if the situation will run beyond service end or escalate.

Type-specific guidance — tap to expand

Suicide / self-harm — additional steps

Always call. Never sit on a suicide statement, even if pastor or person says they're "fine now."
Call 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or the mobile crisis team — pastor and on-scene responder decide which based on severity.
If person has a plan, means, or timeline — that's high acuity. Call mobile crisis team, not 988.
If person has a weapon or threatens themselves with one — call 911 immediately. WARG pre-positions. This is now a security incident — see bright lines below.
Do not leave the person alone — even to use the bathroom. Two responders, line of sight at all times.
If person tries to leave: don't physically restrain. Walk with them. Keep talking. Get pastor and dispatch updated immediately.

Psychotic episode — additional steps

WARG pre-positions silently — out of sight, ready if needed. Visible security can escalate paranoia.
Don't argue with the content of delusions or hallucinations. Don't agree with them either. Stay neutral: "That sounds frightening." "I'm here with you."
Mobile crisis team is the right call — they're trained for this and bring the right tools.
911 only if person becomes a threat to self or others, has a weapon, or refuses to leave and escalates. See bright lines below.
If person is a known regular with documented psychiatric history, pastor coordinates with their existing care team if known.

Disorientation / confusion — additional steps

Could be medical, not psychiatric. Stroke, hypoglycemia, urinary tract infection in elderly, head injury, substance.
Radio "Medical Emergency" if any of: sudden onset, asymmetric face/arm weakness, slurred speech, history of diabetes, smell of alcohol, suspected overdose.
Medical Responder consults to rule out medical cause before treating as mental health.
If known regular with documented condition (dementia, etc.): pastor or family liaison contacts known caregiver per existing pastoral records.

Panic / anxiety — additional steps

Most resolve within 10–30 minutes with quiet, presence, slow breathing.
Pastor or trained Safety Team member can lead grounding: "Name 5 things you can see. 4 you can touch. 3 you can hear."
Offer water. Avoid food during active panic — chewing/swallowing can worsen breathing.
Watch for cardiac mimicry: chest tightness in anyone over 50, with cardiac history, or with sudden onset → radio "Medical Emergency."
If recurring panic for known regular: pastor follows up after service to connect with their existing care.

Grief crisis — additional steps

Often triggered by service content — sermon, song, communion. The trigger is information; don't try to remove it from the person's mind.
Gentle physical removal to private space if they're disrupting service or unable to function. Walk with them, not behind them.
Pastor leads. Safety Team's role here is logistics: water, tissues, contact family, bring them to the person.
Stay until family arrives or person is stable enough to leave with someone they know.
If grief includes suicidal statements ("I want to be with them"): treat as suicide crisis. Always call.

Bright lines — escalate to security incident

Weapon visible — toward self or anyone else. Call 911. WARG engages. Threat Level 4.
Refuses to leave AND is escalating — voice raised, threats, agitation increasing despite pastor presence. WARG pre-positions visibly. Programming Director and pastor decide on 911.
Imminent violence to others — moves toward another person with hostile intent, attempts physical contact, makes specific threats. Call 911. WARG engages. Threat Level 4.
When any bright line is crossed, this stops being a pastoral incident and becomes a security incident. WARG takes operational lead.

Reference — tap to expand

Roles during this incident

On-call Pastor

Lead responder. Conducts pastoral conversation, decides on 988 / mobile crisis call, coordinates with family. Stays with person until handoff.

Safety Team

First responder until pastor arrives, then perimeter. Physically finds the pastor if radio fails. Logistics: water, tissues, escort, second-responder presence.

Medical Responder

Consults on disorientation, suspected substance, panic with cardiac symptoms. Has access to medical bag if needed. Does not lead pastoral conversation.

WARG

Silent pre-position for psychotic episodes. Engages only if bright lines crossed. Out of sight unless visibility is needed.

Programming Director

Notified at L3+. Ministry liaison if family present, coordinates pastoral follow-up, decides if pastoral team continues care after service.

Dispatch

Logs everything. Calls 988, mobile crisis team, or 911 when directed. Coordinates EMS rendezvous if needed (West door, Area A default).

External resources & numbers

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988. Trained counselors, 24/7.
Pastoral counselors / referral therapists add list — for follow-up care after the immediate crisis resolves.
911 — only when bright lines crossed (weapons, imminent violence, escalating refusal).

After the crisis

Document the incident within 24 hours: who, what, when, where, who responded, what was decided, outcome.
If incident reached L3 (e.g. suicidal threat with weapon, violent escalation, bright line crossed): file a Security Incident Report — template in the Active Threat procedure, under the Reference section.
Pastor follows up with the person within 48 hours — phone call or visit.
If the person is a regular: pastoral team adds them to the prayer/care list per existing protocol.
If 988 or mobile crisis was called: pastor follows up with the family and confirms next steps for ongoing care.
Debrief with the responding Safety Team member — these incidents are heavy, and responders need pastoral care too.

Security

Agitated Person / Verbal Disruption

De-escalation, pastoral handoff, removal, escalation

Most agitated people don't need a security response — they need to be heard. A calm conversation with a Safety Team member or pastor resolves nearly all of these moments. The procedure is built around de-escalation first, removal only when needed, and escalation only when bright lines are crossed.

Common scenarios at Central SF

Upset member — concerned about a sermon, a ministry decision, a pastoral conflict, a relationship within the church. Usually in the lobby, after service. Wants to be heard.
Person under the influence — drugs, alcohol, or in mental health crisis. Behavior may be unpredictable. Often a stranger, sometimes a member.
Angry stranger — frustrated about parking, traffic, a misunderstanding at check-in, lost item, or unrelated personal stress that spilled into the building. Often resolves quickly with attention.
Active service disruption — standing up shouting, walking toward stage, prolonged outburst. Rare but high-stakes; covered separately below.

De-escalation principles

Formal de-escalation training has not yet been completed at Central SF to build. The principles below are a working framework. They are not a substitute for training, but they are correct and using them is far better than not.

Lower your voice. Slow down. Match calm, not their energy. Speaking softly invites them to lean in to hear you, which physically calms breathing and posture.
Listen first, fix later. Most agitated people are upset because they feel unheard. Let them say it. Don't interrupt. Don't defend. Don't problem-solve in the first 60 seconds.
Acknowledge the feeling, even if you disagree with the facts. "That sounds really frustrating" or "I can hear how upset you are" validates without agreeing.
Use their name if you know it. Personal address grounds a conversation.
Open body language. Hands visible, palms relaxed, slight angle (not directly facing them — less confrontational). Don't cross your arms. Don't put your hand on your radio.
Give them choices, not commands. "Would you like to step over here where it's quieter, or would you rather sit down for a minute?" — not "You need to come with me."
Don't trap them. Stand to the side or with an exit visible to them. Cornered people escalate.
Don't argue facts. Even if they're wrong. Even if you can prove they're wrong. Arguing escalates; listening de-escalates.
Ask what would help. "What would be most helpful right now? Would you like to talk to a pastor?" Most upset people don't know what they want until asked.
Know when to walk away. If you are also getting agitated, swap with another Safety Team member. There's no shame in this; it's better than escalation.

Graduated response

Tier 1 — Engage and listen (Threat Level 1)

Default first response. Whoever is closest — usually a Safety Team member, sometimes a greeter or pastor — engages with calm presence and listens.

Approach calmly. Use de-escalation principles above.
Radio dispatch quietly: "Engaged with [agitated person] in [area]. Monitoring." No alarm, no audience.
Listen until they've said what they came to say.
If they de-escalate naturally: ask if there's anything else you can help with. Walk them to where they need to go (exit, pastor, child). Log briefly.
If they continue to escalate or appear under the influence: move to Tier 2.
If the issue is pastoral (member upset about a decision, relationship, sermon): connect to pastor on-call. Don't try to "handle" pastoral content as a Safety Team member.

Tier 2 — Pastoral handoff or relocate (Threat Level 1–2)

Tier 1 resolved the immediate moment but the person needs more than a Safety Team conversation. Hand off to the right person and/or move to a quieter space.

Pastoral handoff if the issue is relational, theological, or about a church decision. Pastor on-call comes to the situation. Safety Team stays nearby but lets the pastor lead.
Relocate to a quieter space — offer to walk to Hearth Room or a similar low-traffic area. Lobby chaos amplifies agitation; quiet spaces reduce it.
If person is under the influence and not threatening: Safety Team stays with them until a pastor or family member arrives, OR until they choose to leave. Do not try to "treat" intoxication. See Mental Health Crisis if symptoms suggest a crisis.
If person came in for a stranger reason (parking, lost item, frustrated about traffic): help solve the surface problem if you can. Often that's all they wanted.
Document. Description, time, location, what was said, who responded, outcome. This is now an incident worth logging even if it resolves cleanly.

Tier 3 — Ask to leave (Threat Level 2)

De-escalation hasn't worked. The person is continuing to be disruptive, refusing pastoral handoff, or escalating despite calm engagement. Time to ask them to leave.

Programming Director leads at L2. Coordinator or pastoral team backs up.
Second Safety Team member positions visibly nearby. WARG aware.
Make a clear, calm request: "I need to ask you to leave. We're happy to continue this conversation by phone tomorrow with [Pastor/staff member], but right now we need you to head out."
Offer pastoral follow-up if appropriate. "I'll have [Pastor] call you tomorrow to talk through this." This is not a brush-off — it's a real commitment that gives the person a path forward.
Walk them out if they agree. To the parking lot, to their vehicle if reasonable. Do not just stand and watch them leave — the walk is part of the de-escalation.
Document fully. This is now a Security Incident Report situation regardless of outcome.
If they refuse to leave: move to Tier 4.

Tier 4 — Trespass or 911 (Threat Level 3+)

Person refused to leave when asked, OR any of the bright-line triggers below. Coordinated security response, PD involvement.

Bright lines that go straight to Tier 4 (skip Tiers 1–3)

Physical violence or threat of violence against any person — L3 immediately, may be L4 if weapons
Visible weapon — L4 immediately, see Active Threat procedure
Threats to harm self or others — treat as Mental Health Crisis at L3 minimum, see that procedure
Attempt to access children's areas — L3 immediately

Tier 4 actions

Threat Level escalated to L3 — called by Programming Director or WARG
Programming Director leads. WARG pre-positions visibly. Safety Team holds perimeter and moves bystanders away.
Dispatch calls Sioux Falls PD non-emergency at 605-367-7000 for trespass support, OR 911 if any bright line was crossed
Tell the person clearly: "You have been asked to leave. If you do not leave now, we will call the police for trespassing." Then if they still refuse: "We are now calling the police."
Do not physically engage. Stay at safe distance. Track location with cameras.
If they leave under their own power: document everything, get vehicle and license plate if possible, file Security Incident Report.
If they refuse to leave: wait for PD. Hold perimeter. Keep congregation away.
If they cross any bright line during the wait: WARG takes operational lead per Active Threat procedure. Lockdown if appropriate.

Active service disruption (special case)

Rare but high-stakes: someone stands up and shouts during service, walks toward the stage, or otherwise actively disrupts. The whole room is watching. Response has to be fast, calm, and minimal-spectacle.

Closest Safety Team member moves toward the person calmly — not running. Visible but not aggressive.
Worship Pastor / stage team continues service if possible. Don't stop. Don't acknowledge from stage. Service continuity is part of de-escalation.
If person is in a row: Safety Team approaches from the aisle, asks them quietly to step out. "Hi, can we step outside for a moment?"
If person is moving toward stage: two Safety Team members intercept. Block path without contact. Redirect calmly. WARG visible at stage perimeter.
If person reaches stage or becomes physically threatening: WARG operational lead. Worship Pastor halts service. Programming Director announces a brief pause.
Once outside the Worship Center: standard Tiers 1–4 apply based on what's happening.
After service: debrief with Worship Pastor and stage team — service flow during disruption is its own skill.

Roles during this incident

Safety Team

Default first responder. Engages calmly using de-escalation principles. Listens before fixing. Connects to pastor for relational/pastoral content. Holds perimeter and supports through Tiers 2–4. Swaps out if becoming agitated themselves.

Dispatch

Logs reports. Pulls cameras for situational awareness. Tracks subject location. Calls PD non-emergency at Tier 4. Calls 911 on bright lines. Maintains incident timeline.

Pastor on-call

Leads at Tier 2 if pastoral. Takes pastoral content (sermon disagreement, ministry conflict, relational pain) off Safety Team's plate. Offers follow-up conversation as a real path. May resolve what security can't.

Programming Director

Leads at Tier 3 and Tier 4 (L2/L3). Coordinator backs up. Authorizes PD call. Makes the trespass decision. Coordinates pastoral conversation if person is a known member.

WARG

Aware at Tier 1–2, pre-positions at Tier 3, visibly pre-positions at Tier 4. Operational lead only at L4+ (bright line crossed). Otherwise advises and stays ready.

When the agitated person is a known member

Pastoral path is the primary path. A member who's upset about a sermon or a relationship issue needs pastoral care, not a security response. Connect them to a pastor early.
Mental health crisis can happen to members. If a known member is in crisis, follow Mental Health Crisis procedure. Pastor on-call leads. 988 and mobile crisis are available.
If trespass becomes necessary even for a member: this is a leadership decision, not a Safety Team decision. Programming Director, Lead Pastor, and pastoral team coordinate. Pastoral relationship continues even if the person can't be on-site for now.
Do not let "they're a member" override safety. Bright lines are bright for everyone. A member who threatens violence is a Tier 4 situation regardless of relationship.

Bias check

Whose agitation gets treated as security risk and whose gets treated as pastoral concern is a place where bias creeps in. Treat the behavior, not the person. A wealthy long-time member who shouts at a greeter and a stranger who shouts at a greeter should get the same Tier 1 response. A person of color expressing frustration should not be escalated faster than a white person doing the same. If you find yourself moving up the tiers based on who someone is rather than what they're doing, stop. Re-check whether observable behavior justifies it.

After incident

File Security Incident Report for any Tier 3 or Tier 4 incident (template in Active Threat procedure).
Tier 1–2 incidents that resolved cleanly: brief end-of-shift dispatch log entry only.
If person is a known member: Programming Director schedules pastoral follow-up within 48 hours. Pastor on-call leads.
If trespass was issued: subject's information added to persons-of-concern list (see Suspicious Person procedure), photo if obtained, PD case number, vehicle and plate.
If pattern emerges (same person multiple incidents, same issue across people): Programming Director and pastoral team review. Pastoral conversation, ministry adjustment, or other root-cause action.
Pastoral follow-up with the responding Safety Team member — agitated-person incidents take an emotional toll, especially for volunteers.

Open items pending resolution

De-escalation training for Safety Team and pastoral staff — this is the highest-priority gap for this procedure. CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) training is available through Sioux Falls PD; Verbal Judo and similar programs are available locally. Recommend annual refresh.
Pastor on-call definition published in Contacts page for Safety Team use during services and events — off-hours via church office
Trespass notice template — written notice with PD case number, valid for 1 year, signed by Lead Pastor
Pastoral debrief protocol for Safety Team members after Tier 3+ incidents
Cross-reference and consistency check with Mental Health Crisis procedure — agitated person and mental health crisis often overlap
Persons-of-concern list formalization (also in Suspicious Person open items)

Security

Suspicious Person

Graduated response: observe, engage friendly, direct, escalate

Default to friendly. Escalate on observed behavior. Most "suspicious" reports turn out to be lost guests, members with mental-health concerns, or unfamiliar visitors. The friendly first contact resolves 90% of cases and gives us information about the rest. Act on what someone is doing, not what they look like.

What counts as suspicious behavior

Observable behaviors trigger this procedure. Appearance does not. The five behaviors below are what we respond to:

Loitering near children's areas without a child — lingering at Family Check-in, Student Central Check-in, hallways outside Kid Central, near nursery, or at playground with no apparent reason
Asking unusual questions about security, exits, or routines — "what time do kids get out," "where do you keep the kids during service," "where are the cameras," "how many security guards"
Visibly armed or showing concealed-weapon indicators — visible firearm (and not WARG), printing of a firearm, repeated touching/adjusting at the waistband, jacket-with-bulge inconsistent with weather
Aggressive or threatening verbal behavior — raised voice, threats toward specific people or the church, escalating tone
Refusing to identify themselves or leave when asked — the person was approached and either won't say who they are, why they're there, or won't leave when politely asked

What's NOT a trigger by itself: Looking unfamiliar. Wearing unusual clothing. Looking uncomfortable. Photographing the building (tourists, architecture students, real-estate scouts). Sitting alone. Visiting from out of town. Mental health symptoms without threatening behavior.

Tier 1 — Observe (Threat Level 1)

Behavior is mildly unusual or you're not sure yet. Watch without engaging. Most cases resolve themselves — the person finds who they're looking for or leaves.

Safety Team member observing notes location, description, and behavior
Radio dispatch quietly: "Heads up — person of interest in [area], [brief description]"
Dispatch pulls cameras for situational awareness
If behavior resolves: nothing further. Log in dispatch end-of-shift notes.
If behavior continues or escalates: move to Tier 2.

