Guide for Developing HighQuality Emergency Operations 

Plans for Houses of Worship

June 2013

Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

Table of Contents

Introduction and Purpose............................................................................................. 1

Planning Principles....................................................................................................... 3

The Planning Process................................................................................................... 4

Step 1: Form a Collaborative Planning Team .......................................................................5

Step 2: Understand the Situation............................................................................................6

Step 3: Determine Goals and Objectives ...............................................................................7

Step 4: Plan Development (Identifying Courses of Action) .................................................9

Step 5: Plan Preparation, Review, and Approval ...............................................................10

Step 6: Plan Implementation and Maintenance ..................................................................14

Plan Content................................................................................................................ 16

Basic Plan ................................................................................................................................16

Functional Annexes ................................................................................................................20

Threat- and Hazard-Specific Annexes .................................................................................22

A Closer Look: Active Shooter Situations ................................................................ 23

Preparing for an Active Shooter Incident ...........................................................................24

Preventing an Active Shooter Incident ................................................................................25

Responding to an Active Shooter Incident ..........................................................................28

After an Active Shooter Incident ..........................................................................................31

Appendix A : References.......................................................................................... A-1

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

Introduction and Purpose

Many people think of a house of worship as a safe area where violence and emergencies cannot 

affect them. However, violence in houses of worship is not a new phenomenon. In addition to 

violent acts, fires, tornados, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and arson also affect houses of 

worship. With many incidents occurring with little to no warning, many houses of worship are

developing and updating plans and procedures to ensure the safety and security of their 

congregations, staff, and facilities. 

In collaboration with other houses of worship and community partners (i.e., governmental 

entities that have a responsibility in the plan, including first responders, public health officials, 

and mental health officials), houses of worship can take steps to plan for these potential 

emergencies through the creation of an emergency operations plan (EOP). Additionally, 

community organizations and private sector entities may have a role in the plan. Houses of 

worship are distinctive settings in that congregants share a common bond and have a 

predisposition to volunteer. The demographics of a congregation often mean that children and 

the elderly are present and may need assistance. 

This guide provides houses of worship with information regarding emergency operations 

planning for the spectrum of threats and hazards they may face. It discusses actions that may be 

taken before, during, and after an incident in order to reduce the impact on property and any loss 

of life and it encourages every house of worship to develop an EOP. 

The Departments issuing this guidance are providing examples of good practices and matters to 

consider for planning and implementation purposes. The guidance does not create any 

requirements beyond those included in applicable law and regulations, or create any additional 

rights for any person, entity, or organization. Moreover, the Departments fully understand that 

congregations may approach some of these issues differently than government and other 

community organizations. At the same time, the Departments would like to assist congregations 

that are interested in emergency operations planning, and this guidance is offered in that spirit. 

The information presented in this document generally constitutes informal guidance and provides 

examples that may be helpful. The inclusion of certain references does not imply any 

endorsement of any documents, products, or approaches. Other resources may be equally helpful.

It is recommended that planning teams responsible for developing and revising a house of 

worship’s EOP use this document to guide their efforts. To gain the most from this guide, users 

should read the entire document prior to initiating their planning efforts and refer back to it 

throughout the planning process.1

 The guide is organized in four sections:

 The principles of emergency operations planning 

 A process for developing, implementing, and continually refining a house of worship’s EOP 

with community partners 

 A discussion of the form and function of a house of worship’s EOP

1 All Web sites listed in this guide were accessible as of June 6, 2013.

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

 A closer look that discusses house of worship emergency planning in the event of an active 

shooter situation. 

This guide is designed to be scalable for use by small to large-sized houses of worship in order to 

help navigate the planning process. Used in its entirety, this guide provides information on the 

fundamentals of planning and their application. At a minimum, houses of worship are 

encouraged to complete the planning process and develop a basic plan. This guide does not 

impose any new Federal requirements. While some Federal requirements may apply to houses of 

worship that receive Federal funding, they are not addressed in this document. For houses of 

worship that also operate a school, please see the Guide for Developing High-quality School 

Emergency Operations Plans for planning considerations specific to the school environment.2

Emergency planning efforts work best when they are aligned with emergency planning practices 

at the local, state, and national levels. Recent developments have put a new emphasis on the 

process for developing EOPs. National preparedness efforts, including planning, are informed by 

Presidential Policy Directive (PPD) 8, which was signed by the President in March of 2011 and 

describes the Nation’s approach to preparedness. This Directive represents an evolution in our 

collective understanding of national preparedness, based on the lessons learned from criminal 

activities, hurricanes, house of worship incidents, and other experiences. 

