Religious Organizations

More Than One Hundred Twenty Five Years of Extensive Expertise in Crisis Leadership and Change Management

Our Expertise

Incident Management Solutions (IMS) provides religious organizations with a vital framework for all-hazards emergency preparedness, ensuring the safety of their congregation, staff, and facilities against threats ranging from natural disasters (fire, flood) to human-caused incidents (active shooters, civil unrest). IMS accomplishes this by developing and implementing customized Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs) that are scalable to the size and complexity of the house of worship, incorporating best practices from the National Incident Management System (NIMS) for seamless coordination with external first responders. Their role includes conducting risk/vulnerability assessments, training leadership and security teams on protocols like evacuation and lockdown, and providing the technology and support needed to centralize communication, manage volunteers, and facilitate rapid, organized recovery to maintain the continuity of the organization's mission after a crisis.

Planning

Incident Management Solutions (IMS) specializes in translating federal standards like the Incident Command System (ICS) into practical, community-focused emergency management plans for religious organizations. Their key role in planning involves a collaborative approach, beginning with a vulnerability and threat assessment to identify specific risks to the facility and congregation. Based on this, IMS designs comprehensive, yet easy-to-follow, Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) that cover key functions such as mass casualty response, shelter-in-place procedures, and continuity of operations for essential ministry services. Furthermore, IMS provides specialized training and tabletop exercises to ensure clergy, staff, and volunteer security teams are proficient in executing the plan, establishing clear command structures, and improving communication with local police, fire, and EMS during a crisis.

Training

Incident Management Solutions (IMS) plays a crucial role in emergency management training for religious organizations by equipping staff and volunteers with the practical skills needed to execute their safety plans. This training is not merely theoretical; it centers on realistic scenarios and hands-on application of concepts like the Incident Command System (ICS), which establishes clear roles and a command structure during a crisis. IMS conducts targeted training sessions and exercises—ranging from tabletop discussions to full-scale, unannounced drills—focused on critical incidents such as active threat response, medical emergencies, and successful large-scale evacuation. Their goal is to build a high degree of proficiency in immediate response actions, internal communication protocols, and effective coordination with external first responders (police, fire, and EMS).

Leadership

Incident Management Solutions (IMS) supports emergency management leadership within religious organizations by establishing a clear, authoritative, and sustainable structure for crisis decision-making. Their role focuses on mentoring executive staff and clergy to act as effective Incident Commanders, often by tailoring the principles of the Incident Command System (ICS) to the unique cultural and hierarchical needs of the ministry. IMS ensures leaders are proficient in conducting rapid risk analysis, making critical resource allocation decisions, and managing the strategic communication necessary to maintain congregational trust and public confidence during and after an incident. This ultimately transforms organizational leadership into a functioning command team capable of unified action and clear direction under duress.

Drills and Exercises

Incident Management Solutions (IMS) solidifies the preparedness of religious organizations by designing and executing realistic emergency management drills and exercises. Their role is to translate written plans into practical, muscle-memory competence by facilitating a range of exercises, from basic tabletop discussions that test communication and decision-making, to complex functional or full-scale drills that simulate actual incidents like an active threat or mass medical emergency. IMS focuses on establishing clear metrics for success, observing how leaders, staff, and volunteers implement their roles under stress, and providing a structured After-Action Report (AAR) to identify deficiencies, capture lessons learned, and drive continuous improvement in the organization's overall response and recovery capabilities.