Training in Security for Houses of Worship and Faith Organizations
Monday, September 9, 8:00 am – 3:00 pm
St. Mary’s Cathedral Conference Center, 1111 Gough St., San Francisco
Derek B. Gaskin, Director of Safety & Security 415-614-5552 GaskinD@sfarch.org safety@sfarch.org
The Archdiocese of San Francisco asks all parish and school clergy and Safety Coordinators to take advantage of the upcoming workshop “Security in Houses of Worship and Faith-Based Organizations.”
Sponsored by the San Francisco Interfaith Council, it focuses primarily on Active Shooter actions, proper procedures surrounding preparedness, and how to provide both spiritual and psychological recovery. There will be representation from federal, state, and local first responding agencies, and other high-profile collaborating partners.
The Archdiocesan Office of Safety & Security urges parish and school representatives to register online here, and to bring to the workshop your concerns and ideas. If you have questions, please contact Derek Gaskin, above. Contact information for the San Francisco Interfaith Council is here: Cynthia Zamboukos, 415-474-1321,czamboukos.sfic@gmail.com.
From the Sept. 2, 2019 edition of “The Bridge,” the weekly chancery bulletin of the San Francisco archdiocese.
Since our pastor has set up a security team made of military and law enforcement current and retired, and all of us carry concealed, he has no problem with us carrying our weapons at Mass and using them to protect the congregation. Our pastor IS A PASTOR, not some tree hugging snowflake.
I love trees, but I think your pastor is right. In fact I would have no problem hiding behind a large trunked tree if someone was shooting at me, even if the tree did get hurt. Better the tree than me.
Carry concealed
This article is a great resource.
https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/what-to-do-in-an-active-shooter-situation/
Enjoy, and be informed!
Thank you, Bob. I have printed it out, and I am constantly aware of what I can use as a weapon in such situations, and how I can protect any young children under my care. Parents and guardians need to think of how they can get small children down and out of the way of gunfire or attacks by cars, etc. Sad to say, children need to be taught these things also.
I find shopping centers much safer than shopping malls. One can survey his surroundings much easier going in or out of a store, and there are usually more entrances and ways out. When one stays at a hotel, one should find the nearest fire escapes and entrance as soon as possible.
Prayers asking the intercession of St. Michael and St. Nicolas are most helpful, too.
Our Pastor smiled when asked what we do and told his people “I’ll hide under the altar, everybody else is on your own.”
Do those who ‘carry concealed’ have to meet annual firearm qualifications so they are highly accurate shooters? This isn’t horseshoes; almost doesn’t count.
Duh, shoot back! And remember, it’s never “just fireworks” – if you hear “popping noises”, get away ASAP.
I’ll take a small wager the chances of death in a traffic accident in transit to/from Church are much higher than a shooter in that Church.
Mike M., you might be right, but five members of my family left a festival in California about two or three hours before the shooting started, so we are not taking any chances. I have been retired for about fifteen years, but one of my jobs was protecting children, preteens and some teens, and I was good at it. Not one child under my supervision during all those twenty-seven years were ever seriously injured — a lot of minor cuts, scratches and bumps on the heads but no serious injuries. I calk it up to good training, a lot of life experience and a whole lot of prayer.
What about an active stabber or an active decapitator?
Hypothetically speaking, let’s say two known Moslem jihadis, both under surveillance, one an immigrant and state security parolee fitted with an electronic tag and under strict home curfew, stroll into your church and cut off your 85 year-old French pastor’s head while he’s celebrating Mass. What do you do? Just asking.
Hymie, I think all those French Catholics were unarmed, and I do not know if the jihadists had a gun. The French were probably too old and frail. First run away, or hide and barricade or attack him all together with whatever weapons one has, including a heavy candle stick to the back of the head or shoved into his body.. The link Bob Bugiada posted tells us what we can do in certain situations. Shopping carts, store displays that that can be easily turned over, thrown cans, even grabbing the gun if one knows how are all ways to disarm before the police get there. If you are going to die, die fighting and helping to save others.
And as the link tells us, run zig zag if the shooter is behind you as it will be harder for him/her to shoot you.
Disclaimer: Any resemblance to actual beheaders, living or dead, or actual beheadings is purely coincidental.