Tier 2 — Engage friendly (Threat Level 1–2)

Default first contact. A Safety Team member approaches with a smile and asks if they can help. Disarms misunderstandings. Reveals real concerns through how the person responds.

Approach with a smile. "Hi! I'm with the safety team here at Central. Can I help you find what you're looking for?"

Body language matters. Hands visible, not on your radio. Tone genuinely warm. You are a host, not an enforcer.

Listen and observe. Do they answer normally (lost guest, looking for the bathroom, waiting for someone)? Do they evade or get defensive? Do they give a story that doesn't match what they're doing?

If the answer is innocent: help them. Direct them, walk them to where they need to go if appropriate, and let them know they can find Safety Team members in lanyards anytime. Most contacts end here.

If something is off: stay friendly but stay close. Radio dispatch quietly: "Person of interest in [area], engaged but not resolved." Move to Tier 3.

Tier 3 — Direct ask (Threat Level 2)

The friendly contact didn't resolve it, OR the behavior is more concerning from the start (loitering near children, unusual questions about security). Direct request with backup nearby.

Programming Director leads at L2. Coordinator backs up.
Second Safety Team member positions nearby — visible but not crowding. WARG aware and pre-positioning.
Make a direct, polite request: "I need to ask you to stop [behavior] / move away from the children's area / wait here while I get someone."
If they ask why: answer honestly without being defensive. "This is a children's area and we ask all guests to be with a child or stay in the main lobby."
Document. Description, time, location, behavior, what was said, response. This is now an incident report situation.
If they comply: stay engaged briefly to confirm, then return to normal posture. Log in dispatch.
If they refuse, evade, or escalate: move to Tier 4.

Tier 4 — Trespass & PD (Threat Level 3)

Person refused to leave when asked, escalated verbally, or any of the bright-line triggers below. This is now a coordinated security response.

Bright lines that go straight to Tier 4 (skip Tiers 1–3)

Visible firearm or weapon (and not WARG) — treat as Threat Level 4 (Critical) immediately, see Active Threat procedure
Threats toward specific people or the church — verbal threats are L3 immediately
Physical aggression or attempts to access children — L3 immediately, may become L4

Tier 4 actions

Threat Level escalated to L3 — Programming Director or WARG calls it
Programming Director leads. WARG pre-positions visibly. Safety Team holds perimeter and moves bystanders away.
Dispatch calls Sioux Falls PD non-emergency at 605-367-7000 for trespass support, OR 911 if any bright line was crossed
Tell the person clearly: "You have been asked to leave. If you do not leave now, we will call the police for trespassing." Then if they still refuse: "We are now calling the police."
Do not physically engage. Stay at safe distance. Track their location with cameras.
If they leave under their own power: document everything, get vehicle and license plate if possible, file Security Incident Report.
If they refuse to leave: wait for PD. Hold perimeter. Keep congregation away from the area.
If they cross any bright line (weapon, threats, physical aggression): WARG takes operational lead per Active Threat procedure. Lockdown if appropriate.

Roles during this incident

Safety Team (any tier)

First contact at Tier 2 — friendly approach. Observation and radio quiet at Tier 1. Direct ask at Tier 3 with backup. Perimeter and crowd management at Tier 4. Stay friendly until proven otherwise.

Dispatch

Logs reports. Pulls cameras for situational awareness. Tracks subject location across building. Calls PD non-emergency at Tier 4. Calls 911 on bright lines. Maintains incident timeline.

Programming Director

Leads at Tier 3 and Tier 4 (L2/L3). Coordinator backs up. Authorizes PD call. Makes the trespass decision. Coordinates pastoral conversation if subject is a known member.

WARG

Aware at Tier 1–2, pre-positions at Tier 3, visibly pre-positions at Tier 4. Operational lead only at L4+ (bright line crossed). Otherwise advises and stays ready.

Pastor on-call

Engaged if subject is a known member or appears to be in mental health crisis. Pastoral conversation may resolve what security can't. Coordinates with Programming Director.

Known persons & members

If subject is a known member acting unusually: Pastor on-call should be engaged early. The person may be in crisis (mental health, grief, marital, addiction). Pastoral approach often resolves what security can't.
If subject is on Central SF's persons-of-concern list: dispatch alerts WARG immediately. Tier 3 minimum response. Custody disputes, prior incidents, and trespass-noticed individuals all live on this list.
The persons-of-concern list is currently informal — knowledge is shared word-of-mouth. to be formalized Phase 2: Programming Director maintains a written list with descriptions, photos where available, prior incident references, and current trespass status. Reviewed quarterly. Shared with Safety Team and WARG before each service.

Bias check

"Suspicious" is one of the most-abused words in security work. Act on observable behavior, not on appearance, race, ethnicity, dress, language, or unfamiliarity. A new visitor who looks different from the typical congregation is not suspicious. Someone in clothing you find unusual is not suspicious. Someone who appears poor or homeless is not suspicious. The five trigger behaviors above are what we respond to. If you find yourself escalating because of who someone is rather than what they're doing, stop. Re-check whether observable behavior justifies the response. Friendly contact at Tier 2 resolves these moments without harm.

After incident

File Security Incident Report (template in Active Threat procedure) for any Tier 3 or Tier 4 incident, regardless of outcome.
Tier 1–2 contacts that resolved cleanly: brief end-of-shift dispatch log entry only.
If subject was a known member: Programming Director schedules pastoral follow-up within 48 hours.
If trespass was issued: subject's information added to persons-of-concern list, photo if obtained, PD case number, vehicle and plate.
If a pattern emerges (same person multiple visits, same behavior across people, same area): Programming Director reviews and updates response posture.

Open items pending resolution

Formalize persons-of-concern list — Programming Director maintains; Safety Team and WARG briefed before each service
Trespass notice template — written notice with PD case number, valid for 1 year, signed by Lead Pastor
Photo capture protocol — how do we get a photo of someone for the persons-of-concern list without overstepping?
Annual training on bias awareness during Safety Team onboarding
Coordination with Sioux Falls PD on trespass procedure and case-number assignment

Security

Suspicious Package

Don't touch, don't move, full evacuation, 300+ feet

Don't touch it. Don't move it. Don't open it. Most "unattended bag" reports are forgotten belongings, not threats. But a real device cannot be distinguished from a left-behind bag by looking. The procedure assumes the item could be real until PD confirms otherwise.

What makes a package suspicious

Most unattended items at Central SF are forgotten purses, diaper bags, water bottles. They are NOT suspicious by default. A package becomes suspicious when one or more of these factors is present:

Physical indicators: visible wires, batteries, leaking liquid or powder, unusual smell, ticking or other mechanical sounds, written threats, unusual weight or rigid shape, oily stains on packaging, excessive tape
Location: placed near children's areas, exits, the stage, dispatch room, or other high-occupancy or critical infrastructure
Person seen leaving it: someone observed placing the item and walking away suspiciously, watched leaving the area without retrieving belongings, or otherwise acting evasively
Reported as a threat: someone (member, guest, anonymous caller) calls it in as suspicious, or claims it's a threat
Combination of factors that don't add up: bag in an unusual place + no plausible owner + something off about it. Trust your instincts here.

What's NOT suspicious by itself: A purse left in the Worship Center after service. A backpack at the Family Check-in counter. A coat draped over a chair. Lost-and-found items collected normally. The first response to most unattended items is "find the owner" — not procedure activation.

The three absolute rules

Don't touch it. Don't pick it up. Don't shake it. Don't open it. Don't move it to "lost and found."
Don't use radios or cell phones within 300 feet of it. Modern devices are unlikely to be RF-triggered, but the standard remains conservative because the cost of being wrong is catastrophic. Step away before transmitting.
Don't activate the fire alarm. The fire alarm system can interfere with PD operations. Use voice paging only.

First 60 seconds — immediate response

Identify the item without touching it. Note location, description, condition. Memory only — do not photograph from close range (RF caution).

Move away from the item. At least 50 feet immediately, more if possible. Take any nearby people with you. Do not transmit on radio until you are well away.

Once away, alert dispatch in person or by phone. Use your cell phone away from the item, not radio near it. "Suspicious package in [area]. Need PD response." Dispatch starts the response cascade.

No phone? Send a runner to dispatch. Do not yell across the building.

Establish a 50-foot soft perimeter. Keep people back from the immediate area while full evacuation is being announced. Don't crowd the package; don't crowd the perimeter either.

Full building evacuation — not partial

DHS, FBI, and ATF all converge on full building evacuation for genuinely suspicious packages, not partial. Reasons: blast radius is unpredictable, secondary devices are a known tactic, smoke and shrapnel travel, minimum standoff distance for an unknown device is 300+ feet which is farther than any interior space.

Action

Programming Director or Dispatch announces evacuation via voice paging (not fire alarm). Pre-recorded script: "This is a building-wide evacuation. Move calmly to the West Lawn + Lot, away from the building and the road. Do not use the area near [package location]. Do not use cell phones until you are at the assembly area." script to record
Evacuate via routes that do NOT pass the suspicious package. If the item is near the West door (Area A), congregation evacuates through other doors. If the item is in the Worship Center, evacuate through Concourse and Area D doors.
Assembly: West Lawn + Lot — minimum 300 feet from the building. Standard fire assembly (South Central Lawn / North Lawn) is too close. West Lawn + Lot is the designated 300-foot standoff assembly for high-threat incidents like bombs and suspicious packages. Note: if the package is on the west side of the building, dispatch must redirect to an alternate side — never evacuate toward the threat. Use the side opposite the package, maintaining 300+ feet standoff.
Children evacuate with their classroom adults as a class. Same no-pickup rule as fire and severe weather: parents do not collect children at evacuation. Reunification with tag verification only after PD declares safe.
Anyone outside is directed away from the building toward the assembly area.

Law enforcement response

Dispatch calls 911 immediately from a phone at least 300 feet from the package. "Central SF Church, 3102 W Ralph Rogers Rd. Suspicious package in [area]. Building is being evacuated. Need PD and bomb squad response."
Sioux Falls PD bomb squad / EOD handles assessment. Central SF has a contact but has not drilled this scenario to drill.
PD takes operational lead on arrival. Programming Director and Facilities Director coordinate. Provide building access, panel readings, camera footage of the package being placed (if available).
Do not allow re-entry until PD declares safe. This may take hours. Plan for that.

At the assembly area (West Lawn + Lot)

West Lawn + Lot — standoff distance 300+ feet from the building. Confirmed safer than the fire assembly because farther from any structure.
Cell phones can be used here — once at the assembly area, parents and members can call family, dispatch can radio normally.
Account for everyone. Kid Central staff hold their classes; Safety Team accounts for guests and members. Report any missing person to dispatch and PD on arrival.
Pastoral care — this is a frightening event. Pastor on-call available for distressed congregants.
Communications Director manages external messaging. No social media until PD authorizes. No detail about location of the package.
Watch for secondary devices. Attackers sometimes place a primary device to draw response, then a secondary device at the predictable assembly point. Safety Team and WARG monitor the assembly area for unusual items.

Roles during this incident

First responder (anyone)

Don't touch. Move away. Take nearby people with you. Alert dispatch by phone (away from item) or by runner.

Dispatch

Calls 911 from outside the 300-foot RF perimeter. Triggers voice-paging evacuation (not fire alarm). Coordinates evacuation routing to avoid the package. Pulls cameras of the package being placed. Briefs PD on arrival.

Safety Team

Establish soft 50-foot perimeter immediately. Direct evacuation routes that bypass the package. Hold the line on no-pickup at assembly. Monitor assembly area for secondary devices.

Programming Director

Authorizes evacuation. Announces it (or works through Dispatch). Coordinates with PD on arrival. Decides on dismissal vs. waiting based on PD's timeline.

Facilities Director

Briefs PD on building layout, utilities, camera coverage. Provides access for bomb squad. Manages utility shut-offs if directed.

WARG

Maintains security posture during evacuation. Monitors assembly area for secondary devices. Stays alert to malicious-package-then-attack pattern. Engages only if separate security incident emerges.

Kid Central Staff & Classroom Leaders

Walk children out as a class group via assigned route, avoiding the package location. Maintain class roster. Stay with class at West Lawn + Lot assembly. Account for every child by name. Do not release children to parents during evacuation.

Secondary devices — the active-threat pattern

Some attacks use a primary package to force evacuation toward a predictable secondary location, where a second device is already placed. The pattern is: place a primary, wait for response, trigger a secondary at the assembly point or along the evacuation route. Central SF must stay alert during evacuation. WARG monitors the assembly area for unusual items. Safety Team watches for items along the evacuation routes. If a second suspicious item is found, treat it as a coordinated attack: 911, evacuate further, escalate to Threat Level 4. Do not assume the first package was the only one.

After resolution

If PD declares the item safe: Programming Director announces re-entry. Service may resume or be cancelled depending on time elapsed and congregation composure.
If PD does NOT declare the item safe within reasonable time: dismiss congregation home from assembly area. Service cancelled. Communications Director publishes notice.
If a real device was found: this is now a federal crime. FBI involvement likely. All cameras preserved on litigation hold. Witness statements collected within 72 hours. No internal communication outside leadership until legal review.
File Security Incident Report within 24 hours regardless of outcome (template in Active Threat procedure). L4 distribution: legal counsel, insurance carrier within 48 hours, board chair, full executive team.
Pastoral follow-up with anyone significantly affected.
Insurance carrier notified within 24 hours.
Debrief with Safety Team, WARG, and leadership within 72 hours. Lessons learned. Procedure updates.

Open items pending resolution

Drill the scenario with Sioux Falls PD bomb squad / EOD — we have a contact but have never drilled this together
Pre-recorded suspicious-package evacuation paging script and recording (different from fire and severe weather scripts)
Confirm minimum standoff distance with PD for our specific building footprint
Designate specific assembly points in the West Lawn + Lot — mark on building map
Per-area evacuation routes that bypass each potential package location (varies by where item is found)
Annual tabletop exercise with PD on suspicious package response
Camera coverage of high-risk drop locations — near children's areas, exits, stage, dispatch room
Lost-and-found protocol that distinguishes "find the owner" cases from suspicious package cases

Security

Bomb Threat

Receive, assess, decide: evacuate or lockdown-and-search

This is not a Suspicious Package incident. A bomb threat is a verbal or written claim that a device exists. Most are hoaxes. Some are real. The decision to evacuate is ours, made on the credibility of the threat, not on whether an alarm sounded. If a suspicious item is also found, see Suspicious Package procedure — that's a different incident.

How threats arrive at Central SF

Phone call to the main church number — most common; received by front desk reception
Email to staff inbox, info@, prayer@, or any general address
Written note — mailed, dropped off, slipped under a door, found in the building
Social media post or public message — comment, DM, or public threat
Verbal threat in person — usually associated with a confrontation or escalating individual

Receiver is usually NOT Safety Team. The most likely receiver is the front desk volunteer or a pastor checking email. The procedure trains them what to do in the first 2 minutes — that's the most operationally important window.

If you receive a threat by phone

Stay calm. Keep the caller talking. Information you capture in the first 60 seconds determines how PD assesses the threat. Do not hang up — even if they hang up, leave your line open and use a different phone to call dispatch.

Stay on the line. Listen carefully. Don't argue, don't agitate. Let them talk. Take notes if you can; if not, remember everything you can.

Ask these questions if the caller pauses (memorize or use the laminated checklist at the front desk):

• When is the bomb going to explode?
• Where is it right now?
• What does it look like?
• What kind of bomb is it?
• What will cause it to explode?
• Did you place the bomb?
• Why?
• What is your name?
• What is your address?

Note everything you can about the call:

• Time the call came in and length of call
• Caller's voice — male/female/unclear, accent, age estimate, calm/angry/intoxicated
• Background noise — traffic, voices, music, machinery, animals, silence
• Caller's exact words — write down their threat verbatim if possible
• Phone display — if there's a caller ID, write down the number

After the call ends: Use a different phone (not the one they called) to immediately call dispatch at 605-929-3551. "Bomb threat received by phone. Need full response."

Do not hang up the original phone — PD may be able to trace the call if the line stays open.

Outside services or events: the dispatch number forwards to the Programming Director's mobile. Same number, same procedure — no need to know if dispatch is staffed.

Stay where you are. Don't go looking for anyone or anything. Wait for dispatch / Safety Team to come to you. They'll need your full account.

If you receive a threat in writing, email, or social media

Don't delete it. Don't reply. Don't forward except to dispatch.
Don't touch a written note unnecessarily. Handle by edges only. Place in a folder or under a clear cover. PD will want it for fingerprints / DNA.
Photograph or screenshot the message before any further action. Capture metadata (time received, sender, headers if email).
Call dispatch at 605-929-3551 immediately. "Bomb threat received in [email / writing / social media]. Need response."
Preserve the original. Do not delete from email server. Do not throw away the note. Do not reply to social media post (deleting your reply later doesn't help; original is what matters).
If the threat references a specific time, place, or person: that detail goes to dispatch immediately, before anything else.

