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On a Sunny Day

Summer Safety for Churches

A bright summer church scene featuring families walking toward a church entrance under a sunny blue sky, with welcoming outdoor landscaping and bold title text promoting summer safety for churches.

From the Bible

Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter (Psalm 74:17).

Introduction –

A popular song for generations has been “In the Good Old Summer Time.” Written by Ren Shields and George Evens, it was published in 1902 and was the theme song for a 1949 movie. This song pictures the season as ideal and idyllic. [1].

That’s a nice feeling. However, it should not be a time to take health and safety for granted, even with churches. As good as the warmer weather, sunshine, and summer activities are, we do not want the “Good Old Summer Time” to become a time of tragedy.

In the News –

These news stories relate only a few of threats to a congregation’s health and safety.

Storm-caused fatality and injuries:

Moneta, Virginia, June 12, 2026 – During a church’s anniversary celebration, a sudden storm downed a large tent. One man was killed, and several others were injured. The pastor and staff knew a storm was coming, so children were sent into the building. A strong gust hit just as the pastor was about to stop the service and send everyone in. The tent quickly collapsed. [2].

* Note: Respond quickly to serious storm warnings.

Playground injuries from an accident:

Shawnee, Oklahoma, September 2024 – A five-year-old boy and his friends were playing on a school playground. The boy landed in a window, which shattered. He was seriously cut, requiring several surgeries and therapy. He is scarred for life. His parents are suing the school district. [3].

* Note: Keep children on playgrounds from crashing into windows. This includes church playgrounds.

Attempted kidnapping near playground:

Medina, Ohio, May 26, 2025 – Kids were playing at a playground when a man seized a 10-year-old and began to run off with him. He let go when all the other kids chased him. [4].

* Note: Take measures to prevent kidnappings from playgrounds.

Church bus accidents:

Carroll County, Kentucky, May 14, 1988 – Sixty-three youth and four adults in a former school bus were returning from a trip to Kings Island on I-71 when a drunk driver going the wrong way in a pickup hit the bus head-on. The bus’s fuel tank was punctured and ignited. The fire killed 29 persons on the bus. Changes have since been made in the design and regulation of school and church busses. [5].

* Note: Be sure your church vans and busses meet all safety regulations.

Sallisaw, Oklahoma, April 23, 2025 – In a collision between a church van and an SUV at an intersection, a girl age 11 and the driver of the church van were killed. The girl died at the scene and the driver in the hospital. Police reported that the church van failed to stop at a stop sign. [6][7][8].

* Note: Drivers of church vehicles should drive safely.

Food Poisoning:

Lancaster, Ohio, April 19, 2015 – After a Sunday potluck at a Lancaster church, 21 persons became ill from food poisoning, namely botulism. One died. The county health department advised all who had attended the potluck (60) to get the anti-toxin for botulism, since symptoms may take days to show. [9].

* Note: All persons providing food for a church meal should follow food safety practices.

Animal encounters:

Whitby, Ontario, July 5, 2026 – A coyote came onto the playground in a city park and bit a toddler on the face before adults drove it off. There have been several coyote encounters in the area. [10].

* Note: Protect church playgrounds from those wild animals that pose dangers. Take special precautions for dangerous animals in your area.

Wildfire protection and response:

Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, August 8, 2023 – When the Maui wildfire consumed much of the city of Lahaina, including all of the downtown area, the Maria Lanakila Catholic Church had only smoke damage. Also spared were the rectory and the school. Google street views show that those buildings are made of stone and have ceramic tile roofs. [11][12].

* Note: this is not the only church spared during a wildfire by fire-resistant construction.

Hortense, Brantley County, Georgia, April 20, 2026 – When the Highway 82 wildfire broke out, the Little Memorial Baptist Church was one of the churches that served as shelters for evacuees. Four days later, the church itself was evacuated as the fire came too close. Days later, after a significant rainfall, the church remained untouched. Another Baptist Church served as a base for relief. [13][14].

* Note: Churches often serve as shelters during community emergencies.

Storm damage:

Hoboken, New Jersey, July 4, 2026 – One of the July 4 storms hitting the East Coast damaged part of a stained-glass window in a historic church in Hoboken. It broke a pane of protective glass over the window, sending broken glass into the street. [15].

* Note: The positive side of this story is that protective panes, intended to combat vandalism, limited the window’s damage.

Keeping the Church Healthy and Safe in the Summer –

To keep a congregation healthy and safe, we must first consider the threats in this season.

