What Belongs in Your Church's Emergency Go-Bag
Every church safety team eventually accumulates emergency supplies — the question is whether they're organized into something anyone can grab and use in ten seconds, or scattered across three closets and a desk drawer. Here's a practical packing list.
Medical essentials
- A proper first aid kit — not the 20-piece drugstore box, a real trauma-capable kit with gauze, pressure dressings, and tourniquets
- Nitrile gloves, several pairs
- A CPR face shield or pocket mask
- Any team-specific medications permitted under your policy (e.g., EpiPens, if your team is trained and authorized to use them)
Communication
- A charged, dedicated radio or phone, separate from personal devices
- A printed contact list of key personnel and local emergency services — don't rely solely on a phone that might be dead or unreachable
- A spare battery pack
Documentation and reference
- A laminated copy of your core response plan — the one-page version, not the full binder
- A current building map with exits, shut-offs, and muster points marked
- An incident report pad or digital method to log what happened, as soon as possible afterward
Facility tools
- A master key or access card, if your policy allows a designated team member to carry one
- A flashlight, checked for working batteries on your maintenance schedule
- Basic tools for a quick fix (zip ties, duct tape, a multitool) — not glamorous, frequently useful
Weather and shelter
- A battery or hand-crank weather radio
- A few basic supplies for sheltering a group temporarily — water, a blanket, nothing elaborate
The part that actually matters
None of this helps if it's not in one bag, in one known location, checked on a schedule. Assign a specific person to inventory it monthly — expired meds, dead batteries, and missing items are the norm for any kit nobody owns. Put the bag somewhere every team member knows, not just the person who assembled it.
A simple kit, consistently maintained and instantly accessible, beats an elaborate kit nobody can find when it matters.