If you receive a threat in person

Don't argue or escalate. If the person is making a verbal threat about a bomb, treat them as potentially armed and unstable.
Get to a safe location. Don't run, don't draw attention — just move calmly to where you can call dispatch.
Note their description, exact words, and which direction they went.
Call 911 first, then dispatch. A verbal in-person threat is L3 immediately; in-person threats with specific details may be L4.
If the person is still in the building when PD arrives, they handle the contact. WARG pre-positions but does not engage unless the person becomes actively violent.

Threat assessment — the credibility decision

Most bomb threats are hoaxes. The response should match credibility, not panic. CISA, DHS, and the FBI use a tiered assessment to decide: lockdown-and-search vs. partial evacuation vs. full evacuation. Programming Director makes the call, with WARG advising and PD on the phone.

Threat level	Indicators	Response
Vague / non-specific	Generic threat. No location named. No timing. Caller already known to make false reports. No corroborating evidence.	Lockdown-and-search. Stay in place. Safety Team and Facilities Director sweep building for unattended items. Continue service if appropriate.
Specific / credible	Specific location named. Specific time. Specific device type. Plausible motive. Caller seems serious.	Full building evacuation. West Lawn + Lot assembly (per Suspicious Package procedure). PD response. Bomb squad notified.
Specific + corroborated	Specific threat AND a suspicious item is found, OR threat references actual building details only an insider would know, OR threat follows a prior security incident with same source.	Full evacuation immediately. 911. Treat as Suspicious Package + Bomb Threat simultaneously. Threat Level 4. Litigation hold on cameras.

When in doubt, lean toward evacuation. The cost of a false-positive evacuation is service disruption. The cost of a false-negative is lives. PD will support either decision — they would rather respond to a precautionary evacuation than a real incident.

Lockdown-and-search (vague threats)

Threat Level escalated to L3
Programming Director leads. Coordinator backs up. WARG pre-positions. Service continues if not yet disrupted.
Dispatch calls Sioux Falls PD non-emergency at 605-367-7000 for guidance and case-number assignment
Safety Team and Facilities Director sweep the building looking for unattended items, anything out of place. Each person searches their own area — they know it best.
If something is found: do not touch. Move away. Call it in. Treat as Suspicious Package — full evacuation.
If nothing is found after thorough search: lockdown lifts. Document. Schedule pastoral conversation if a known individual was the source.

Full evacuation (specific or credible threats)

Threat Level escalated to L3 (Active) or L4 (Critical) if corroborated
Follow the Suspicious Package evacuation pattern. West Lawn + Lot for assembly — minimum 300 feet from building, NOT the standard fire assembly (South Central Lawn / North Lawn) which is too close.
No fire alarm. Voice paging only. Pre-recorded script: "Due to a security situation, we are evacuating the building. Move calmly to the West Lawn + Lot. Do not use the area near [exclusion zone if specified]. Do not use cell phones until you are at the assembly area." script to record
No radios or cell phones near any suspicious item if one is found during evacuation (300-foot rule applies)
Children evacuate with classroom adults. Same no-pickup rule as fire and Suspicious Package. Reunification with tag verification only after PD declares safe.
Dispatch calls 911 from outside the building or away from any suspicious item
Assembly: West Lawn + Lot. See Suspicious Package procedure for full assembly logistics.

Roles during this incident

Receiver (front desk, staff)

Stay calm. Capture details using the checklist. Don't hang up the original line. Use a different phone to alert dispatch. Stay where you are until Safety Team or Programming Director comes to you.

Dispatch

Logs threat details from receiver. Calls PD non-emergency for vague threats, 911 for specific or corroborated. Coordinates response: lockdown-and-search OR full evacuation. Pulls cameras for any referenced location. Briefs PD on arrival.

Programming Director

Makes the threat assessment with WARG advising and dispatch on the phone with PD. Decides on lockdown-and-search vs. evacuation. Authorizes paging. Coordinates with PD on arrival. Pastoral coordination with the receiver after.

Safety Team

If lockdown-and-search: sweep your area for unattended items. If evacuation: direct congregation to West Lawn + Lot assembly via routes that bypass any referenced location. Hold no-pickup line. Watch for secondary threats.

Facilities Director

If lockdown-and-search: sweep mechanical, utility, and storage areas (places staff don't normally go). Briefs PD on building layout. Manages utility access if directed.

WARG

Advises Programming Director on threat assessment. Pre-positions during lockdown-and-search. Operational lead only at L4 (corroborated specific threat). Stays alert to malicious-threat-then-attack pattern.

Pastor on-call

Pastoral support for the receiver (this is traumatic). Pastoral support for any congregants distressed by the event. If threat source becomes identified as a known member: pastoral conversation may be appropriate after PD investigation.

After resolution

File Security Incident Report within 24 hours (template in Active Threat procedure). L3+ distribution: Lead Pastor, insurance file. L4: legal counsel, board chair, executive team.
If a real device was found: this is now a federal crime. FBI involvement. All cameras preserved on litigation hold. Witness statements within 72 hours.
If hoax: PD investigates the source. Bomb threats are felonies regardless of intent. Pursue charges if perpetrator is identified.
Pastoral follow-up with the receiver within 24 hours — bomb threats are emotionally significant events even when nothing happens.
Pastoral follow-up with anyone distressed by the evacuation or lockdown.
Insurance carrier notified within 24 hours.
Communications Director manages external messaging. No social media until PD authorizes. No detail about content of the threat.
Debrief with leadership within 72 hours. Was the assessment correct? Did the response work? Lessons learned.

Open items pending resolution

Laminated bomb threat receiver checklist at the front desk and at the dispatch room phone — printed copy of the questions and observations to capture
Pre-recorded bomb-threat evacuation paging script (different from fire and severe weather)
Annual training for front desk volunteers on bomb threat receiver protocol
Annual tabletop exercise with PD on bomb threat assessment and response
Email security review — how do bomb threats received by email get to the right person quickly? Inbox monitoring, alerting
Social media monitoring protocol — who watches the church's social media for threats during a service?
Coordination with Sioux Falls PD on threat assessment criteria — align our credibility tiers with their guidance
Written threat preservation protocol — chain of custody, plastic sleeve, glove handling

Security · Life-Threatening

Active Threat / Shooter

Weapon visible, shots fired, or imminent violent attack

Threat Level 4 (weapon visible) or 5 (shots fired). Anyone with a radio and authority calls it. Don't wait for joint approval. WARG engages and neutralizes. Dispatch hits UniFi lockdown. Civilians Run or Hide based on where they are relative to the threat.

Anyone who recognizes the threat — first 30 seconds

Call it. Radio: "Security Emergency — Level 5, [area], active threat, weapon [type if known]."

No radio? Call dispatch: 605-929-3551. Or yell to anyone with a radio. Don't wait for confirmation.

Move yourself and others away from the threat. Don't try to confirm what you saw. Don't go look.

Whether to run or hide depends on where you are relative to the threat — see decision tree below.

Dispatch — first 60 seconds

Hit UniFi lockdown. Single button — locks all controlled doors instantly. Exterior, Area A (including Conference Room safe room), Area D, all of Area B (Worship Center) conversion in progress. After lockdown, Dispatch, Programming Director (Max via UniFi app), or Sioux Falls PD dispatch can unlock remotely.

Trigger pre-recorded active threat paging — all areas simultaneously. Live mic does not interrupt.

Call 911. Use One Talk LTE phone.

"Central SF Church, 3102 W Ralph Rogers Rd, Sioux Falls SD 57108. Active shooter / active threat. Weapon: [type]. Location: [area]. WARG engaging. We have armed officers on-scene in plain clothes — repeat, plain clothes. Approximate count: [civilians in area]."

Stay on the line with 911 until directed otherwise. Pull cameras for the threat area. Document everything.

Buzz WARG through locked doors as needed. Once UniFi lockdown is engaged, Dispatch unlocks doors remotely to allow WARG movement between areas in pursuit of the threat. WARG calls out the door they need; Dispatch unlocks, watches the door close, then re-locks.

Dispatch maintains a mental map of which doors are open vs. locked at all times. If multiple doors need to open, do them one at a time and re-lock as quickly as possible.

SWAT / PD entry. When SWAT or Sioux Falls PD arrives, they will gain entry through whatever door they choose — locked or not. Dispatch can unlock remotely on their request, or PD will breach. Coordinate with the 911 dispatcher to ensure responding units know which doors are unlocked and where WARG is positioned.

Once PD is inside, lockdown is no longer the constraint — PD movement is. WARG identifies to PD immediately on contact (see WARG block below).

WARG — engages and neutralizes

Move toward the threat and neutralize it. WARG's primary mission in an active threat is to stop the attacker as quickly as possible. Speed saves lives. Every second the threat is active is more casualties.
Engage within scope of training and authority. Use force consistent with the threat presented.
Priority secondary task: escort high-profile individuals to Conference Room if exposed and not directly engaged with threat.
Identify to arriving PD immediately — hands visible, weapon down or holstered. PD will be looking for armed individuals; you are armed and in plain clothes. This is the highest friendly-fire risk moment.
Coordinate with arriving PD on threat location, suspect description, civilian locations.
Hand off operational lead to PD on arrival. Transition to support — area knowledge, civilian accountability, witness identification.

High-profile individuals — priority evacuation

Lead Pastor, worship leader, executive staff, and other on-stage or visible leadership are likely targets in a directed attack. They get priority evacuation to the Conference Room safe room (Area A).

Stage access: Conference Room is accessible directly from stage via UniFi card during service.
WARG or Safety Team escort high-profile individuals to the Conference Room first if they are visible/exposed when the threat is called.
Once Dispatch hits UniFi lockdown, Dispatch, Programming Director (Max via UniFi app), or Sioux Falls PD dispatch can re-open the Conference Room remotely.
Standard occupants: anyone on stage, visible staff, executive team. Pull whoever is closest with you — do not wait to assemble a group.
This is not a "VIP perk" — these individuals are at higher risk because they are visible, named, and in many cases the reason an attacker chose this church.

Children — Area D (Kid Central) and Area E (Next Gen)

Children cannot run, cannot hide themselves, cannot decide for themselves. They are the highest priority and the highest-risk population in the building. The default is shelter-in-place with their classroom adult.

UniFi lockdown automatically isolates Area D from the rest of the building.
Classroom adults lock hardware locks immediately on lockdown paging — every classroom, no exceptions.
Children stay with their classroom adult. Do not move children to a central location during active threat.
No parent reunification during active threat. Reunification only after PD declares scene safe AND lockdown is released. Parents will try to break this — Safety Team must hold the line.
Class roster head-count after shelter is in place. Classroom leader reports any missing child to dispatch via radio.
Adults stay calm — children take their cues from you. Expect 1+ hours in shelter. Have a plan for what you do with the kids during that time.
Area E gym scenario: if active during gym time, leaders move kids to the most defensible adjacent room (locker rooms or equipment rooms with hardware locks). Run only with a clear exterior route away from threat.

Civilian decision tree — Run, Hide, or Fight

The decision is based on where the threat is relative to the path you would take to leave. Most generic active-threat training assumes Run is always the first option. It isn't. Running toward an unknown threat or through the threat area is worse than sheltering.

RUN — only if you have a clear exit route that does not route through or near the threat area, and you can move people with you without slowing down.
HIDE — default if your nearest exit would take you toward the threat, if you cannot move quickly (children, elderly, mobility), or if you can't identify where the threat is.
FIGHT — only if cornered with no other option. See note below.

RUN — execution details

Leave belongings. Move fast. Take others with you only if it doesn't slow you down.
Use the nearest exit that does not route through or near the threat area.
Once outside, keep moving. Get behind something solid (vehicle, wall) at least 100 yards from the building.
Hands visible when PD arrives. Don't approach officers — let them approach you.
Do not re-enter for any reason — including for family. Tell PD where they are.

HIDE — execution details

Get into a room with a lockable door. Lock it. Use hardware lock if available.
Barricade with furniture. Heavy items against the door. Stay low and away from the door.
Lights off. Phones silent. Whisper only.
Move out of line of sight from windows and door glass. Behind solid furniture if possible.
Stay until Dispatch, WARG, or PD personally clears the room. Do not open the door for anyone shouting they're "police" until you've verified through dispatch or seen a uniform.

FIGHT — execution details

Central SF position pending leadership decision. The procedure does not currently endorse or prohibit civilians fighting back. The reality: if you're cornered with no option, you will defend yourself. Below is what to do if it comes to that.

Commit fully. Half-measures get people killed. If you're going to act, act with everything.
Use anything available — chair, fire extinguisher, hot coffee, hymnal, stanchion. Aim for the head, the weapon-arm, or to control the weapon.
Numbers help. If multiple adults can act together, do.
After: keep moving. Get clear. Get to PD. Don't stand over the threat.

Area-specific guidance — tap to expand

Worship Center (Area B) — by location of threat

If threat is in the Worship Center itself: on stage, get to Conference Room safe room (Area A) via card-controlled door. Pull whoever is closest with you. In the seats: shelter behind seating, get low, move toward Area C (chapel, Hearth Room) or out through Worship Center doors when there's an opportunity. All Worship Center doors are UniFi-controlled conversion in progress — Dispatch can lock or unlock from the panel.
If threat is in the North Lobby (between you and the front exits): do not run toward the lobby. Move toward Area C through the side/rear doors. The chapel, Hearth Room, and Grand Central all offer cover and alternate routes. From there, exit through Area C exterior doors.
If threat is in Area A (offices/west entrance): exit through the North Lobby front doors and away from the building. Do not route through Area A.
If threat is unknown location: shelter in place. Behind seating, lights down, silent. Wait for paging or Safety Team direction.

Offices (Area A) — staff and Conference Room safe room

Area A is fully UniFi-controlled — locks down completely on Dispatch's button press.
Conference Room is the designated safe room. Card-accessible from stage during service. Priority destination for high-profile individuals.
Staff in offices: stay in your office, lock the door, lights off, away from line of sight.
Once UniFi lockdown is active, you cannot exit Area A through controlled doors without Dispatch, Max, or Sioux Falls PD dispatch releasing the lock.

Common Spaces (Area C) — Hearth Room, Grand Central, Oakwood Chapel

Open floor plan = exposed. Move to the nearest room that locks or to an exterior exit.
Oakwood Chapel — has hardware-lockable doors. Defensible shelter.
Hearth Room and Grand Central — open spaces. Exit if path is clear; otherwise move to the nearest classroom or chapel.
Mechanical room is locked normally; not a shelter for civilians.

PD arrival — what to expect

PD will arrive fast. Sirens audible from outside.
Standard PD protocol: enter and move toward the threat. They will pass civilians and may not stop to help injured until threat is neutralized.
PD has Central SF floor plans and has drilled here. They know the building.
WARG identifies as plain-clothes armed on first contact: hands visible, weapons holstered or down, verbal identification.
Civilians: hands visible. Don't run toward officers. Drop bags. Follow commands literally.

Reference — tap to expand

Roles during active threat

WARG

Moves toward threat and neutralizes. Escorts high-profile individuals to Conference Room if exposed. Identifies to arriving PD as plain-clothes armed.

Dispatch

Hits UniFi lockdown. Triggers paging. Calls 911 with address and threat info. Stays on line. Pulls cameras. Logs everything.

Safety Team

Move people away from threat. Direct civilians on Run/Hide based on threat location. Close any propped-open doors so UniFi lockdown holds. Hold the line on no-reunification with kids. Do not engage threat.

Kid Central Staff & Classroom Leaders

Lock classroom hardware locks immediately. Shelter children. Maintain roster. Stay calm — children take their cues from you.

Programming Director

Joint authority on lockdown release with WARG. Family communication after scene safe. Leadership coordination.

Lead Pastor / Staff

Pastoral care for traumatized congregants after scene safe. Coordinate family communication.

After PD declares scene safe

Lockdown release requires WARG AND Programming Director jointly after PD clears scene.
Threat level returns to L4 for scene wrap-up, then to L3, then to L1 over hours.
Reunification begins only after lockdown release. Family liaisons activate. Verify each parent matches check-in record before child release.
Camera footage to litigation hold immediately — do not delete, do not share except with PD.
Pastoral care for affected congregants. Set up grief/trauma response.
Debrief with all responders within 72 hours. WARG, Safety Team, Dispatch, Kid Central, pastoral team. Document lessons learned.
Insurance carrier notification. Legal counsel notification. Press coordination through Lead Pastor only.

Security Incident Report — tap to expand

Used for any security incident at L2 or higher: agitated person, suspicious person, suspicious package, custody dispute, bomb threat, lockdown, active threat. The same form covers all of them; severity drives the distribution list. File within 24 hours; retain per insurance and legal policy. L4+ incidents have additional litigation hold requirements on camera footage.