Health and safety concerns for the summer:

Mitigating threats to safety and health:

Heat stress –

Summer is the season when we expect days of high temperatures. While being a relief from the cold of winter, they can be a threat to personal health. With outdoor summer activities, church leaders and safety teams need to help participants prevent heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and dehydration, while also being ready to respond to them.

Preventing dehydration is the best way to avoid heat exhaustion. Perspiration is the body’s prime means to keep from overheating. To do this we need water.

Perspiration also exudes some minerals, including vital electrolytes such as sodium and chloride. These need to be replenished as we take in water. Old timers remember taking salt tablets when working in the heat. Now electrolyte drinks are available. During outdoor activities in hot weather, water and electrolyte drinks should be on hand. Lemonade and fruit juices can be included in the supply.

Have some shelter available to provide shade. People can go into the shade to keep cool. If a person is showing signs of heat stress, get them into the shade and give them water.

Travel concerns –

Summer is a time to travel. Church groups go to camps and camp meetings, to rallies, to historic attractions and amusement parks, and on tours, mission trips, and visiting other churches. While getting everything ready to go and planning the route, we need to plan and prepare for safety.

Outdoor activities –

Summer weather is a great time for outdoor activities, such as picnics, sports, tent meetings, community events, groundskeeping, etc.

Outdoor meals or snacks in warm or hot weather is a special concern for food safety. Food poisoning is a very real possibility, but it is also largely preventable. This calls for practicing food safety at more than one point:

Initial food quality:

Providers of the dishes served should get food that is of good quality, uncontaminated, and not too old. Some food problems come from producers, processors, or transporters. Be alert to recalls and published concerns. Improperly canned low-acid foods, like beans, can develop the botulism toxin.

Storage:

Store purchased food properly – clean, at the right temperature, not with cleaning materials or other contaminating items.

Preparation:

Hygiene is a must when preparing food – clean hands, containers, bowls, and utensils. Clean produce before preparing. Don’t cut produce on a board used to cut meats without first washing and sanitizing the board.

Transportation:

Keep the food from being contaminated and at the safe temperatures.

Holding to serve:

Follow the 40/140 rule for vulnerable foods. This is 40°F or less for cold foods (such as milk) and 140°F or more for hot foods (such as fried chicken).

Playground safety –

Playgrounds are fun, especially in the summer, but they can be dangerous. We want to keep our church playgrounds safe for our kids. Let’s look at a few of the concerns so we can think of how to meet them.

Extreme heat;

One thing the elderly and children have in common is their vulnerability to extreme heat. However, on the average, children have the higher risk because of their smaller body size and fewer sweat glands. If the playground is paved with blacktop or covered with other dark materials, it will build up heat more quickly on a sunny day. It can be worse when sunlight reflects off windows onto the playground. General guidelines are:

More specific guidelines are on some web pages, such as “Extreme Heat: Tips to Keep Kids Safe When Temperatures Soar” on the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Children and Disasters’ website HealthyChildren.org. [16].

Accidents;

As was seen in one news story, accidents on playgrounds do happen, and sometimes they’re serious [3]. Church playgrounds are not exempt. Here are some tips for a safer playground:

Kidnapping;

Children on a playground are too much of a temptation for sexual predators [4]. Non-custodial parents also look on church playgrounds for their children. Controlled access, both structural and procedural, is the key to protecting kids from abduction.

Behavioral hazards;

Here’s another reason to have adult monitors on playgrounds. We are tempted to think that bullying and violence by children is a current situation, but there has been one degree or another of it throughout history. Monitors need to be able to resolve disputes and remove violators without resorting to abuse.

Wildfires –

When building, remodeling, or renovating a church in an area vulnerable to wildfires, plan on making it fire-resistant.

During conditions favorable to wildfires, have members of the church safety team and the congregational leadership alert to reports of wildfires, and watches and warnings for the church’s location. Participate in warning members of the congregation of wildfire danger and evacuation orders. If you can, remove as many combustibles as you can from close to the church.

If the church is not threatened, can it serve as a shelter or as a support location for the firefighters? Many churches have played that role. If it is to be a shelter, are you equipped to do so?

Summer Storms –

“Yes, Louise, there are storms in the summer.” Common in much of the country are summer thunderstorms, sometimes with hail. Sometimes, tornadoes too.

Education and Training –

The congregation should be educated on summer safety. They then can practice safety on their own. During an interrupted event, congregants in the know can guide and help visitors when the safety team calls for evacuation, moving inside, going to shelter, etc.

