What’s on Hand?

Tools and Supplies

In the Bible

And he made all the utensils of the altar, the pots, the shovels, the basins, the forks, and the fire pans. He made all its utensils of bronze (Exodus 38:3).

And he brought out the people who were in it and set them to labor with saws and iron picks and iron axes (2 Samuel 12:31).

But every one of the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, or his sickle (1 Samuel 13:20)

In the News

Orlando, Florida - A woman was injured from slipping on a wet outdoor surface at a resort hotel after a heavy rain. She sued and was awarded $850,000. The surface had been painted, making it slick, and it was not skid-proof. Also, there were no warning signs.[1]

New York City, New York, 1776 - St. Paul's Chapel in New York City survived the Great Fire of 1776 because the Rector organized a fire brigade of men, women, and children to carry water up and soak the roof using leather buckets. In 2010, someone using a flashlight climbed up inside the steeple and found one of those buckets.[2]

Resources

The Basic Resource for this month is the Sheepdog Church Security Store on Amazon.[3] Also, get our special downloadable resource for July. Click here <*> to receive Recommended Essential Equipment.[4]

Tools in the Bible

The Bible mentions several tools. They were used in everyday life, in worship, for construction, and for war. Here is a short list of tools and some of the places they appear in the Bible:

Tools for a Church Safety Ministry

Most of us can name a few tools to use in a Church Safety Ministry. There may be some most of us won't think of - that is until the moment we need them or someone asks us how to handle a certain situation, such as getting someone out of a vehicle when the doors are jammed.

Several tools are available in the Sheepdog Church Security store on Amazon.[3] Some are not. We'll cover some here. Tools for communication and for defense (weapons) are covered in other articles in this series. Tools for medical response are covered in the article "Make Yourself Ready" in the series The Healthy Church.[5]

Tools in the Store:

Three of the tools not in other articles are in the Sheepdog Church Security (SDCS) store. These are a tactical flashlight/traffic wand, a knife, and a magnetic lockdown strip. The reason these three are in the store is that these particular brand items are preferred by SDCS for their quality, design, and features. For those tools not in the SDCS Store, any good quality brand will be suitable.

Tactical Flashlight - Flashlights have always been key safety tools. Obviously, they are used at night or during power outages. In the daylight hours, a flashlight can light up dark corners and unlit spaces (such as a closet). It can be used to take a closer look at an injury, the tag on a fire extinguisher, etc.

Large flashlights with several D or C batteries used to be needed for high-powered light, such as at a distance. Those used incandescent bulbs. Now we have light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which can produce the same level of light with one or a few AA or AAA batteries. This means that the Safety Team member can carry in a pocket the same light power as a monster flashlight.

Tactical flashlights offer more features than just the light. The UltraFire WF502B Traffic Control Wand Led Flashlight in the SDCS store has five modes of light (Low, Medium, High, Strobe, SOS). It also has an amber screw-on cone for traffic control, which is useful for special events at the church. Its body is military-grade aluminum, and the 3.7-volt battery is long-lasting and rechargeable.[6]

Knife - A knife comes in handy many ways, ranging from opening boxes to cutting ropes to cutting through debris. A tactical knife offers more features than just a sharp blade with a handle. SDCS recommends the Schrade SCHA3BS 7.3in High Carbon S.S. Assisted Opening Folding Knife.[7] It has some extra features, but not too many. This means that it is not too complicated and not too expensive, while still more than just a knife. Key features are:

• Foldable. The high-carbon stainless steel blade retracts into the aluminum handle. This makes it easy and safe to carry when not in use.
• Good grip. The handle is designed to make the knife easy to hold and use.
• Push-button opening. The blade opens with the push of a button. This is ambidextrous - it can be pushed from either side.
• Safety lock. The blade locks open so it does not fold back while being used.
• Saw. The rear part of the cutting edge is serrated. The knife can saw through some materials, such as a restraining belt. This makes it more versatile in emergencies where quickly releasing a person is essential.
• Glass Breaker. In case someone is trapped in a vehicle, the closed Schrade Knife can be used to break a window to get them out.

Magnetic Lockdown Strip - The Lockdown Magnetic Strip for School Security Lockdowns (10-pack)[8] by Lockdown Strips is basically a defensive device, but it is not a weapon. However, it can be used to secure privacy for a confidential meeting. It is recommended by SDCS for its simplicity and effectiveness. It simply covers the strike plate on a door frame, blocking the hole for the latch pin. The latch on the door is kept locked so it is exit only. To lock down the room, just remove the strip. When the latch pin goes into the hole, the room is locked.

A routine use for a Church Safety Team member on patrol after Sunday School or the service is to check an unlocked room, then lock it when leaving. It is advisable to lock unused classrooms to protect the contents and to keep them from being used as hideouts.

Tools Not in the Store:

There are many tools for a Church Safety Team which are not in the Sheepdog Church Security store. These include pry bars, ladders, ordinary tools, multi-tools, markers, securing and covering items, and safety supplies.