Required fields

Incident classification — type (agitated person / suspicious person / etc.) and threat level reached (L2 / L3 / L4 / L5)
Date, time of report, time of resolution, total duration
Location — area(s) involved, specific rooms or zones
Subject information — if known: name, description, member/visitor status, prior incidents, vehicle and license plate if applicable
Reporting party — who first identified the situation and how
Response timeline — when each level was called, when each role was activated, when escalation/de-escalation occurred
Responders involved — WARG, Safety Team, Programming Director, pastoral team, dispatch (with names)
Actions taken — pre-positioning, lockdown engaged (yes/no/partial), paging used, doors locked, evacuation, etc.
External agency involvement — 911 called (yes/no), PD case number, PD officer names if known, EMS dispatched, mobile crisis team
Camera footage — reviewed (yes/no), preserved (yes/no), litigation hold status, retention period
Outcome — resolved how (subject left voluntarily, removed by Safety Team, arrested by PD, escalated to medical, etc.)
Injuries or damage — any casualties, property damage, with photos if applicable
Pastoral care provided — to subject (if member), to congregation, to responding team
Lessons learned — what worked, what didn't, procedure update needed?
Follow-up actions — pastoral conversation scheduled, trespass notice issued, security adjustments, training updates, etc.

Distribution by severity

L2 (Elevated): Programming Director, dispatch log
L3 (Active): add Lead Pastor, WARG lead, insurance file
L4 (Critical): add legal counsel, insurance carrier (within 48 hours), board chair
L5 (Catastrophic): add full executive team, full board, legal counsel immediately, insurance carrier immediately, press coordination through Lead Pastor only

Special requirements for L4+ incidents

Camera footage placed on litigation hold within 24 hours of incident
All radio logs, dispatch logs, paging records preserved
Witness statements collected from all responders within 72 hours, while memory is fresh
No internal communication about the incident outside of authorized leadership until legal review
Press coordination through Lead Pastor only — no individual responder speaks to media

Open items pending resolution

Central SF leadership position on the "Fight" leg of Run/Hide/Fight
Studio (4–5th grade) hardware lock confirmation
Gym shelter location — locker rooms or equipment rooms with locks?
Pre-recorded active threat paging script and recording
Annual joint drill with Sioux Falls PD
WARG identification protocol with PD — visual signal, verbal phrase, or both

Security · Ops

Lockdown Sequence

UniFi Access, doors, paging, signal to teams

Lockdown is for active threat inside or approaching the building. Use evacuation instead for fire or structural threat. Never both at the same time.

The PA announcement says hold-in-place — not "run." On advice from law enforcement, the public lockdown announcement instructs everyone to lock doors, hide, and remain silent. It does not tell people to run. This is intentional: in a worship center crowd, a public "run" instruction creates crowd-crush risk and may send people toward the threat. Safety Team and trained staff still operate by Run/Hide/Fight — see Active Threat / Shooter procedure. The distinction is important: the public hears one thing, trained responders make situation-specific decisions.

Triggered by

Threat Level 4 (Critical) called system-wide
Active threat with weapon visible or reported
Suspected abduction in progress
Direct order from WARG, Programming Director, or Coordinator
Area D (Kid Central) locks down automatically at any L4+ regardless of trigger area

Lockdown sequence

Dispatch hits UniFi lockdown button — single action locks all controlled doors instantly: exterior, Area A (including Conference Room safe room), Area D, all of Area B (Worship Center) conversion in progress.

After lockdown is engaged, Dispatch, Programming Director (Max via UniFi app), or Sioux Falls PD dispatch can unlock remotely. Safety Team's role at this stage is closing any doors propped open so the lockdown holds.

Pre-recorded lockdown paging triggered — all areas broadcast lockdown message. Live mic does not interrupt the pre-record.

Safety Team closes any propped-open doors in their area so UniFi lockdown holds. Move people away from windows. Lights out where possible.

WARG takes operational lead. Establishes IC at dispatch or alternate. Coordinates with arriving PD.

Area D (Kid Central) executes child lockdown protocol — children stay in rooms, doors locked, no parent reunification until all-clear.

911 already on the line via dispatch. Provide updates as situation develops.

Doors Safety Team must handle on lockdown

Any door propped open during the service — propped doors break access control. Identified during service prep; assigned to Safety Team posts to close immediately on lockdown.
Classroom doors (Area D, Area E) — hardware locks from inside. Classroom adults lock immediately, no card needed.
All other primary entry/exit doors are UniFi-controlled and lock automatically. Worship Center conversion to fully UniFi in progress — until complete, Safety Team verifies center Worship Center doors are closed.
Door state matrix is a separate inventory in progress

Lockdown release

Only after PD/Fire/EMS declares scene safe
Requires WARG AND Programming Director jointly to authorize
Reunification process begins after release, not before
Threat level returns to L3 (Active) for scene wrap-up, then to L1 (Normal)

Wednesday night student ministry — 1,000+ students on-site

Both worship center and classrooms lock down simultaneously. Roughly 500 students are in worship; the other 500 are spread across classrooms in Areas D, E, and parts of B and C.
Student ministry leaders lock their classroom doors immediately on radio call. They do not wait for a confirmation page. They do not move students between rooms. They do not check on other rooms.
Worship session transition window (typically 7:00–7:15 PM) is the highest-risk moment. ~500 students in hallways. If lockdown triggers during transition, students go into the nearest secure room with the nearest leader — not back to where they started. Safety Team directs flow to nearest classrooms.
Parents will arrive at the building during lockdown. They've been notified by an automated text and are showing up to pick up their kids. WARG (exterior) holds them at a perimeter; lockdown does not lift for parental arrival.

Roles during lockdown

WARG

Operational lead. Direct threat engagement within authority. Hand off to PD on arrival.

Safety Team

Close any propped-open doors so UniFi lockdown holds. Move people away from threat. Account for known guests in your area. Do not engage threat.

Dispatch

UniFi Access lockdown executed, paging triggered, 911 active, cameras to litigation hold, leadership notified.

Programming Director

Ministry liaison and family communication. Joint authority with WARG on lockdown release.

After resolution: file a Security Incident Report within 24 hours. The form template lives in the Active Threat procedure (under the Reference section at the bottom). Use it for any lockdown regardless of trigger.

Children & Family

Custody Dispute

Unauthorized pickup attempt, denial conversation, escalation

The check-in authorization list is the authority. If someone arrives demanding a child and isn't on the authorized pickup list, the answer is no — calmly, kindly, firmly. We don't adjudicate custody on the spot. Kid Central Pastor leads.

The principle

Central SF is not a family court. We don't read divorce decrees or interpret custody orders under pressure. Our authority is the check-in record. If a person matches the authorized pickup list (tag, photo ID, or named individual), the child goes with them. If not, the child stays. This is the same standard that protects children and protects Central SF from liability.

Common scenarios at Central SF

Non-custodial parent arrives without notice and demands the child. May insist they have rights, may produce a court document, may become emotional or angry. Most common scenario.
Step-parent or new partner not on check-in list — the custodial parent may have remarried or be in a new relationship. Step-parent may genuinely have informal pickup permission but isn't documented. Worth handling kindly.
Grandparent or extended family not on the authorized list — same handling as step-parent.
Custodial parent and non-custodial parent both on-site — rare but possible. Both want the child. Becomes much more dangerous quickly.
Adult known to be subject to a restraining order arrives on church property — this is a different incident; treat as Suspicious Person Tier 4 with PD response.

The denial conversation

Most custody disputes resolve when the unauthorized person hears a clear, kind, firm "no." How you say it matters. Kid Central staff or Director handles this directly — not Safety Team, not Programming Director, unless escalation has begun.

Greet warmly. Don't lead with "no." "Hi, I'd love to help — let me check the pickup list." Neutral framing keeps the moment from becoming confrontational immediately.

Check the check-in record. Look up the child. Confirm authorized pickup list. Note any custody flags or notes from the custodial parent.

If they're authorized: normal pickup. Done.

If they're NOT authorized: deliver the message clearly and kindly. "I'm sorry, you're not on the authorized pickup list for [child]. We can't release [child] without that authorization. The best path is to contact [custodial parent's name on file] directly to work this out, or we can have someone reach out to them on your behalf."

Do not say "the mother said you can't have the child" — that escalates. Say "you're not on the authorized list" — the procedure, not the person, is the answer.

If they produce a court document: politely decline to interpret it. "I'm not able to make that legal determination here. The pickup list is what we follow. If there's been a change, the parents need to update the check-in authorization with us during regular hours."

Do not photograph, retain, or read the document in detail. We are not the court.

Offer pastoral connection. "This sounds difficult. Would you like to talk with a pastor while you're here?" Most non-custodial parents in this situation are in real pain. Pastoral presence can change the moment.

Notify the custodial parent. Whether or not the situation resolves: text or call the custodial parent on file. "[Non-custodial parent] came to pick up [child]. We told them no per the authorization list. They [left / are still here]."

If they don't accept the answer (Threat Level 2)

Kid Central Pastor continues to lead. Programming Director joins. Safety Team positions visibly nearby (not crowding).
Move the conversation away from the check-in counter if possible — other families are arriving and watching. A quieter space lets the person de-escalate without an audience.
Repeat the answer calmly. Don't argue, don't justify, don't get drawn into the relationship details. "I understand this is frustrating. The answer hasn't changed — we can't release [child] without authorization. The fastest path is contacting [custodial parent] directly."
Pastor on-call engaged if not already. Pastoral conversation may resolve what procedure can't.
The child stays with their classroom adult — out of sight of the conversation if at all possible. Children should not witness this.
Document everything. Time, names, what was said, what was produced. This may end up in family court.

When this becomes a security incident (Threat Level 3+)

Bright lines that escalate immediately

Person attempts to take the child by force or stealth — physically grabbing, trying to walk past staff, or bypassing the check-in counter. This is attempted abduction. Treat as L4 immediately, follow Lost Child suspected-abduction block.
Verbal threats against staff, the custodial parent, or the child — L3 immediately
Visible weapon — L4, see Active Threat procedure
Refusal to leave when asked, after Tier 2 conversation has failed — L3, see Suspicious Person Tier 4 / Agitated Person Tier 4
Adult is on a known restraining order against the custodial parent or child — PD non-emergency immediately, regardless of behavior

Escalated response

Threat Level escalated to L3 (refusal, threats) or L4 (force, weapon)
Programming Director takes operational lead from Kid Central Pastor at L3+. Coordinator backs up.
Dispatch hits UniFi lockdown if the person is attempting to leave with the child or showing intent to take them. Locking exterior doors keeps the person inside the building or stops re-entry.
WARG positions visibly at L3, takes operational lead at L4.
911 immediate at L4. PD non-emergency at L3 if person is refusing to leave but not violent.
Move all children in the affected check-in area to a back room — out of sight, out of reach. Other families' children should not become collateral to the dispute.
Custodial parent is contacted immediately if not already. They may need to come to the church or stay away depending on the dynamic.

Reunification with the authorized parent

Reunification happens privately — not at the check-in counter, not in front of the unauthorized person if they're still on-site.
Tag/sticker match required just like normal pickup — same standard.
If the unauthorized person is still on the property when the custodial parent arrives: Programming Director coordinates timing. Custodial parent may be asked to wait until the other person leaves, or PD may already be on-site.
If the custodial parent is afraid: WARG escorts them to and from their vehicle. Pastoral team available.
Document the reunification: time, who released the child, what verification was used, custodial parent's stated awareness of the situation.

Roles during this incident

Kid Central Pastor

Leads at Tier 1–2. Has the denial conversation directly. Owns the check-in record. Decides on pastoral handoff, moving conversation to a quieter space, or escalating. Contacts the custodial parent.

Kid Central Staff (check-in counter)

First contact. Initiates the conversation kindly. Calls Kid Central Pastor immediately if the person isn't on the list. Keeps other families' check-in moving normally if possible.

Dispatch

Logs the incident from initial report. Pulls cameras of the check-in area. Tracks the unauthorized person's location if they move through the building. Calls PD or 911 per escalation rules. Hits UniFi lockdown on attempted abduction.

Programming Director

Joins at Tier 2. Takes operational lead at L3+. Coordinator backs up. Authorizes PD call. Coordinates pastoral conversation. Manages reunification timing.

Pastor on-call

Engaged at Tier 2 if pastoral connection might help. Many non-custodial parents in this moment are in genuine pain. Pastoral conversation can change outcomes that procedure can't.

Safety Team

Visible perimeter at Tier 2. Active perimeter and crowd management at L3+. Escorts custodial parent if needed at reunification. Holds doors per UniFi lockdown directives.

WARG

Aware at Tier 1–2, pre-positions visibly at L3, operational lead at L4 (force, weapon, attempted abduction). Coordinates with arriving PD.

Classroom Leader (the child's room)

Keeps the child engaged in normal class activity. Does not tell the child what's happening. Moves the child to a back room or different area if directed. Reports to Kid Central staff what the child knows or has said.

Protecting the child during the incident

The child should not witness the dispute. Even calm conversations are scary for kids when they sense their parents are involved. Keep the child in the classroom doing normal activities.
Don't tell the child what's happening unless the custodial parent asks you to. They know their child; they decide what the child hears.
Watch for the child's emotional state. Some kids will sense something is wrong even without being told. Classroom Leader stays close, offers reassurance.
If the unauthorized person tries to communicate with the child (asking for them, calling out, attempting to enter the classroom): block visual and physical access. Kid Central staff position between unauthorized person and the child.
After resolution: if the child noticed and was distressed, pastoral team available. Offer follow-up conversation with the family if appropriate.

After resolution

File Lost Child Incident Report if attempted abduction occurred (template in Lost Child procedure). File Security Incident Report for any L3+ incident (template in Active Threat procedure).
Lower-tier resolutions: structured incident note documenting time, names, what was said, what was produced, outcome. Filed with Kid Central Pastor and Programming Director.
Add unauthorized person to the persons-of-concern list if behavior crossed Tier 2 (refused to leave, escalated verbally). Description, photo if obtained from cameras, vehicle and plate, prior incidents.
Pastoral follow-up with the custodial parent within 48 hours. They may not have been on-site but the incident affects them. Pastor on-call leads.
Pastoral follow-up with the non-custodial parent if appropriate — they may genuinely need pastoral care even though they couldn't take the child. Pastor on-call decides timing.
Pastoral follow-up with the child if they noticed or were distressed.
Pastoral follow-up with the responding Kid Central Pastor and staff. These incidents are emotionally heavy.
Update check-in record with any new information learned (e.g., non-custodial parent has shown up; flag appropriately for future).
If court order or legal document was produced: encourage custodial parent to update check-in authorization formally during business hours.
If pattern emerges (same non-custodial parent attempting multiple times, same family with repeated incidents): Programming Director and pastoral team review.

Open items pending resolution

Check-in authorization fields review — do we capture authorized pickup list reliably for all children? What about extended family / step-parents who legitimately pick up?
Custody flag protocol — how does the custodial parent flag a non-custodial parent as not authorized? What confidentiality applies?
Quiet space designation for Tier 2 conversations — somewhere off the lobby that's private but visible to staff
Pastor on-call reachability during weekday and evening events when custody disputes can arise — off-hours route is church office; confirm office phone tree connects to pastor on-call after hours
Annual training for Kid Central Pastor and staff on the denial conversation script
Persons-of-concern list formalization (also tracked in Suspicious Person and Agitated Person procedures)
Coordination with Sioux Falls PD on response patterns for custody disputes — what's their typical response time and approach?
Legal counsel review of the procedure — specifically the language around declining to interpret court documents

Children & Family

Lost Child

Search, perimeter, reunification, abduction escalation

Get a description, then radio. Lost child is a Threat Level 2 incident that escalates to L3 at 3 minutes and L4 (Critical) on suspected abduction. Most cases resolve in under 3 minutes — the child is in the next classroom or hallway. The procedure is built around moving fast when they don't.

Recognize

Parent reports child missing from check-in or pickup area
Child seen wandering without an adult
Check-in record shows child not picked up after parent service ended
Kid Central staff cannot account for a checked-in child

First 3 minutes — critical window

Most lost children are found in 1–2 minutes. The procedure assumes anyone can be the first responder — whoever the reporting adult finds first. Get description, radio it, search.

Get a description. Name, age, height, hair, clothing (color & style), distinguishing features. Photo if parent has one on their phone.

If you're not Safety Team or Kid Central, get this info and immediately find someone who is — don't try to run the response yourself.

Radio it. "Lost child, [age], [description], last seen [location]." Dispatch logs and alerts all Safety Team posts.

No radio? Call dispatch directly: 605-929-3551.

Dispatch starts a 3-minute timer the moment the call comes in. When it runs out, dispatch escalates per the L3 rules below regardless of what's happening on the radio.

Safety Team searches. Each Safety Team post searches its own area — that's the assigned search zone. Start in adjacent rooms, hallways, restrooms; expand outward. Kid Central staff stay with their classes; first responders stay with the parent.

Radio negative results by post: "Post B clear — Worship Center, North Lobby, Concourse." Dispatch tracks what's been searched on the search board so nothing gets missed and nothing gets searched twice.

Stay with the parent. One Safety Team member is the family liaison until the child is found.

Don't let the parent search alone — they will not search systematically, and a missing parent is a second problem.

Dispatch pulls cameras immediately. Family Check-in and Student Central Check-in views, plus main hallways and exit paths. Camera review may identify direction of travel before search teams find the child.

Search zones & tracking

Safety Team is the search force. Posts already cover the building by area — the same area assignment is the search zone. Dispatch tracks what's been cleared so nothing is missed and nothing is searched twice.