Safety team members need to be trained and certified through Sheepdog Church Security Academy’s Safety Member Certification program. Some of its training models are applicable to summer safety in the church. [17].

Conclusion –

Safety should not take a vacation in the summer. Keep the church safe all year long.

References –

  1. Contributors, “In the Good Old Summer Time,” Wikipedia, June 28, 2014; Last edited March 25, 2026 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Good_Old_Summer_Time].
  2. WTVR CBS 6 Web Staff, “85-year-old man killed, 22 others injured in Virginia tent collapse,” WTVR CBS 6, June 12, 2026, June 15, 2026 [https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/eastlake-community-church-tent-collapase-june-12-2026].
  3. Mecca Thompson, “Parent files lawsuit against North Rock Creek Public Schools after severe playground injury,” KFOR Oklahoma News 4, January 6, 2026 [https://kfor.com/news/local/parent-files-lawsuit-against-north-rock-creek-public-schools-after-severe-playground-injury/].
  4. Suzanne Stratford, “Father says man allegedly tried abducting his son; Medina police search for suspect,” WJW Fox News 8, May 27, 2025, Updated May 28, 2025 [https://fox8.com/news/medina-police-searching-for-suspect-in-attempted-child-abduction/].
  5. Contributors, “Carrollton bus collision,” Wikipedia, December 13, 2004, Last revision: June 24, 2026 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrollton_bus_collision].
  6. Kyler Swaim, “Child dies in Sallisaw church bus crash, another person in critical condition,” KNWA, Posted April 24, 2025 [https://www.nwahomepage.com/news/child-dies-in-sallisaw-church-bus-crash-another-person-in-critical-condition/].
  7. Brett Rains, “Family celebrates life of 11-year-old girl who died in Sallisaw bus crash,” 40/29 TV, Updated April 25, 2025 [https://www.4029tv.com/article/family-celebrates-life-of-11-year-old-girl-who-died-in-sallisaw-bus-crash/64594051].
  8. Adam Roberts, Brett Rains, “Sallisaw bus crash: Driver in deadly wreck dies from injuries,” KNWA/KFTA, Updated April 29, 2025 [https://www.4029tv.com/article/sallisaw-church-bus-driver/64624138].
  9. Mark Woods, “Botulism poisoning at church potluck leaves one dead, 20 others ill,” Christianity Today, April 22, 2015 [https://www.christiantoday.com/news/botulism-poisoning-at-church-potluck-leaves-one-dead-20-others-ill].
  10. CBC Radio news staff, “2-year-old bitten, seriously injured by coyote in Whitby, Ont., police say,” CBC/Radio-Canada, July 6, 2026 [https://www.pressreader.com/canada/cbc-edition/20260708/281904484923931].
  11. Celia K. Downes, “Spared from disaster, historic church waits,” Hawaii Catholic Herald, August 8, 2024 [https://hawaiicatholicherald.com/2024/08/14/spared-from-disaster-historic-church-waits/].
  12. Google Maps [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Maria+Lanakila+Catholic+Church/@20.8738203,-156.6680902,3706m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x79552bba443b830d:0xba318cb4e22e6847!8m2!3d20.8750394!4d-156.6765166!16zL20vMDV5bTNr!5m2!1e4!1e1?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDcwOC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D].
  13. Yona Gavino, “Georgia wildfire forces evacuations as churches sheltering families face wildfire risk,” Action News Jax, April 22, 2026 [https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/local/georgia-wildfire-forces-evacuations-churches-sheltering-families-face-wildfire-risk/FZY757GEEBHS3AR3354GDLCPE4/].
  14. Diana Chandler, "Sunday rain ‘definitely godsent,’ pastor says as wildfire burns, better contained," Baptist Press, April 28, 2026 [https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/sunday-rain-definitely-godsent-pastor-says-as-wildfire-burns-better-contained/].
  15. Christine Queally, “Historic Hoboken church damaged during severe storms,” News12 New Jersey, July 5, 2026 [https://newjersey.news12.com/2026/07/06/historic-hoboken-church-damaged-during-severe-storms/7kEO4JVsz48S4UTCUQLPuS].
  16. Dele Davies, Clayton Mowrer, and David Schonfeld, “Extreme Heat: Tips to Keep Kids Safe When Temperatures Soar,” American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Children and Disasters, Copyright © 2025, Last Updated June 30, 2026 [https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/Protecting-Children-from-Extreme-Heat-Information-for-Parents.aspx].
  17. Kris Moloney, “Safety Member Certification,” Sheepdog Church Security Academy, 2025 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/courses/safety-member-certification-v5-2025].