PPD-8 defines preparedness around five mission areas: Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, 

Response, and Recovery.

 Prevention, for the purposes of this guide, means the capabilities necessary to avoid, deter, 

or stop an imminent crime or threatened or actual mass casualty incident.3 Prevention is the 

action houses of worship take to prevent a threatened or actual incident from occurring. 

 Protection means the capabilities to secure houses of worship against acts of terrorism and 

manmade or natural disasters. Protection focuses on ongoing actions that protect people, 

networks, and property from a threat or hazard. 

 Mitigation means the capabilities necessary to eliminate or reduce the loss of life and 

property damage by lessening the impact of an incident. In this guide, mitigation also means 

reducing the likelihood that threats and hazards will happen. 

 Response means the capabilities necessary to stabilize an incident once it has already 

happened or is certain to happen in an unpreventable way; establish a safe and secure 

environment; save lives and property; and facilitate the transition to recovery. 

 Recovery means the capabilities necessary to assist houses of worship affected by an 

incident in restoring their environment. 

Emergency management officials and emergency responders engaging with houses of worship 

are familiar with this terminology. These mission areas generally align with the three timeframes 

associated with an incident: before, during, and after. The majority of Prevention, Protection, and 

Mitigation activities generally occur before an incident, although these three mission areas do 

2 U.S. Department of Education, et al. 2013. Guide for Developing High-quality School Emergency Operations 

Plans. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education. http://rems.ed.gov 3 In the broader PPD-8 construct, the term “prevention” refers to those capabilities necessary to avoid, prevent, or 

stop a threatened or actual act of terrorism. The term “prevention” refers to preventing imminent threats.

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

have ongoing activities that can occur throughout the incident. Response activities occur during 

an incident and Recovery activities can begin during an incident and occur after an incident. To 

help avoid confusion over terms and allow for ease of reference, this guide uses the terms before, 

during, and after. 

As houses of worship plan for and execute response and recovery activities through the EOP, 

they should consider using the concepts and principles of the National Incident Management 

System (NIMS). NIMS provides all those involved with a common understanding of roles and 

responsibilities during response to incidents. Houses of worship may also find NIMS suitable for 

managing other large-scale non-emergency events, such as fairs or festivals. One component of 

NIMS is the Incident Command System (ICS), which provides a standardized approach for 

incident management, regardless of cause, size, location, or complexity. By using ICS during an 

incident, houses of worship will be able to work more effectively with the responders in their 

community.4

While some of the vocabulary, processes and approaches discussed in this guide may be new to 

congregations, they are critical to the creation of emergency management practices and plans that 

are integrated with the efforts of first responders (e.g., fire, law enforcement, emergency medical 

services [EMS]) and other key stakeholders. If a house of worship has an existing plan, revising 

and adapting that plan using the principles and process described in this guide will help ensure 

alignment with the terminology and approaches used across the Nation, including the first 

responders with whom the house of worship will need to collaborate before, during, and after an 

incident. 

Planning Principles

The following principles are key to developing a house of worship EOP that addresses a range of

threats and hazards.

 Planning should be supported by leadership. The leadership of the house of worship 

should initiate and support planning efforts to ensure engagement from the congregation and 

outreach to the entire community. Regardless of the size of the house of worship, one or 

more persons should lead emergency planning efforts. 

 Planning considers all threats and hazards. The planning process should take into account 

a wide range of possible threats and hazards that may affect the house of worship. 

Emergency operations planning considers all threats and hazards throughout the planning 

process, addressing safety needs before, during, and after an incident. 

 Planning considers all setting and all times. It is important to remember that threats and 

hazards can affect the house of worship at non-standard times (e.g., when facilities are being 

used by others), as well as off-site (e.g., an activity or event sponsored somewhere other than 

the grounds of the house of worship). 

 Planning provides for the access and functional needs of the whole house of worship 

community. The whole house of worship community includes regular attendees, guests, and 

staff, including those with disabilities and others with access and functional needs; those 

4 For more information on NIMS and ICS, please see http://www.fema.gov/national-incident-management-system. 

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds; and people with limited English 

proficiency. 