Pry Bars - Pry bars are useful in many ways. They can lift one end of a heavy object to get a wedge, lift fork, etc. under it. They can pry nailed boards from each other during construction and remodeling. For safety, they can be used to free someone trapped under a fallen object. In severe weather, persons in a storm shelter may be trapped by debris. A pry bar can move the debris, making a way for people to get out after the storm.

Ladders - We all know that ladders are used to get up to or down from places. So what does that have to do with safety or security? How about an extreme example:

• There is a fire at church. Someone is trapped in a second floor room and is in the window. Grab a ladder and put it up to the window. The person climbs down or is carried down the ladder.

Realistically, there are other more ordinary situations where a ladder is needed or just useful, such as checking high-placed smoke detectors or the fire sprinklers. A ladder is one of those things you keep available because you never know when you'll need it.

Ordinary Tools - There are ordinary tools which are useful in many situations. Some of these are screwdrivers, hammers, box cutters, and pliers. You do not need an entire mechanic's or carpenter's tool chest for a Church Safety Ministry, but for those of us who can use them, a few select hand tools will help keep things in order without having to call maintenance for help.

Multi-Tools - The Swiss Army Knife might not be the original multi-tool, but for a long time it was the best-known and most used. It now competes with other popular brands, such as Leatherman and Gerber. The advantage of a multi-tool is that in one pouch you have several tools, such as plier, screwdrivers (flat and phillips), knife, scriber, and saw. When choosing a multi-tool, pick one that is simple and has a comfortable grip. Simplicity is important, since in an emergency you need to find the right tool quickly.

Markers - A few of the Safety Team uses for markers are making signs to redirect traffic around hazards and restricted areas, warning about hazards, and marking boxes and totes. They can also be used for writing on a flip chart while leading a Safety Team meeting or a training class.

Securing and Covering Items - There are times when a safety team needs to tie things down or to cover them especially outdoors. Some of the items in this category are elastic tie-down cords/straps (with hooks, fasteners, buckles, or Velcro), rope, and sheeting and/or tarps. We may also include stanchions for roping off areas or defining waiting lines.

Safety Supplies- Some items directly concern keeping areas safe. Among these are salt, snow shovels, brooms, mops & buckets, safety signs, and safety mats.

• Salt is used to melt snow and ice on walkways and provide traction.
• Snowshovels and brooms remove snow from walking surfaces.
• Brooms are used to clean up spills, which may be tripping hazards.
• Mops and buckets are needed for leaks in occupied areas, such as during a heavy shower. They can also be used to clean up snow and water which has been tracked into the building. In 1776, buckets were used to soak the roof of a church, protecting it during a great fire.
• Safety signs should be standard equipment for any place open to the public, including churches.
• Every church should have "Wet Floor" signs. They must be used when floors are being mopped, if the floor is tracked by wet shoes, or if there is a leak. Lack of a "Wet Floor" sign has resulted in a sizable judgements against property owners.
• Another safety sign which may be considered is "Watch Your Step." If you need one but don't have it, a "Wet Floor" sign can be covered by paper or cardboard with this message written on it (use a marker).
• Sometimes a "No Access" sign is needed.
• Safety mats in entry ways drain and/or absorb water tracked in from outside. They provide traction over otherwise slippery floors.

Conclusion

Keep tools on hand which are needed to make the church a safe place. Don't wait until you need essential items before getting them. Lack of needed tools to eliminate, mitigate, or warn of hazards can result in lawsuits if injuries result.

There Is More

This Sheepdog Church Security series on Gear, Guns, and Weapons Qualification has three other articles: "Learning and Wearing" (Reading Resources and Apparel for Church Safety Teams), "Get the Message" (Equipped for Communicating), and "On the Defense" (Weapons, Qualification, and Certification).

References

1. John Elliott Leighton, "$850,000 Settlement - slip and fall at resort hotel (Orlando, Florida)," Leighton Law, n/d [https://leightonlaw.com/850000-settlement-slip-and-fall-at-resort-hotel-orlando-florida/].
2. Joanna Molloy, "St. Paul's Chapel holds buckets of drama after discovery is made in famed church's steeple," New York Daily News, September 10, 2010 [https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/st-paul-chapel-holds-buckets-drama-discovery-made-famed-church-steeple-article-1.439208].
3. "Sheepdog Church Security Store," Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/shop/instructor_moloney].
4. Kris Moloney, "Recommended Equipment for Safety Ministries," Sheepdog Church Security [https://sheepdog-church-security.ck.page/8ad20a0b70].
5. W. Vaughn, "Make Yourself Ready," Sheepdog Church Security, May 25, 2020 [https://sheepdogchurchsecurity.net/articles/make-yourself-ready/].
6. "UltraFire WF502B Traffic Control Wand LED Flashlight," Sheepdog Church Security Store on Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DRHZWYV/?ref=exp_instructor_moloney_dp_vv_d].
7. "Schrade SCHA3BS 7.3in High Carbon S.S. Assisted Opening Folding Knife," Sheepdog Church Security Store on Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BCMPYQ0/?ref=exp_instructor_moloney_dp_vv_dd].
8. "Lockdown Magnetic Strips for School Security Lockdowns (10-pack)," Sheepdog Church Security Store on Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XRV3KW8/?ref=exp_instructor_moloney_dp_vv_d].