Post	Search zone (first 3 minutes)
Post A	Area A — offices, conference room, west entrance, workroom
Post B	Area B — Worship Center, North Lobby, Concourse
Post C	Area C — Oakwood Chapel, Grand Central, Hearth Room, Central Perk
Post D	Area D — Kid Central rooms, Clubhouse, Treehouse, Family Check-in, Nursery, Playground
Post E	Area E — Next Gen rooms, Studio, Gym, Student Central Check-in
Post F	Exterior — activated at L3 (parking lots, drop-off, walkways)

Tracking method: Dispatch maintains a search board (paper or digital list of all areas). Each post radios negative on completion: "Post B clear." Dispatch marks the area on the board. At 3 minutes, dispatch reads the board back: "Search status: A clear, B clear, D clear, C and E in progress."

Re-search after L3: When the search expands beyond original area, posts re-search shared spaces (hallways, restrooms, common areas) plus exterior. A child who wasn't there 2 minutes ago may be there now — movement is normal in a panicked child.

After 3 minutes — escalate to L3

Threat Level escalated to L3 (Active) — called by Programming Director, Coordinator, or WARG.
Dispatch reads the search board on the radio so all posts know what's been cleared and what hasn't.
Post F (Exterior) activates — checks parking lots, drop-off lanes, walkways. Watch for children near or in vehicles.
All posts re-search shared spaces — hallways, restrooms, common areas. A panicked child moves; their location 2 minutes ago is not where they are now.
Dispatch reviews extended camera footage from check-in area looking back 15–30 minutes.
Pastor on-call is paged to be with the parents. Pastoral presence with the family is critical at the 3-minute mark — this is when fear sets in and a Safety Team family liaison alone is no longer enough.
Programming Director notified.
WARG pre-positions at exterior in case escalation continues.

When to notify law enforcement

Law enforcement notification is governed by what we know, not just by how long it's been. The clock matters, but indicators of departure or third-party involvement matter more.

Situation	Action
Under 3 minutes, no concerning indicators	No LE. Continue search.
At 3 minutes (L3), no concerning indicators	PD on standby. Programming Director or WARG decides if call is needed.
L3 + child last seen near exit or parking lot	Call PD non-emergency (605-367-7000). Get them en route while we search.
L3 + camera footage shows departure with adult	Call 911 immediately. This is L4 territory — verify and escalate.
L3 + suspicious adult was reported nearby	Call PD non-emergency. Provide description.
L3 + parent reports custody concern or threat	Call 911 immediately. Treat as suspected abduction until proven otherwise.
L4 (suspected abduction)	911 immediate. No judgment, no delay. See suspected abduction block below.

When in doubt, call. Sioux Falls PD would rather be called and not needed than needed and not called. A non-emergency call costs nothing; a delayed abduction call costs everything.

Suspected abduction — immediate L4 (Critical)

Triggered by: suspicious adult observed leaving with child, child clearly distressed with an unfamiliar adult, camera footage showing departure with non-authorized adult, or any indication the child has been removed from the building against their will.

Call 911 immediately. Dispatch describes child and suspected adult, vehicle if seen.
Dispatch hits UniFi lockdown — locks all exterior doors. The goal is to keep the suspect inside the building or stop them from re-entering.
WARG converges on exterior, Post F coordinates parking lot watch, attempts to identify vehicle and license plate.
Camera footage preserved immediately — litigation hold. Do not delete, do not share except with PD.
Pastor and Programming Director with parents. This may be the worst moment of their lives — pastoral presence is essential.
If child is recovered, follow standard reunification with full documentation. If not recovered before PD arrival, hand off all information to officers.

Reunification when child is found

Tag match is sufficient for parent-child release after a lost-child resolution — same standard as normal pickup. Hold and verify only if something feels clearly wrong (child distressed by adult, tag missing, parent acting strangely).
Found child is escorted by Safety Team or Kid Central staff to the parent's current location (where the family liaison is). Do not move the parent to a new location — they're already stressed.
Document: time of report, time found, location found, who found, identity verification method, time of release.
Pastor available if child or parent is distressed.
If pickup adult does not match check-in record — this becomes a custody dispute — do not release child.

Roles during this incident

First Responder (anyone)

Whoever the reporting adult finds first. Get description, alert Kid Central and Safety Team, radio it. Then hand off to Safety Team or Kid Central lead.

Safety Team

The search force. Each post searches its own area first; expand on L3. Radio negative results by post ("Post B clear") so dispatch can track. Family liaison stays with parent — do not search alone with parent.

Kid Central Staff

Confirms whether child is checked in via the printed roster (held by Kid Central Pastor). Coordinates classroom roster confirmation. Kid Central staff stay with their assigned classes during the search — do not break supervision to search.

Kid Central Pastor

Holds the printed check-in roster — the source of truth for who is in the building and which classroom they're in. Confirms check-in status of missing child. Coordinates with Kid Central staff and Programming Director. Authorizes any custody-related releases.

Dispatch

Starts 3-minute timer on first call. Logs description and timeline. Pulls cameras for check-in and exit paths. Maintains search board, marks posts clear as they radio in, reads board on the radio at 3-minute mark. Escalates threat level if criteria met. Calls PD non-emergency or 911 per the LE notification table. Hits UniFi lockdown on suspected abduction.

Programming Director

Authorizes L3 escalation. Notifies Lead Pastor. Joint authority with WARG on L4 (suspected abduction).

WARG

Pre-positioned at exterior at L3. At L4 (suspected abduction) takes operational lead. Coordinates with arriving PD.

Pastor on-call

Paged at 3-minute mark. Goes directly to the parents to provide pastoral support. Stays with the family until the child is found, replacing the Safety Team family liaison so the liaison can return to other duties.

Lost Child Incident Report — tap to expand

File within 24 hours of any lost-child incident, regardless of resolution time. The report captures what happened, what was done, and what we'd do differently. Programming Director reviews all reports quarterly for pattern detection.

Required fields

Incident timeline — report time, found time, total duration, escalation level reached (L2 / L3 / L4)
Child information — name, age, classroom assignment if applicable, parent name, check-in tag number
Last known location — where the child was last seen, by whom
Found location — where the child was actually located, who found them
Search activity — which posts/areas were searched, in what order, time-stamped
Camera review — whether camera footage was reviewed, what it showed (or didn't), footage retention status
Reunification verification — method used (tag match / photo ID / parent on file), released by, time of release
Suspected abduction notes — if applicable: PD case number, suspect description, vehicle, license plate, footage litigation hold confirmation
Responder list — who was involved (Safety Team, Kid Central staff, dispatch, WARG, pastoral care)
Root cause — what allowed this to happen (supervision gap, classroom transition, sibling search, parent confusion, etc.)
Lessons learned — what would we do differently? Procedure update needed?
Pastoral follow-up — date of phone call to parents, who made the call, notes

Distribution

Programming Director (mandatory copy)
Kid Central Pastor (if Kid Central programming was active)
Lead Pastor (any L3+ incident)
Insurance file (any L3+ incident)
Dispatch log (all incidents)

Children & Family

Reunification

Returning children to authorized adults after incident or evacuation

Tag/sticker match is required. No exceptions. The check-in tag the parent received at drop-off must match the tag on the child. If the tag doesn't match, the child does not leave with that adult — even if the child knows them.

The printed check-in roster is the source of truth. Dispatch prints two copies of the full check-in roster at the start of every service or event with children — one stays at dispatch, one goes to the Kid Central Pastor. If digital systems are down (power outage, network outage, cellular outage), the printed roster is the only authoritative record of who is in the building and who can pick them up. See Dispatch Room SOP · Printed check-in rosters.

Reunification location depends on the trigger. See the table below for which assembly point is used for each incident type. Family liaisons are the designated runners between checked-in children and waiting parents.

Reunification location by incident type

Trigger	Location
Normal pickup (Sunday)	Family Check-in — standard kid pickup at end of service
Lost child found	Wherever the parent / family liaison is — do not move parent to a new location
Custody dispute resolved	Privately — not at the check-in counter; not in front of unauthorized person
Fire / smoke evacuation (Sunday)	Garage Lot (East Lawn) — kids stay; adults at South Central Lawn or North Lawn pick up here
Fire / smoke evacuation (Wednesday student ministry)	South Central Lawn or North Lawn — students treated as adults, go with leaders to nearest adult assembly for parent pickup
Severe weather (after all-clear)	Grand Central indoor — staged release
Suspicious package / bomb threat	West Lawn + Lot — reunification only after PD declares safe
Gas leak (after Fire / Xcel clear)	Upwind assembly area — staged release
Power outage early dismissal	Standard check-in stations (Family Check-in / Student Central Check-in) — not an emergency; normal pickup, just early
Post-lockdown release	Grand Central — staged release, family liaison-led
Post-active-threat scene safe	West Lawn + Lot — extended, may move indoors after PD clears
Normal pickup (Wednesday student ministry)	Student Central Check-in — standard student pickup at end of programming

Tag verification — the bright line

Parent presents tag. Child has matching tag. Numbers and codes must match exactly.
If tags don't match — child stays. Period. No "I forgot the tag," no "I'll come back with it." Parent finds the tag, or they don't get the child until identity is verified another way.
If parent says they lost the tag: route to photo ID verification (see below). Document the incident.
If the child seems unsure or distressed by the adult: hold and verify, even if the tag matches. Trust the kid. Photo ID + check-in record cross-check.
If anything feels wrong: hold the child, radio for Safety Team and a Kid Central staff member, escalate to the Programming Director if not resolved within 5 minutes.

Photo ID verification — when tag isn't sufficient

Adult presents government-issued photo ID (driver's license, state ID, passport).
Cross-reference against child's check-in record — name on ID matches authorized pickup person on file.
If no match, hold the child. Contact the original check-in parent by phone using number on file. Get verbal authorization, document the call, document the photo ID.
If still unresolved, this becomes a custody dispute — see that procedure.

Roles during reunification

Family Liaisons

Designated reunification runners. Verify tag match. Route parents to children. Hold child if anything is wrong. role to be defined & trained

Kid Central Staff & Classroom Leaders

Stay with the children. Read tags out loud to verify. Maintain class roster. Do not release a child without family liaison present.

Safety Team

Crowd control at reunification point. Direct parents to liaisons. Manage the line. Hold the perimeter — keep media and unauthorized people out.

Programming Director

Authority on edge cases. Authorizes release when tag is missing and ID verification has been completed. Escalates to police if abduction suspected.

Pastor / Pastoral Care

Present for trauma-affected reunifications (post-lockdown, post-active-threat). Family liaison for grieving families if applicable. Pastoral presence with traumatized children before they leave.

Dispatch

Logs reunification start time, tracks each release, notes incidents. Coordinates with PD if abduction suspected.

Wednesday night student ministry — reunification is fundamentally different

On Wednesday nights, parents are not on-site — they dropped off and went home. Reunification is no longer a same-room problem; it's a coordinated communications and traffic-management problem. The standard reunification protocol still applies for tag verification, but the inflow looks completely different.

Student Pastor triggers parent notification via text and any other available channels. Message includes: nature of incident (general, not specific), reunification location, expected wait time, what to bring (photo ID).
Parents arrive over 30–90 minutes, not all at once. Plan for a steady inflow rather than a single event.
Staged check-in to manage flow. Family liaisons hold parents at a check-in perimeter; only enough at a time as can be matched and processed (typically 5–10 parent/student pairs at a time).
Student ministry leaders hold rosters. Each leader is responsible for accounting for their classroom's students and not releasing students until they verify each parent against the student's check-in record.
Tag verification still applies. No tag, no release — even on Wednesday nights, the policy holds. If the parent didn't get a tag at drop-off, they need photo ID matching the parent contact info on file.
Traffic management is part of the plan. WARG manages parking and entry traffic. Reunification location should be inside or near the building entry, not deep in the building — minimize the path parents need to walk.
Where: default to Grand Central for staged indoor reunification. For active threat or evacuation reunification, defer to the location table above.

Reunification by incident type — tap to expand

Post-lockdown release (after PD clears scene)

Lockdown release authorized first by WARG and Programming Director jointly. Reunification does not begin until lockdown is lifted.
Parents wait at Grand Central. Family liaisons take their tags and route to classrooms.
Children stay in classrooms with their adult until family liaison arrives with the verified parent. Liaison escorts adult into the classroom for tag match.
Staged release: one family at a time per classroom, not a flood. Reduces chaos and keeps verification clean.
Pastoral team available at Grand Central for traumatized children and families.
Document every release with timestamp and family liaison name.
Expect this to take 30–60 minutes for full reunification. Communicate timeline to parents.

Building evacuation (fire, weather)

Fire evacuation: Sunday kids gather at Garage Lot (East Lawn); adults at South Central Lawn or North Lawn (closest exit). Wednesday students at South Central Lawn or North Lawn with their leaders. Reunification happens at the kid assembly (Garage Lot) once Fire declares scene safe.
Severe weather: shelter-in-place — reunification at Grand Central after NWS all-clear.
Classroom adults walk children out as a group via assigned evacuation route. Children stay in their class group at the assembly point until reunification.
Family liaisons set up at the assembly point with the printed check-in roster (held by Kid Central Pastor and dispatch).
Parents present tag, family liaison verifies match against the printed roster, child is released to parent.
Account for every child before any child is released. First do roll call by class against the printed roster. Then begin reunification.
If a child can't be located, it becomes a lost child incident — and the evacuation just got more complicated. Threat Level escalates.

Power outage dismissal — not an emergency

This is not an evacuation. Power outage dismissal is a controlled, early end to the service. People are not in danger; the building has just lost power.
No assembly point. People go out any door, walk to their vehicles, drive home. Same as a normal end-of-service dismissal.
Normal pickup at standard check-in stations. Parents collect children at Family Check-in (Sunday) or Student Central Check-in (Wednesday) using their tag, exactly as they would at the end of a normal service.
Tag verification still applies. Just because we're ending early doesn't relax authorization rules. No tag, no release.
If digital check-in is down (likely with extended power outage): Kid Central staff use the printed roster as the source of truth. Parent shows photo ID matched against parent contact info on file.
No urgency, no panic. Programming Director and Worship Pastor announce the dismissal calmly. People leave at a normal walking pace.

Post-active-threat scene safe

This will be the most intense reunification you ever do. Parents will be terrified. Some children will be traumatized. Some families will have to be told their child is at the hospital, or worse. Pastoral team and family liaisons must be present and supported.

Reunification happens after PD declares scene safe AND lockdown is released.
Initial assembly: West Lawn + Lot. May move to Grand Central or another indoor space after PD clears the building, depending on weather and conditions.
Tag verification still applies — even in chaos. Especially in chaos. Bad actors target reunification windows.
Pastor and pastoral care lead, family liaisons run logistics, Safety Team holds perimeter.
Press and bystanders kept out — only verified family members and authorized care personnel inside the perimeter.
Document every reunification with timestamp, liaison name, family identity.
Mental health resources available on-site or via referral. 988 cards and pastoral counselor list available to every family.

Custody dispute resolution

Reunification happens at Grand Central only after the dispute is resolved and the authorized adult is identified.
Programming Director and pastoral care present.
If court documentation has been provided, Programming Director reviews before release. Photocopy for incident file.
If the unauthorized adult is still present and refusing to leave, this is a Threat Level 3 incident and reunification waits until the situation is resolved.
Police may be involved depending on the nature of the dispute. Document everything.

Family liaison role — to be defined and trained

This role does not yet exist at Central SF. The procedure references it because it should — but recruiting, training, and deploying family liaisons is a Phase 2 build.

Recruitment: volunteers from existing pastoral team, Safety Team, or trusted ministry leaders. People who are calm under pressure, known to the congregation, and good with both kids and stressed adults.
Training: tag verification process, photo ID verification, signs of custody dispute, signs of trauma in children, when to escalate to Programming Director or police.
Deployment: at minimum 2 family liaisons present during weekend services. More for events. Identifiable badge or vest during reunification.
Backup plan when no liaisons trained yet: Programming Director and Safety Team manually run reunification. Slower, less smooth, but still tag-verified.

Documentation requirements

Every reunification logged with: child's name, parent's name, tag verification status (matched / verified-by-ID / parent-on-file-call), time of release, family liaison name.
Any held child (tag mismatch, photo ID required, custody dispute) gets a separate incident report.
For evacuation reunifications: roster reconciliation. Confirm every checked-in child is accounted for with a release record.
Logs to dispatch within 24 hours. Held to litigation hold standard for any incident involving police or trauma response.

Facility & Environmental

Fire / Smoke / Alarm

Building-wide alarm, 60-second verification hold, evacuation

60-second hold-in-place verification, then default to full evacuation. The Notifier panel auto-dispatches Sioux Falls Fire on alarm. Dispatch verifies via cameras and Safety Team eye-on. If verification confirms false alarm within 60 seconds, hold stands down. If uncertain or no verification, full evacuation goes ahead.

First 60 seconds — verification window

When the alarm sounds, the building hears it but does not yet evacuate. Programming Director or Dispatch announces a brief hold-in-place via paging. Dispatch and Safety Team verify in parallel. The default outcome at 60 seconds is full evacuation — only confirmed false alarms stand down.