 A model EOP is created by following a collaborative process. This guide provides a 

process, plan format, and content guidance that is flexible enough for use by all house of 

worship emergency planning teams. If the planning team also uses templates, it should take 

steps to first evaluate their usefulness to ensure the tools do not undermine the collaborative 

initiative and collectively shared plan. There are some jurisdictions that provide templates 

and these will reflect local and state mandates, as applicable.

The Planning Process

There are many ways to develop a plan. The planning process discussed in this section is flexible 

and can be adapted to accommodate a house of worship’s unique characteristics and situation. 

Effective emergency operations planning is not done in isolation. It is critical that houses of 

worship work with their local emergency management agency and community partners, 

including first responders, during the planning process, as an effective house of worship EOP is 

integrated with community, regional, and state plans. This collaboration makes more resources 

available and helps to ensure the seamless integration of all responders. 

Figure 1 depicts the six steps in the planning process.5

 At each step in the planning process, 

houses of worship should consider the impact of their decisions on ongoing activities such as 

training and exercises, as well as on equipment and resources. 

Figure 1: Steps in the Planning Process

5 For more information, please see Developing and Maintaining Emergency Operations Plans (Comprehensive 

Preparedness Guide [CPG] 101), Version 2.0 (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2011, 

http://www.fema.gov/plan).

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

Step 1: Form a Collaborative Planning Team

Experience and lessons learned indicate that operational planning is best performed by a team. 

Case studies reinforce this concept by pointing out that the common thread found in successful 

operations is that participating organizations have understood and accepted their roles. Close 

collaboration between houses of worship and community partners, including first responders,

ensures the coordination of efforts and the integration of plans. Houses of worship may consider 

joining or collaborating with other nearby houses of worship to form joint emergency planning 

teams. In addition, first responders and emergency managers may want to work with multiple 

houses of worship to address common goals and objectives.

Identify Core Planning Team

The core planning team should include representatives from the house of worship, as well as first 

responders and others who may have roles and responsibilities in house of worship emergency 

management before, during, and after an incident. Many houses of worship may have first 

responders or others with special emergency planning expertise in their congregation. Their 

expertise will inform the development, implementation, and refinement of the house of worship’s

plan. Where possible, consider including diverse representation on the planning team, including 

individuals with disabilities and the elderly. The planning team should be small enough to permit 

close collaboration, yet large enough to be representative of the house of worship, its 

congregation, and its community partners. It should also be large enough as to not place an 

undue burden on any single person.

Form a Common Framework

All team members should consider taking time to learn each other’s vocabulary, command 

structure, and culture in order to facilitate effective planning.

Define and Assign Roles and Responsibilities

Each person involved in the development and refinement of the plan should know his or her role 

and responsibility in the planning process, as well as generally understand others’ roles so that 

they know with whom to speak regarding particular issues and questions that might arise during 

the planning process.

Determine a Regular Schedule of Meetings

Regularly scheduled planning meetings reinforce the ongoing planning effort. Establishing a 

flexible but regular schedule of meeting times will facilitate greater collaboration, coordination, 

and communication among team members and will help solidify crucial relationships.

Step 1 Outcome

After completing Step 1, the house of worship will have formed a planning team with 

representation from all necessary stakeholders. The planning team will have taken initial steps to 

form a common framework; define and assign roles and responsibilities in the planning process;

and set a schedule of planning meetings.

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

Step 2: Understand the Situation

In Step 2, the planning team identifies possible threats and hazards and assesses the risk and 

vulnerabilities posed by those threats and hazards. Effective emergency planning depends on an 

analysis and comparison of the threats and hazards a particular house of worship faces. This is 

typically performed through a threat and hazard identification and risk assessment process that 

collects information about threats and hazards and assigns values to risk for the purposes of 

deciding which threats and hazards the plan should prioritize and subsequently address.

Identify Threats and Hazards

The planning team first needs to understand the threats and hazards faced by the house of 

worship and the surrounding community. The planning team can draw upon a wealth of existing 

information to identify the range of threats and hazards that may be faced by the house of 

worship. First, the planning team members should share their own knowledge of threats and 

hazards the house of worship and surrounding community has faced in the past or may face in 

the future. Houses of worship should work with their local emergency management agency to 

obtain a copy of the state or local risk assessment. This assessment contains information 

regarding the potential threats and hazards in the community that may also affect the house of 

worship.

