Security Update
Your safety and the safety of the staff is of the utmost importance. To that end, I have been proactively looking at our security to fill any gaps with training and practice drills. Our areas of focus so far include crisis, fire and medical emergency response.
In the coming months, the staff will be given active shooter training led by Mark Richardson. Mark has been involved in safety discussions with St. John’s Cathedral since 2013 and has a good understanding of the strengths and vulnerabilities of the campus. He will talk to the staff about what to look for and how to protect themselves and others in the case of an emergency.
I will conduct an in-house fire safety training. To test these skills, we will have periodic fire drills. And, no, we will not be allowed to stay in the comfort of our office while the alarm screams!
Additionally, staff will be trained to use the automated external defibrillators (AEDs) located throughout the Cathedral. An AED is a lightweight, portable device that delivers an electric shock through the chest to the heart. The shock can potentially stop an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) and allow a normal rhythm to resume following sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).
~Tim Engemann, Facilities Manager