Dispatch announces the hold via paging the moment the alarm sounds. Pre-recorded message: "We have an alarm sounding. Please remain in place. We are confirming and will direct you in 60 seconds." Live announcement if pre-record not yet built.

This prevents the unmanaged-evacuation problem — people start moving toward random exits before staff can route them safely.

Dispatch checks cameras at the alarmed zone. The Notifier annunciator shows which zone tripped. Pull up cameras for that zone — look for smoke, fire, or someone at a pull station.

Closest Safety Team post does eye-on. Whichever Safety Team post is closest to the alarmed zone moves to the zone and confirms what's there — smoke, fire, equipment fault, or no observable cause. Radios result to dispatch.

Decision at 60 seconds:

Confirmed false alarm (no smoke, no fire, equipment fault visible, or accidental pull station with full visibility): stand down the hold. Programming Director announces stand-down via paging. Document for fire alarm contractor.

Confirmed real or unable to verify: full evacuation. Programming Director triggers pre-recorded evacuation paging. Move to assembly per the map below.

Default to evacuate if any uncertainty. Sioux Falls Fire is already en route either way.

Malicious alarm — the active-threat pattern

Pull stations have been used by attackers to force evacuation into a pre-planned kill zone (most notably at Parkland). The pattern is: pull the alarm, wait for people to flow toward exits, attack the crowd outside or at predictable choke points. Central SF must be alert to this risk during any fire alarm.

WARG stays at full security posture during the 60-second hold AND during evacuation. Officers do not abandon posts to help with evacuation logistics. Safety Team handles egress; WARG handles security.
Dispatch reviews pull-station camera footage as part of the 60-second verification — if a pull station was activated, who pulled it? Is the area clear of suspicious individuals?
If anything looks coordinated — pull station with no fire indication, suspicious person leaving the alarmed zone, multiple stations triggered, or any indicator of a planned attack — treat as an active-threat scenario AND an evacuation simultaneously. Call 911 immediately. Dispatch escalates to Threat Level 4. WARG visible at exits and assembly areas.
Assembly areas are watched by WARG during evacuation. South Central Lawn / North Lawn and Garage Lot both have predictable egress patterns — an attacker could anticipate where people gather. WARG awareness is part of evacuation security.
This is not paranoia. The pattern is documented; dismissing it costs lives.

If evacuating — first 60 seconds after hold

Pre-recorded evacuation paging triggers — all areas. "This is a building-wide evacuation. Move to your nearest safe exit. Do not stop for belongings. Move calmly to your assembly area."

Use the nearest safe exit. If smoke or visible fire blocks an exit, use a different one. Do not pass through smoke. Do not use elevators if installed.

Move to your assembly area (see map below). Adults to South Central Lawn or North Lawn (closest exit). Children stay with classroom adults — no parent pickup at evacuation.

Stay out. Do not re-enter for any reason — including for belongings, family, or pets — until Fire declares the building safe.

Why we don't do partial evacuation

Partial evacuation (also called "defend-in-place" or "zoned evacuation") is real practice in some buildings — pushing people away from the fire zone while keeping the rest of the building in place. It's not the right call for Central SF. Defend-in-place requires confidence that the fire will stay contained: fire-rated wall and door separations, HVAC compartmentation, predictable smoke behavior. Most assembly buildings (including ours) aren't designed for this. The risk of fire or smoke spreading into a held area while people are still inside is too high. If the alarm is verified or unverified, we evacuate fully. What we do well is route different areas to different exits to prevent crowding — that's just smart egress, not partial evacuation.

Assembly areas

Group	Primary assembly area	Notes
All adults (anyone not in Kid Central)	South Central Lawn or North Lawn — closest-exit-per-row	Worship Center, common spaces, offices, staff. People near south exits go to South Central Lawn; people near north exits go to North Lawn. Splitting the load prevents convergence at one exit. Overflow: Far South East Lawn when primary areas fill.
Students (Wednesday student ministry)	South Central Lawn or North Lawn	Wednesday: students treated as adults — go directly to nearest adult assembly with their student ministry leader. Leaders walk with their group, account for everyone, then release for parent reunification once notified parents arrive. Overflow to Far South East Lawn if primary areas fill.
Kids (Sunday — Areas D & E)	Garage Lot (East Lawn)	Sunday weekend: children stay with classroom adults. No parent pickup at evacuation. Kid Central and Next Gen leaders maintain rosters. Children are kept separate from adult assembly areas so accountability is clean and reunification is structured.

No parent pickup during evacuation. Parents will instinctively head to the Garage Lot to collect their children. Safety Team holds the line: kids stay with classroom adults until accountability is confirmed AND Fire declares the building safe. Reunification follows the Reunification procedure with tag verification.

Fire arrival — what to expect

Sioux Falls Fire enters at the West door, Area A — same default as EMS.
Notifier panel and remote annunciator (in dispatch room) show which zone tripped — Facilities Director or dispatch briefs the Fire Captain on arrival.
If we stood down a false alarm, Fire still arrives. They were auto-dispatched at the moment the alarm sounded. Brief them on what we observed, and let them make their own determination.
Fire takes operational lead immediately. Programming Director and Facilities Director coordinate with the Fire Captain.
Do not approach the building or fire vehicles. Do not move people from the assembly area without Fire's authorization.
Fire makes the determination on building re-entry. No church staff overrides this.

Roles during fire / evacuation

Dispatch

Triggers hold paging immediately on alarm. Checks cameras at alarmed zone for smoke/fire/pull-station activity. Coordinates 60-second verification with Safety Team. Triggers full evacuation paging if not stood down. Briefs Fire Captain on arrival. Logs alarm time, zone, verification result, evacuation start.

Safety Team

Closest post to alarmed zone does eye-on verification within 60 seconds, radios result. On evacuation: sweep your area, direct people to nearest safe exit, hold the line on no-pickup at Garage Lot, account for known guests at South Central Lawn or North Lawn. Hold parking lot to keep west entrance clear for Fire.

Kid Central Staff & Classroom Leaders

During the 60-second hold: stay with children, prepare to evacuate. On evacuation paging: walk children out as a class group via assigned route. Maintain class roster. Stay with class at Garage Lot. Account for every child by name. Report any missing child to dispatch immediately. Do not release children to parents during evacuation.

Programming Director

Authorizes stand-down or evacuation at 60-second mark based on dispatch and Safety Team verification. Makes the announcement (or works through Dispatch's paging). Coordinates with Fire Captain on arrival. Authorizes reunification with Fire's clearance.

Facilities Director

Briefs Fire Captain on building layout, panel reading, utilities. Provides building access if Fire needs additional entries. Manages utility shut-offs if directed by Fire (gas, electrical).

WARG

Stays at full security posture during hold AND evacuation. Reviews pull-station camera footage during 60-second verification. Watches for malicious-alarm-then-attack indicators. Visible at assembly areas during evacuation. Engages only if security incident emerges separately.

Reunification & re-entry

Reunification only after Fire declares the scene safe. Parents wait at South Central Lawn or North Lawn; Safety Team and family liaisons route them to Garage Lot for tag-verified reunification.
Tag/sticker match required for every child release — same standard as normal pickup. See Reunification procedure.
If Fire allows re-entry: Programming Director announces. Service may resume or be cancelled depending on conditions and damage.
If Fire does NOT allow re-entry: dismiss congregation home from South Central Lawn or North Lawn. Communications Director publishes any service-cancellation notice. Pastoral team available for affected congregants.
Document the incident: alarm time, zone tripped, verification result, evacuation duration, Fire response notes, any property damage.
Notify insurance carrier within 24 hours regardless of damage extent.

After resolution

File incident report within 24 hours: alarm time, zone, verification, cause if known, evacuation duration, Fire response, damage assessment.
If false alarm or pull-station activation: review camera footage for cause and identify any individual responsible. If malicious, pursue trespass and criminal charges per Programming Director and legal counsel.
Fire alarm contractor inspection if alarm cause was equipment fault or system test issue.
Pastoral follow-up with anyone affected (family separated during chaos, congregant injured, etc.).
Debrief with Safety Team within 72 hours. Document lessons learned. Verification timing especially — was 60 seconds enough? Did we make the right call?
Restock any used fire safety equipment.

Open items pending resolution

Pre-recorded hold paging script and recording: "We have an alarm sounding. Please remain in place. We are confirming and will direct you in 60 seconds."
Pre-recorded evacuation paging script and recording
Pre-recorded stand-down paging script for confirmed false alarms
Per-area evacuation route maps — document primary and secondary exit paths from each area to assigned assembly area
Posted evacuation maps in classrooms, offices, and common spaces (code requirement; confirm current state)
Annual fire drill scheduled and documented (insurance requirement) — drill should include the 60-second verification window
Fire alarm contractor on Contacts page — confirm name and number
Walk-through with Sioux Falls Fire to confirm West door arrival default and tour the buildings
Tornado vs. fire decision tree — if alarm sounds during severe weather shelter, evacuation wins. Document explicitly.
Camera coverage of all pull stations — confirm every pull station has camera coverage so the 60-second verification can review who pulled it

Facility & Environmental

Winter Weather Cancellation

Cancellation policy for Sunday services, weekday ministries, and events

Approved & in use. This is established Central SF policy. Decisions are made by the decision team listed below using the criteria documented here. This is a proactive policy decision made hours-to-days in advance — not a real-time response. For tornado, thunderstorm, or active severe weather during a service, see the Severe Weather procedure.

Purpose

Protect the safety of the congregation, volunteers, and staff
Ensure cancellation/postponement decisions are consistent and predictable
Define how decisions are made and communicated for Sunday services, weekday ministries, and events

When to cancel, delay, or modify

Information sources

SD511 + Law Enforcement travel advisories: No Travel Advised, Road Closed
National Weather Service alerts: Blizzard Warning, Ice Storm Warning, Cold/Extreme Cold Advisories
City of Sioux Falls Snow Alerts
Plow timing and snow totals
On-site conditions: parking lots, sidewalks, visibility
Volunteer availability for critical ministries

Auto-cancel conditions (in-person)

Cancel all in-person services and move to online-only if any of the following are true:

No Travel Advised, or major road / interstate closures
Blizzard Warning or Ice Storm Warning in effect
Extreme Cold Warning, or wind chill ≤ −25°F
Campus cannot be made safe 90 minutes before service
Parking Lot Team cancels (they cancel at wind chill below 0°F)

Strongly consider cancelling or modifying

4–6"+ snowfall ending less than 3 hours before service
Residential road issues
Insufficient volunteers for key ministries

Weekday ministries & events

If SFSD cancels school → all on-site weekday ministries canceled
If SFSD delays → AM ministries delayed; evenings may proceed
When SFSD is not in session: decide by 7:00 AM (AM ministries) and 2:00–3:00 PM (PM ministries)

Decision makers & workflow

Decision team

Lead Pastor
Executive Pastor
Associate Executive Pastor of Ministries
Programming Director
Communications Director
Worship Pastor
Children's Pastor
Facilities Director

Monitoring timeline

24–48 hours before: Programming Director monitors weather, SD511, plow timing
If a recommendation is needed: Programming Director texts a conference call time to the decision team
Decision deadline: 4 hours before first service or event

Internal communication

Communications Director notifies staff via "Important Announcements"
Staff Leads communicate with their volunteers
Communications Director publishes public info

Public communication

Messaging templates

Without online service option

Due to hazardous winter weather, Central will not hold in-person services on [DATE].

With online service option

Due to hazardous winter weather, Central will not hold in-person services on [DATE]. We will gather online only at [TIME].

Communication channels

Text alerts
Email
Website / app banner
Social media posts
KELO, KSFY, LIFE 96.5 listing
Door signage (if possible)

Facility & Environmental

Severe Weather Response

Real-time response: tornado, thunderstorm, lightning, hail, flash flood

Staged shelter response. Non-walking children take time to move to safe locations — they go on the leading indicator (severe weather building toward tornado, or severe thunderstorm marked "considerable"). Everyone else moves on the actual NWS Tornado Warning. Lockdown is NOT used. Tornado response is shelter-in-place.

Monitoring — who watches the weather

Dispatch and Programming Director jointly monitor severe weather threat throughout every service.
Multiple sources used together: NOAA weather radio (SAME-programmed for Minnehaha County), NWS alerts on phone/computer, local TV / radar apps (Weather Channel, RadarScope, etc.).
Single-source dependency is a known failure mode; dispatch always has at least two sources active.
Programming Director monitors ahead of services in known severe-weather conditions and may pre-brief WARG and Safety Team before service starts.

Tornado response — staged shelter

Stage 1 — Pre-position (leading indicator)

Triggered when conditions are building toward a tornado — not when one is confirmed. Non-walking children take time to move; we start moving them now so they're sheltered before a warning is issued.

Triggers

NWS Tornado Watch with rotation indicated on radar in or near Sioux Falls
Visible severe storm conditions approaching (rotation, wall cloud, hail, sky discoloration)
Programming Director or dispatch judgment that conditions warrant pre-positioning

Action

Non-walking children (nursery) → rolled in their cribs to the Studio shelter (basement) by Kid Central staff. Move with calm, unhurried pace — this is precautionary, not panic.
All walking Kid Central kids and elementary kids (Kid Central classrooms, Kid Central Elementary, 4–5th grade Studio program) → moved to Tunnel storage shelter (basement) by Kid Central staff and Next Gen leaders.
Worship Center, common spaces, offices → service continues. Programming Director and dispatch continue monitoring. WARG aware but normal posture.
Dispatch logs Stage 1 activation with timestamp and trigger.

Stage 2 — Full shelter

Triggered when any of the following occur. Stage 2 means everyone moves to interior shelter, the service stops, and no children are released until all-clear.

Triggers

NWS Tornado Warning issued for an area covering Central SF
NWS Severe Thunderstorm Warning marked "considerable" or "destructive" for the Central SF area — these warnings indicate destructive 80+ mph winds with tornado-equivalent damage potential
Tornado confirmed by visual sighting near campus

Action

Dispatch triggers pre-recorded tornado shelter paging — all areas. Live mic does not interrupt. script to record
Paging includes parent message: "Children are being moved to shelter by trained staff. Do not attempt to pick up your children at this time — for everyone's safety, no children will be released until the all-clear is given. Reunification will happen at Grand Central after the all-clear."
Worship Center congregation → multi-space shelter using closest-exit-per-row routing (see Worship Center shelter routing below). NOT basement (basement cannot hold full service).
Common spaces (Area C) → people in Hearth Room, Grand Central, Oakwood Chapel move to interior locations away from windows.
Offices (Area A) → staff move to interior hallways without windows. Conference Room is acceptable shelter.
All children → already in basement shelters from Stage 1 (Studio shelter for nursery, Tunnel storage shelter for walking kids). If Stage 2 is triggered without Stage 1 having run first, all kids move to basement shelters now — Kid Central staff and Next Gen leaders execute.
Anyone outside — parking lot team, exterior posts, smokers, drop-off lane — move inside immediately to nearest interior space.
Safety Team holds the line on no-pickup — parents will try to retrieve their children. Direct them firmly to shelter and explain reunification happens after all-clear.
Dispatch logs Stage 2 activation with timestamp.

Worship Center shelter routing

No single space can hold the full congregation. Shelter is distributed across multiple interior locations using closest-exit-per-row routing. Safety Team posts in the Worship Center direct congregants by section.

Primary shelter spaces

Space	Capacity	Notes
Concourse	Primary — tight	Main hallway behind the Worship Center. Fills first via the closest doors. Capacity is real but constrained — expect overflow.
Area A interior hallways	Overflow	Hallways inside Area A (between Worship Center and offices). Absorbs overflow when Concourse fills.
Studio shelter (basement)	Children only	Reserved for non-walking nursery children moved in cribs at Stage 1.
Tunnel storage shelter (basement)	Children only	Reserved for all walking Kid Central and elementary kids moved at Stage 1.

Spaces NOT used for tornado shelter

Hearth Room, Grand Central, Oakwood Chapel (Area C) — windows and open plans. Anyone in these spaces moves to interior locations.
Conference Room safe room (Area A) — not viable for tornado. This is the active-threat safe room only. The room's protections (dual-lock card access) do not address tornado risk — it has windows or skylight glazing unsuitable for severe weather. Do not shelter here for tornado.
Worship Center itself — large open span, exterior glazing, not safe shelter.
Gym, Studio program rooms (Area E) — large open spans not suitable. People in Area E move to interior corridors.

Routing logic

Closest-exit-per-row. Each Worship Center section uses the closest interior-leading exit, not a single funnel point.
Safety Team directs traffic — posts at Worship Center exit doors send congregants to Concourse first, then redirect to Area A hallways once Concourse is full. Post B Safety Team owns this with Programming Director coordination.
Move people away from windows as they shelter — even the Concourse and hallways have window-adjacent sections. Get into central portions of the hallway.
Stay low. Sit on the floor. Cover head with arms. Keep aisles clear for emergency access.