Assess the Risk Posed by Identified Threats and Hazards

Once an initial set of threats and hazards has been identified through the process described 

above, the planning team should select suitable assessment tools to evaluate the risk posed by the 

identified threats and hazards.6 Evaluating risk involves understanding the probability that the 

specific threat or hazard will occur; the effects the threat or hazard will likely have, including 

their severity; the time the house of worship will have to warn occupants about the threat or 

hazard; and how long the threat or hazard may last.

The house of worship’s local emergency management agency should be able to provide 

information on the threats and hazards identified for the surrounding community. This enables 

the planning team to focus its assessment efforts on threats and hazards unique to the house of 

worship, as well as the particular vulnerabilities of the buildings and their occupants.7 Assessing 

risk and vulnerability enables the planning team to focus its efforts on prioritized threats and 

hazards.

A site assessment examines the safety, accessibility, and emergency preparedness of the house of 

worship’s buildings and grounds. This assessment includes, but is not limited to, a review of 

building access; visibility around the exterior of buildings; structural integrity of buildings;

compliance with applicable architectural standards for individuals with disabilities and others 

with access and functional needs; and emergency vehicle access. The planning team may also 

identify additional threats and hazards through the site assessment process.

6 For more information on the threat and hazard identification and risk assessment process, please see Threat and 

Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment Guide (CPG 201) (U.S. Department of Homeland Security [DHS], 2012, 

http://www.fema.gov/plan). 7 “Vulnerabilities” are characteristics that could make the house of worship more susceptible to threats and hazards.

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

After conducting threat and hazard identification, the planning team should organize the 

information into a format that is useful for comparison of the risks posed by the identified threats 

and hazards. This information will then be used to assess and compare the threats and hazards 

and their likely consequences, commonly referred to as a risk assessment. One effective method 

for organizing information is create a table with information about each possible threat and 

hazard, including any new threats or hazards identified through the assessment process. The table 

should include:

 Probability or frequency of occurrence (i.e., how often it may occur)

 Magnitude (i.e., the extent of expected damage)

 Time available to warn occupants

 Duration (i.e., how long the threat or hazard will be occurring)

 Follow-on effects

Prioritize Threats and Hazards

The planning team should use the information it has organized to compare and prioritize risks 

posed by the threats and hazards. This will allow the team to decide which threats or hazards it 

will directly address in the plan. The team should consider multiple factors in order to develop an 

indicator of risk. One option is a mathematical approach, which assigns index numbers (e.g., 1-

to-4 scale) for different categories of information used in the ranking scheme. Using this 

approach, the planning team can categorize threats and hazards as posing a relatively high, 

medium, or low risk. Table 1 provides an example risk assessment worksheet for comparing and 

prioritizing threats and hazards.

Table 1: Example Risk Assessment Worksheet

Hazard Probability Magnitude Warning Duration Risk Priority

Earthquake

4. Highly Likely

3. Likely

2. Possible

1. Unlikely

4. Catastrophic

3. Critical

2. Limited

1. Negligible

4. Minimal

3. 6-12 Hours

2. 12-24 Hours

1. > 24 Hours

4. 12+ Hours

3. 6-12 Hours

2. 3-6 Hours

1. < 3 Hours

High

Medium

Low

Fire

4. Highly Likely

3. Likely

2. Possible

1. Unlikely

4. Catastrophic

3. Critical

2. Limited

1. Negligible

4. Minimal

3. 6-12 Hours

2. 12-24 Hours

1. > 24 Hours

4. 12+ Hours

3. 6-12 Hours

2. 3-6 Hours

1. < 3 Hours

High

Medium

Low

Step 2 Outcome

After completing Step 2, the planning team will have a prioritized (e.g., high, medium, or low 

risk) list of threats and hazards based on the results of the threat and hazard identification and 

risk assessment.

Step 3: Determine Goals and Objectives

In Step 3, the planning team decides which of the threats and hazards identified in Step 2 will be 

addressed in the house of worship’s plan. The planning team may decide to address only those 

threats and hazards that were classified as high risk, or they may decide to address all threats and 

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

hazards classified as high risk, as well as some of the threats and hazards that were classified as 

medium risk. This is a critical decision point in the planning process. It is recommended that the 

planning team address more than only the high-risk threats and hazards.

Develop Goals and Objectives

Once the planning team has determined the threats and hazards that will be addressed in the plan, 

it should develop goals and objectives for each threat or hazard.

Goals are broad, general statements that indicate the desired outcome in response to a threat or 

hazard. Goals are what personnel and other resources are supposed to achieve. Goals also help 

identify when major activities are complete and what defines a successful outcome.