Wednesday night student ministry — severe weather

Students shelter in whichever interior space is closest to them. Interior hallways (Area A, Concourse), Studio shelter, and Tunnel storage shelter are all available — student ministry leaders take their groups to the nearest one. No single destination; whatever's closest gets used.
Stay together as a class group. Each student ministry leader keeps their group intact and moves them as a unit. Do not split a class across multiple shelter spaces.
Stage 1 may be skipped. Without nursery children to pre-position, Programming Director may call Stage 2 directly on Wednesday nights when conditions warrant.
Parents will arrive during shelter. They've been notified and are showing up to pick up their kids. WARG (exterior) directs parents to wait outside the perimeter; no entry until all-clear and reunification protocol begins.

Roles during tornado shelter

Dispatch

Monitors NOAA + multiple sources. Triggers Stage 1 paging on leading indicator. Triggers Stage 2 pre-recorded paging on tornado warning. Logs all activations and de-activations with timestamps. Stays in dispatch room (interior, no windows) during shelter.

Programming Director

Co-monitors weather. Authorizes Stage 1 and Stage 2 activation. Makes hold/shelter announcements via paging or works through Dispatch. Decides on all-clear with dispatch.

Kid Central Staff

Move non-walking nursery children to Studio shelter (basement) in cribs on Stage 1. Move all walking Kid Central kids to Tunnel storage shelter (basement) on Stage 1. Maintain rosters. Keep children calm. Do not release children until reunification authorized.

Next Gen Leaders

Move walking elementary and 4–5th grade kids to Tunnel storage on Stage 1. Stay with kids in shelter. Maintain rosters.

Safety Team

On Stage 2: direct congregation to interior shelter using closest-exit-per-row routing. Post B Safety Team owns Worship Center routing — send congregants to Concourse first, then Area A hallways once Concourse fills. Sweep restrooms and common spaces. Bring anyone outside back inside. Account for known guests in your area. Hold perimeter on shelter spaces. Hold the line on no-pickup — parents will try to retrieve children. Direct them firmly to shelter and explain reunification happens at Grand Central after all-clear.

WARG

Standard security posture. Severe weather does not change WARG mission unless a tornado-related security concern emerges (intruder, refusing-to-shelter behavior, etc.).

All-clear & reunification

All-clear authorized by Dispatch and Programming Director jointly after NWS warning expires AND visual conditions confirm safety.
Dispatch announces all-clear via paging.
Reunification at Grand Central using standard tag verification — see Reunification procedure for the full protocol. Tag/sticker match required for all children, no exceptions.
Children released from basement shelters (Studio shelter for nursery, Tunnel storage shelter for walking kids) in staged order — family liaisons coordinate so it doesn't become a crowd at Grand Central.
Pastoral care available for congregants distressed by the event.
Facilities Director assesses any property damage before allowing exterior access.
Document the incident: timestamps for Stage 1, Stage 2, all-clear, total shelter duration, any injuries or damage.

Other severe weather scenarios — tap to expand

Severe thunderstorm warning (no "considerable" tag)

Trigger: NWS severe thunderstorm warning issued for area covering Central SF (without "considerable" or "destructive" damage tag).
By itself, this does NOT trigger shelter or cancellation — service continues.
Dispatch monitors and updates Programming Director if conditions worsen (tornado watch added, tornado warning issued, hail size escalating, wind warnings escalating).
If "considerable" or "destructive" damage tag is added, OR tornado warning is issued: switch to Stage 2 full shelter.
If a Tornado Watch is added with rotation indicated: switch to Stage 1 pre-position for non-walking children.

Lightning within 10 miles

Trigger: Lightning detection (NWS, app, or visual confirmation) within 10 miles.
Outdoor activities suspended — Parking Lot Team and exterior posts (Post F) move inside.
Anyone outside (smokers, late arrivals, post-service congregants on patio) is directed inside.
Exterior activities resume 30 minutes after the last lightning strike within 10 miles.

Hail of damaging size

Trigger: Hail of damaging size (1"+ or as reported by NWS) imminent or in progress.
If time allows: clear parking lots — move people to covered areas if available.
Shelter people inside until passes — do not let people exit during active hail.
After hail: Facilities Director assesses property damage. Photos for insurance claim.

Flash flood warning

Trigger: NWS flash flood warning for Central SF area.
Hold congregation inside — do not dismiss to vehicles during active flash flood.
Programming Director and Facilities Director assess parking lot, drainage, road conditions before dismissal.
Coordinate with city/PD if local roads are flooded. Communicate alternate routes if known.

Open items pending resolution

Section-to-exit routing map — document which Worship Center seating sections route to which interior-leading doors (closest-exit-per-row in practice)
Concourse capacity confirmation — walk the building and confirm how many people the Concourse can realistically hold; identify Area A overflow capacity
Route maps for kid spaces — nursery to Studio shelter (basement), Kid Central and elementary classrooms to Tunnel storage shelter. Walking distance, accessibility, mobility-limited routing.
Pre-recorded Stage 2 tornado shelter paging script and recording (including the no-pickup parent message)
NOAA weather radio installation confirmation, SAME-programmed for Minnehaha County
Annual severe weather drill in spring — both Stage 1 and Stage 2 transitions
Coordination with SD Office of Emergency Management on shelter capacity if Central SF is designated as a community shelter
Lightning detection method — subscription service, app, or visual?
Parking Lot Team and Post F protocols for moving to shelter during severe weather

Facility & Environmental

Power / Utility Failure

Power outage, water, gas, communications loss

Power outage is not an emergency — it's a controlled decision. Critical systems (access control, security, AV, dispatch) are on UPS battery backup and continue working — for a while. The decision to continue service, pause, or dismiss depends on duration, conditions, and what's still functional. Kid Central Pastor and Programming Director decide jointly. If we dismiss, people simply go home through any door — same as normal end of service, just early. No assembly point. No special reunification. Just normal pickup at check-in stations.

What stays up, what goes down

System	Status during outage	Notes
UniFi Access (door control)	Up on UPS	Doors continue working — lockdown still functional. Runtime depends on UPS load.
UniFi cameras	Up on UPS	Camera viewing continues. Dispatch can still see the building.
Dispatch infrastructure	Up on UPS	Annunciator, paging, radio base, monitors. Not unlimited — UPS runtime is the constraint.
AV / paging system	Up on UPS	Voice paging still works. Use it for any announcement.
Notifier fire alarm	Up on internal battery	Code-required battery backup. 24-hour standby per NFPA 72.
Building lighting	Down (except emergency)	Hallways, classrooms, restrooms, common spaces go dark. Code-required emergency lighting on battery in egress paths.
HVAC / climate	Down	No heating, no cooling, no ventilation. Becomes a problem in extreme weather and for kid spaces fast.
Stage lighting & production	Down (mostly)	Service lighting effectively dies. Some fixtures may be on UPS for short periods.
Kitchen / coffee equipment	Down	Hot equipment continues to be hot for a while — cooling food risk if extended.
Desk phones	Likely down	VoIP phones lose power. Cell phones still work. Dispatch line forwards to mobile (see Dispatch SOP).
Wi-Fi	May survive briefly on UPS	Depends on which switches/APs are on battery. Don't rely on it.
Children's check-in system (digital)	Down	Tablets, screens, network all unavailable. Use printed roster — held by Kid Central Pastor and at dispatch (printed at start of every service / event).

Door behavior — mixed fail-safe / fail-secure

UniFi Access stays up on UPS, but if UPS runtime expires or specific doors lose power, behavior is split:

All exterior doors fail-secure — they STAY LOCKED in a power loss. No one can re-enter from outside without a key or working access system.
Some interior doors fail-secure — these stay locked too, restricting movement between areas.
Some interior doors fail-safe — these unlock to allow free movement.
Emergency egress is always available from inside — panic bars are mechanical, not electrical. Anyone inside can always get out.

Operational implication: If anyone is outside during an outage (parking lot team, smokers, late arrivals), they cannot re-enter through exterior doors. Safety Team must keep at least one exterior door staffed by someone with a key OR direct people inside before any extended outage situation. Specific door-by-door inventory to document with Facilities.

First 5 minutes — assess

What dispatch and Programming Director assess

Outage scope — whole building? Just one area? Check by walking or by reports from Safety Team posts. A localized outage may be a tripped breaker; whole-building is utility-side.
Outage cause if known — storm, vehicle into a pole, planned grid work, transformer fire? Call Xcel Energy outage line at 1-800-895-1999 if needed.
Estimated duration — check Xcel Energy outage map (cell phones still work). Look up local outage reports.
Time of day & weather — dark outside? Hot summer? Cold winter? These compound the problem.
Who's on-site & where — service in progress? Kid Central programs? Office staff only? Vulnerable populations (elderly, infants, medical needs)?
Communicate calmly via paging from dispatch: "We're aware of the power issue. Please stay where you are while we assess. We'll have an update shortly." This holds the room while assessment happens.

Decision framework

Kid Central Pastor and Programming Director decide jointly based on the assessment. The Kid Central Pastor's voice is critical because climate control loss affects nursery and Kid Central first — their read on conditions in those spaces drives decisions. Three real options — the conditions, not preference, drive the choice:

Option	When to choose it	Action
Continue (modified)	Outage estimated under 15 min. Daytime with natural light. Mild weather. Emergency lighting working. No vulnerable population issues.	Worship Pastor adapts service: acoustic worship, shorter format, low-tech message. Service continues in modified form.
Pause & hold	Outage 15–60 min. Conditions tolerable. Most people can wait briefly.	Worship Pastor pauses service. Programming Director announces a hold. Congregation stays in place. Dispatch monitors UPS runtime. Pastoral team available for anyone distressed.
Dismiss	Outage estimated over 60 min, OR conditions worsen (extreme heat/cold, dark with failing emergency lighting, UPS approaching failure), OR vulnerable populations at risk.	Programming Director announces dismissal via voice paging. Normal pickup, just early. Parents collect children at the regular check-in stations (Family Check-in for Sunday kids, Student Central Check-in for Wednesday students). People leave through any door, walk to their vehicles, drive home. This is not an emergency — no assembly point, no convergence, no special reunification. Tag verification at the check-in stations still applies, same as a normal end-of-service pickup. Services for the day cancelled. Communications Director publishes notice if remaining services affected.

UPS runtime is the hidden constraint. Critical systems run on battery for some bounded time — typically 30–60 minutes depending on load. Once UPS fails, lockdown doesn't work, paging doesn't work, dispatch goes blind. Don't extend a hold past UPS runtime; that's when conditions get genuinely worse.

Kid Central & vulnerable populations

Nursery and Kid Central rooms lose climate control immediately. Heat or cold becomes a problem fast for infants and small children.
Kid Central staff stay with classes. Do not move kids between rooms unless directed by Programming Director. Movement in dark hallways with kids is risky.
Door behavior matters. If interior doors fail-secure, kids may be locked into rooms. Kid Central staff have key/badge access; confirm during outage that doors can be opened from the classroom side.
Reunification trigger lowered for kids. If conditions in Kid Central become uncomfortable (too hot, too cold, dark) before adult evacuation is needed, Kid Central Pastor and Programming Director may authorize early kid pickup. Tag verification still required.
Anyone with medical equipment (CPAP, oxygen, refrigerated medication) needs personal attention. Pastoral team and Safety Team check in.

Communications during outage

Voice paging works on UPS. Use it for announcements: assessment, decision, dismissal.
Dispatch radio works on UPS. Coordinate Safety Team and WARG normally.
Dispatch phone forwards to Programming Director's mobile if dispatch loses VoIP. The number stays the same (see Dispatch SOP).
Communications Director posts external updates via cell phone — social media, text alerts, email if available. Keep it factual: "Power outage at Central. We are [continuing/holding/dismissing]. More info to follow."
If outage extends to next service: Communications Director publishes cancellation notice using Winter Weather Cancellation channel pattern.

Roles during this incident

Programming Director

Makes the continue/hold/dismiss decision jointly with Kid Central Pastor. Authorizes paging announcements. Coordinates with Worship Pastor on service modifications.

Kid Central Pastor

Joint decision authority with Programming Director. Climate control loss hits nursery and Kid Central first; their read on those spaces drives the timing. Authorizes early kid reunification if conditions deteriorate. Coordinates Kid Central staff response across all classrooms.

Dispatch

Confirms outage scope. Calls Xcel Energy if duration unknown. Monitors UPS runtime and reports remaining time. Maintains paging, cameras, radio. Logs all decisions and timestamps.

Facilities Director

Diagnoses the cause if possible. Checks panel for tripped breakers (localized outage). Verifies UPS battery health. Coordinates with Xcel for ETA. Manages restoration when power returns.

Safety Team

Holds exterior doors so anyone outside can re-enter (exterior fails-secure). Helps with crowd movement if dim lighting causes confusion. Sweeps restrooms and common spaces during dismissal.

Kid Central Staff

Stay with classes. Confirm interior door access from inside. Watch for climate concerns (especially nursery). Coordinate with Programming Director on early reunification if needed.

Worship Pastor

Adapts service for modified continue (acoustic, low-tech). Pauses or releases on Programming Director's call. Provides pastoral presence during hold or dismissal.

Communications Director

External messaging via cell. Social media, text alerts, email. Cancellation notice if outage affects upcoming services. Keeps messaging factual and brief.

WARG

Standard security posture. Stays alert during dismissal — outages can mask other security incidents. Watches for opportunistic theft or unauthorized access during chaos.

Related: communications loss

Communications loss (internet, phones, cell down)

Trigger: Loss of internet, VoIP, cell coverage, or combinations. Often happens during severe weather or when carriers have outages.
Radio still works — Relay radios are LTE-based; if cell is down, radios go too. If only Wi-Fi/internet is down, radios continue.
Backup communication: physical runners between dispatch and Safety Team posts. Slower but functional.
For 911 calls: if cell network is down, try landline. If both are down, send a runner to Sioux Falls PD substation or flag down PD on patrol.
External communications: Communications Director uses any working channel. May need to drive somewhere with signal to post updates.
Service continuity: can usually continue without internet. Online giving and online streaming pause; in-person service unaffected.

After resolution

Power restored: Facilities Director verifies all critical systems came back online. UPS recharge time noted.
If service was modified or dismissed: Communications Director publishes follow-up. Pastoral team follows up with anyone affected.
If dismissal happened: confirm all kids reunified, no one left behind, no security incidents during chaos.
Document the incident: time of outage, scope, cause, duration, decision made, response timeline.
Insurance carrier notified if any damage occurred during outage.
Debrief with leadership and Facilities within 72 hours: what worked, what didn't, UPS performance.

Open items pending resolution

Door-by-door fail behavior inventory — document each door's fail-safe vs. fail-secure status. Critical for evacuation planning.
UPS runtime measurement — actual battery life under typical load. Test annually.
UPS battery replacement schedule — batteries degrade; replacement every 3–5 years per manufacturer.
Pre-recorded power outage paging script for assessment hold and dismissal
Plumbing contractor in Contacts page for water failures
Annual drill or tabletop on outage decision-making
Acoustic worship plan for "modified continue" scenarios — what does service look like without stage lighting and sound?
Emergency lighting test schedule (code requires monthly 30-second test, annual 90-minute test)
Generator decision — cost-benefit on adding a generator for sustained outages, especially for nursery climate continuity
Backup external communication path if both internet and cell are down (handheld weather radio, satellite messenger, etc.)

Facility & Environmental

Gas Leak

Suspected or confirmed natural gas leak — life-safety incident

This is a life-safety incident. Treat as Threat Level 4 immediately. A gas leak in an occupied building can ignite and kill. Evacuate upwind, no sparks, call 911, do not re-enter.

How we know there's a gas leak

Smell of natural gas — sulfur or rotten-egg smell. Mercaptan is added to gas specifically so people detect it.
Hissing sound near a gas appliance, gas line, or wall
Visible damage to gas piping or a meter (vehicle hit a meter, construction damage)
Alarm from gas detection system (where installed)
Multiple people reporting symptoms — dizziness, nausea, headache — in the same area
Dead vegetation around exterior gas piping (delayed indicator; report if noticed)

The four absolute rules

Don't flip switches. Don't turn lights on or off. Sparks from light switches and outlets can ignite a gas-air mixture.
Don't use phones near the leak. Cell phones, landlines, anything electronic can spark. Move at least 100 feet away before using a phone.
Don't start engines. Cars, generators, lawn equipment near the building — all can ignite.
Don't use elevators. Motor and call-button sparks. Stairs only.

First 60 seconds — immediate response

Evacuate the building. No 60-second hold — this is not a fire alarm with verification window. Move now.

Voice paging from dispatch: "This is an emergency evacuation. Move immediately to the nearest exit. Move upwind of the building. Do not use elevators. Do not start vehicles." script to record

If dispatch is in or near the affected area: anyone with authority gives verbal evacuation directives. Don't wait for a perfect script.

Exit upwind. If gas is detected on one side of the building, exit the other side. Note wind direction; gas dissipates downwind, accumulates upwind only briefly before dispersing.

Move to assembly — minimum 100 feet from the building, upwind. South Central Lawn, North Lawn, Garage Lot, or West Lawn + Lot depending on wind direction. Dispatch picks the upwind option in real time. Do not cluster near building windows or doors.

Call 911 from outside — minimum 100 feet from the building. "Gas leak at Central SF Church, 3102 W Ralph Rogers Rd. Building is being evacuated. Need Fire response."

Sioux Falls Fire dispatched. They have gas detection equipment and authority to cut gas service.

Notify Xcel Energy gas emergency line: 1-800-895-2999. They dispatch their own crew to shut off gas at the meter.

At the assembly area

Minimum 100 feet upwind from the building. Wind direction determines the assembly area: if wind is from the north, assemble at South Central Lawn (south side); if wind is from the south, North Lawn; if wind is from the west, Garage Lot (east side); if wind is from the east, West Lawn + Lot. Dispatch picks the upwind option in real time. Critical: gas drifts downwind, so the assembly must be on the side wind is coming FROM, not going TO.
Do not start vehicles in the parking lot. Sparks. Wait until Fire authorizes.
Account for everyone. Kid Central staff hold their classes (no parent pickup during evacuation), Safety Team accounts for guests and members.
Symptoms check: anyone with dizziness, nausea, headache, confusion, or trouble breathing gets immediate medical attention. Tell EMS this is a possible gas exposure.
Pastoral care available for anyone distressed.

Fire and Xcel response

Sioux Falls Fire enters at West door, Area A — same default. They take operational lead immediately.
Fire detects gas levels with sensors. They authorize re-entry only after the building is clear.
Xcel dispatches a service crew to shut off gas at the meter. Time on site varies; could be 30 minutes to several hours.
Do not re-enter until BOTH Fire and Xcel declare the building safe.
If Fire authorizes a partial re-entry (e.g., to retrieve a child's medication): a single staff escort with Fire only. No casual re-entry.

Roles during this incident

First responder (anyone)

Don't flip switches. Move calmly toward an exit, taking nearby people with you. Alert dispatch from outside or by runner. Do not stop to investigate.

Dispatch

Triggers voice paging from dispatch room (if safe). Calls 911 and Xcel from outside the 100-foot perimeter. Coordinates evacuation routing upwind. Briefs Fire on arrival.

Safety Team

Sweep your area as you exit. Direct people to upwind exits. Hold no-pickup line at assembly. Keep parking lot clear — no vehicles starting until Fire authorizes.

Programming Director

Authorizes evacuation if not already triggered. Coordinates with Fire on arrival. Decides on dismissal vs. waiting based on Fire's timeline.

Facilities Director

Briefs Fire on building gas line layout, meter location, recent maintenance. Provides access to gas shutoff if Fire needs it. Coordinates with Xcel crew.

Kid Central Staff & Classroom Leaders

Walk children out as a class group via assigned upwind exit. Maintain class roster. Stay with class at upwind assembly. Account for every child by name. Watch for symptoms in kids; report immediately.

WARG

Standard security posture. Maintains awareness during evacuation. Stays alert to malicious-incident-then-attack pattern.

After resolution

If Fire and Xcel declare safe: Programming Director announces re-entry. Service may resume or be cancelled depending on time elapsed and conditions.
If repairs are needed before re-entry: dismiss congregation home from assembly area. Communications Director publishes notice for any remaining services.
Document the incident: time of detection, scope, Fire and Xcel response, repairs, duration of evacuation.
Insurance carrier notified within 24 hours.
Anyone who showed symptoms: pastoral and medical follow-up. Carbon monoxide and gas exposure can have delayed effects.
Debrief with Facilities Director on cause and prevention. If a maintenance gap or aging equipment caused the leak, prioritize repair.

Open items pending resolution

Pre-recorded gas leak evacuation paging script and recording
Gas detection system — do we have one in mechanical/utility rooms? Worth installing if not.
Annual inspection of gas appliances (kitchen, water heaters, HVAC) by licensed technician
Walkthrough with Sioux Falls Fire to identify gas line locations and shutoff procedures
Building map updated with gas meter location and main shutoff for first responders
Carbon monoxide detectors installed and tested in all occupied spaces (related risk; same response)

Facility & Environmental

Water Failure

Loss of pressure, water main break, or boil-water advisory

Water loss = cancel after the current service. Restrooms become unusable quickly; coffee, kitchen, and baby formula prep all stop. The current service can finish, but no further services without water. Communications Director publishes the cancellation notice immediately so families don't drive in.

Three scenarios

Loss of pressure — faucets and toilets stop working. Often a city main issue; could be building plumbing.
Visible water main break — water pooling or flowing where it shouldn't, ceiling damage, basement flooding. Building plumbing issue requiring shutoff.
Boil-water advisory — City of Sioux Falls issues notice that water may be contaminated. Pressure exists but water isn't safe to consume or serve.

The default decision

Water failure is the one utility issue with a clear default: finish the current service, cancel the rest. Restrooms, baby formula, kitchen, and basic hygiene depend on water. Holding hundreds of people in a building without functional restrooms is not viable for more than an hour or two.

Service in progress: finish it. People are seated, the room is functioning, kids are supervised. No need to interrupt mid-message.
Subsequent services that day: cancel. Communications Director publishes notice immediately so families don't drive in.
Weekday ministries / events: cancel for the duration of the outage.
Exception — very brief outage (under 30 minutes, water restored before next service): may continue. Programming Director and Facilities Director confirm restoration and water quality before resuming.

During the current service (water just failed)

Facilities Director assesses: is this a building issue (shutoff valve, broken pipe) or a city issue (mains)? Visible damage anywhere? Coordinate with City Public Works at 605-367-7153 if city-side.

Restrooms: post signs. Safety Team or Facilities posts handwritten signs at each restroom entrance: "Out of order — water service interrupted." Direct people to consider before entering rather than discovering inside.

Bottled water from kitchen reserves if available. Hand out to nursery (formula prep), pastoral team, anyone with medical need. Limited supply — don't open general distribution.

Coffee & kitchen halt. No new coffee made, no food prep, no dish washing. Use disposable cups for any remaining service.

Communications Director publishes notice for upcoming services: "Due to a water service interruption, the [time] service today is cancelled. We'll provide updates as we know more."

Boil-water advisory specifics

Water flows but is potentially contaminated. Different from a pressure outage — restrooms still function (don't drink toilet water anyway), but consumption is the problem.

Halt all water consumption: no drinking fountains, no coffee, no kitchen use, no baby formula prep with tap water.
Post signs at every drinking fountain and kitchen sink: "Boil-water advisory in effect. Do not drink tap water."
Use bottled water reserves for nursery formula and any pastoral/medical need.
Restrooms remain functional for the basic purpose. Hand washing with tap water is generally still acceptable per City advisory; check specific advisory wording.
Service continuation is more flexible than full water loss. Programming Director and Kid Central Pastor assess based on advisory duration.
Communications Director publishes the advisory and what it means for upcoming services.

Roles during this incident

Facilities Director

Diagnoses cause: building or city. Locates and operates shutoff valve if needed. Coordinates with City Public Works or plumbing contractor. Confirms water quality before resumption.

Programming Director

Decides on cancelling subsequent services. Coordinates with Communications Director on messaging. Pastoral coordination with families affected.

Communications Director

Publishes cancellation notice across text, email, social media, website (Winter Weather Cancellation channel pattern). Updates as situation evolves.

Kid Central Pastor

Coordinates nursery formula needs. Confirms enough bottled water for infant care during current service. Works with Programming Director on pickup logistics if early dismissal needed.

Safety Team

Posts restroom signs. Distributes bottled water from kitchen reserves where directed. Helps with crowd flow during dismissal between services.

Kitchen / Hospitality

Halts all coffee and food prep. Inventory bottled water for distribution. Prepares for dismissal and cleanup with limited water resources.

After resolution

Water restored: Facilities Director runs taps to flush lines (especially after a boil-water advisory; first 5 minutes from each tap goes down the drain).
Communications Director publishes restoration notice and confirms next service status.
If repairs were needed: document for insurance and any property damage claims.
Restock bottled water reserves used during outage.
Pastoral follow-up with anyone significantly affected (families who drove in unaware, ministry leaders whose events were cancelled).
Debrief with leadership and Facilities on cause, prevention, and reserve adequacy.

Open items pending resolution

Bottled water reserve inventory — how much do we keep? For how long can we serve nursery and medical needs?
Plumbing contractor in Contacts page — for building-side issues outside business hours
City of Sioux Falls Public Works contact in Contacts page 605-367-7153
Pre-printed restroom out-of-order signs ready to post
Cancellation messaging templates aligned with Winter Weather Cancellation pattern
Backup hand-sanitizer stations in restrooms during boil-water advisories
Annual building plumbing inspection (insurance often requires)

Threat levels describe security posture and trigger coordinated team response. Medical, fire, weather, and utility incidents have their own procedures and don't require raising the threat level — though they may trigger one if a security dimension emerges. Some incidents (lost child, custody dispute, agitated person, bomb threat) use threat levels as part of their escalation path. One signal, coordinated response: a called level triggers known actions on Safety Team, WARG, and dispatch.

Normal

Default state · Standard observation

Triggers

Default state. No active concerns.

Safety Team

Visible positioning per service plan
"Safety Team" lanyard worn
Greeters first, observers second

WARG

Standard positioning, routine patrol
Available on WARG channel

Dispatch

Manned per standard policy
Camera monitoring active, annunciator and paging armed

Elevated

Pre-position · Increase visibility

Triggers

Suspicious person observed (Tier 1 observation or Tier 2 friendly engagement in progress)
Behavioral concern (agitated, confused, intoxicated, under the influence)
Custody concern reported but no active dispute
Lost child reported (auto-L2 in first 3 minutes)
Outside events (nearby police activity, community incident)
Vague bomb threat (lockdown-and-search posture)

Safety Team

Affected area gets visible coverage
Identify and observe — do not engage
Radio update to dispatch with location and description

WARG

Acknowledge on WARG channel
Pre-position one officer toward affected area
Increase patrol frequency near area

Dispatch

Log level change with timestamp, location, caller
Pull up cameras for affected area
Notify Programming Director or Coordinator

Active

Coordinated response · Ministry continues

Triggers

Confirmed threatening behavior — verbal threats, attempted contact with children, refusal to leave
Active custody dispute (unauthorized pickup attempt that escalated)
Mental health crisis with bright lines crossed (suicidal threat with weapon, violent escalation)
Bomb threat received that is specific or credible
Lost child unresolved at 3-minute mark
Agitated person Tier 3+ (asked to leave, refusing or escalating)
Suspicious person Tier 3+ (refused to leave, behavior continuing)

Programming Director

Leads operational response. Coordinator backs up.
For mental health crisis: pastor leads, Programming Director coordinates ministry response.
Decides on WARG visibility, paging, and any significant moves.

Safety Team

Affected area team converges to support, not engage
Move bystanders away, hold perimeter
Family liaison role activated if congregation members involved
Search support if lost child or similar

WARG

Pre-positions and stays available. Does not take operational lead at this level.
Two officers minimum near affected area — ready to escalate to L4 if needed.
Visibility level set by Programming Director (visible vs. quiet pre-position depending on incident type).

Dispatch

Calls 911 if appropriate per playbook
Camera priority on affected area
Prepares pre-recorded paging for possible escalation
Notifies pastoral leadership

Critical

Lockdown or evacuate · 911 engaged

Triggers

Active threat with weapon — knife, gun, or other deadly weapon visible or reported
Suspected abduction (lost child + suspicious individual departing)
Attempted child abduction during custody dispute (force or stealth)
Confirmed gas leak in occupied building
Vehicle into building
Bomb threat with specific credible details, OR suspicious package found

Safety Team

Execute lockdown OR evacuation per incident type — not both
Area D (Kid Central) locks down regardless of trigger area
Direct congregation per pre-recorded paging
Move people away from threat — WARG engages, you do not

WARG

Full operational authority (life-threatening incident)
Coordinates directly with PD/EMS on arrival
Establishes IC at dispatch or alternate

Dispatch

911 already on the line
Pre-recorded paging triggered
UniFi Access lockdown sequence executed
All cameras recording, footage to litigation hold

Catastrophic

Survival mode · All protocols active

Triggers

Active shooter with shots fired
Hostage situation
Coordinated attack (multiple threats simultaneously, e.g., malicious fire alarm + attack)
Confirmed explosive device detonated or imminent

Safety Team

Run, hide, or fight — in that order
Get people out, hidden, or barricaded by any means
Stop the Bleed and CPR by any trained person regardless of area
Do not wait for orders if you can preserve life now

WARG

Engage threat within scope of training and authority
Coordinate arriving law enforcement
Triage and coordinate medical response with EMS

Dispatch

911 active
Lockdown executed and held
All paging areas broadcast survival instructions
Document everything

How to call a level on radio

Switch to Safety channel. Then:

"Level [#], [Building/Area], [brief reason]"

Examples:
"Level 2, Area B, suspicious adult at check-in"
"Level 3, Area A, verbal threats from guest in lobby"
"Level 4, system-wide, weapon visible in parking lot"

Dispatch acknowledges with: "Copy Level [#], [area], [time]. Logged." Dispatch then bridges the call to the WARG channel.

Authority to call & de-escalate

Action	Who
Call L2	WARG · Programming Director · Coordinator · or any team member with one-step backstop
Call L3+	WARG · Programming Director · Coordinator only
De-escalate L2 → L1	WARG · Programming Director · Coordinator
De-escalate L3 → L2/L1	WARG or Programming Director
De-escalate L4 → L3	WARG AND Programming Director jointly, after agency clears scene

Area vs. system-wide

L1	System-wide only (default)
L2 / L3	Area-specific OK (single building or multiple)
L4 / L5	System-wide only — auto-promotes

Central SF campus is divided into five interior areas (A–E) plus an exterior area (F). Threat levels at L2 and L3 can be called against a single area. Each area's detail page will list key doors, AED locations, and access control state. The map below also shows the five outdoor assembly zones used during evacuations — Adult Assembly (north and south central lawns, with overflow to the south-east), Kids Assembly on the east, and the 300ft Assembly on the west for high-threat incidents — and the five fixed AED locations plus the AEK Emergency Kit cabinet in the North Lobby (Area B) for epinephrine, naloxone, and bleed control. The EMS Access zone is the designated arrival path for Fire and ambulance services.

Central SF building areas, assembly zones, and medical stations map

Color-coded areas across the Central SF campus

Emergency medical stations

Five fixed AEDs around the building plus one mobile unit carried by the Medical Responder. The North Lobby station also has an Emergency Kit cabinet with epinephrine, naloxone, and bleed control. Know the closest station to your post.

AED locations

Area B — North Lobby, outside Dispatch Room
Area C — Outside Mechanical hallway, near West Nursing Mothers rooms
Area D #1 — By Kid Central Check-In
Area D #2 — Outside CPK Office
Area E — Lower level, outside Studio near Gym entrance
Mobile (Roving) — Carried by the Medical Responder along with the medical bag. Moves with them through the building during services.

AEK Emergency Kit cabinet (single location)

Wall cabinet mounted in the North Lobby (Area B), next to the AED outside the Dispatch Room. Three-module first-aid system (LiveSafer / AEK by Illinois Supply). Three life-saving interventions in one place.

Epinephrine (EpiPen) — severe allergic reaction / anaphylaxis
Naloxone (Narcan) — opioid overdose reversal
Bleed control — Stop the Bleed kit (tourniquets, hemostatic gauze, pressure dressings)

Turn the knob to open. The alarm will sound — that's by design. The alarm alerts dispatch (right next door) that an emergency is in progress. Always call 911 when the cabinet is opened. Use the contents; don't worry about the alarm.

Critical contacts. Dispatch makes the 911 call when possible — Safety Team members stay with the patient or scene. Tap any number to dial from your phone.

Emergency & dispatch

911 — Emergency

Dispatch calls when possible · LTE One Talk fallback

Call 911

Dispatch

605-929-3551 · Dispatch channel · forwards to Programming Director outside services

Call

Sioux Falls PD non-emergency

605-367-7000 · PD dispatch has remote UniFi door access

Call

Central SF leadership

Programming Director

Max Ragon · 605-759-1339 · operational lead at L2–L3 · receives forwarded dispatch calls outside services

Call

Coordinator

Backup operational authority for Programming Director role pending

Contact

Church office

605-336-3378 · reaches pastor on-call after hours

Call

Pastor on-call

Any available pastor during events or services · for off-hours, call the church office at 605-336-3378

Call

Kid Central Pastor

(218) 536-1547 · custody dispute lead · joint authority on power outage decisions

Call

Communications Director

605-759-1237 · external messaging · cancellation notices · press coordination support

Call

Facilities Director

Van Singrey · 605-310-6423 · doors, HVAC, building systems, evacuation route owner

Call

Health & mental health

988 — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

National 24/7 crisis line · mental health crisis support

Call 988

Utilities & facility

Xcel Energy — gas emergency

1-800-895-2999 · 24/7 · gas leak response

Call

Xcel Energy — outage line

1-800-895-1999 · power outage reporting

Call

City of Sioux Falls — Public Works

605-367-7153 · water main, city utility issues

Call

Fire alarm contractor

(605) 339-1709 · Midwest Alarm · panel/annunciator service · false alarm follow-up

Call