The planning team should develop at least three goals for addressing each threat or hazard 

(although the planning team may want to identify more). Those three goals should indicate the 

desired outcome for before, during, and after the threat or hazard.

Example: Goals for a Fire Hazard

Three possible goals for a fire hazard include:

Goal #1 (Before): Prevent a fire from occurring in the house of worship.

Goal #2 (During): Protect all persons and property from injury by the fire.

Goal #3 (After): Provide necessary medical attention to those in need.

Objectives are specific, measurable actions that are necessary to achieve the goals. Often, 

planners will need to identify multiple objectives in support of a single goal.

Example: Objectives for a Fire Hazard

For Goal #1 in the fire hazard example, possible objectives include:

 Objective 1.1: Provide fire prevention training to all persons that use combustible 

materials or equipment in or around the house of worship.

 Objective 1.2: Store combustible materials in fireproof containers or rooms.

For Goal #2 in the preceding example, possible objectives include:

 Objective 2.1: Evacuate all persons from the building and surrounding grounds 

immediately.

 Objective 2.2: Account for all persons known to be on site.

For Goal #3 in the preceding example, possible objectives include:

 Objective 3.1: Immediately notify 911, fire, and EMS of any fire in the house of 

worship.

 Objective 3.2: Immediately begin to provide first aid.

After the planning team has developed the objectives for each goal, it will find that certain 

critical functions or activities apply to more than one threat or hazard. Examples of these 

crosscutting functions include evacuation, shelter-in-place, and lockdown. After identifying these 

functions, the planning team should develop three goals for each function. As with the goals 

already identified for threats and hazards, the three goals should indicate the desired outcome for 

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

before, during, and after the function has been executed. These commonly occurring functions 

will be contained in functional annexes to the plan.

8 More details on these functions are included 

in the “Plan Content” section of this guide, including issues to consider as goals and objectives 

are developed for these functions. Once the goals for a function are identified, possible 

supporting objectives are identified.

Example: Goals and Objectives for an Evacuation Function

For an evacuation function, three possible goals and associated objectives include:

Function Goal Example 1 (Before): Ensure all persons know their evacuation route.

 Objective 1.1: Assess, identify, and communicate the location of assembly points to 

be used during an evacuation.

Function Goal Example 2 (During): Evacuate the house of worship immediately.

 Objective 2.1: All persons will evacuate the house of worship using assigned routes.

Function Goal Example 3 (After): Confirm that all persons have left the building.

 Objective 3.1: Safely sweep the building.

Step 3 Outcome

After completing Step 3, the planning team will have at least three goals for each threat or hazard 

and function, as well as objectives for each goal.

Step 4: Plan Development (Identifying Courses of Action)

In Step 4, the planning team develops courses of action for accomplishing each of the objectives 

identified in Step 3 (for threats, hazards, and functions). Courses of action address the 

what/who/when/where/why/how for each threat or hazard and function. The planning team 

should examine each course of action to determine whether it is feasible and whether the 

stakeholders necessary to implement it find it acceptable. For additional considerations for 

developing courses of action, please see the “Plan Content” section of this guide.

Courses of action include criteria for determining how and when each response will be 

implemented under a variety of circumstances. Subsequently, the planning team develops 

response protocols and procedures to support these efforts. Possible courses of action are 

typically developed using the following steps:

 Depict the scenario. Create a potential scenario based on the threats and hazards identified 

earlier in the planning process. For example, an earthquake occurs during the congregation’s 

gathering which might include childcare or school activities. The facility may also be offered 

or rented for other activities, bringing many individuals to the site.

 Determine the amount of time available to respond. This will vary based on the type of 

threat or hazard and the particular scenario. For example, in the case of a hurricane, the house 

of worship might have days or hours to respond before the storm makes landfall, while the 

house of worship may have to respond in minutes to an active shooter.

8 The term “annex” is used throughout this guide to refer to functional, threat/hazard-specific, or other supplements 

to the basic plan. Some plans may use the term “appendix” in the same fashion.

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

 Identify decision points. Decision points indicate the place in time, as threats or hazards 

unfold, when leaders anticipate making decisions about a course of action. Walking through 

each scenario in detail will help identify the relevant decision points for each scenario, such 

as whether to evacuate, shelter-in-place, or lockdown.

 Develop courses of action. Planners develop courses of action to achieve their goals and 

objectives by answering the following questions:

• What is the action?

• Who is responsible for the action?

• When does the action take place?

• Where does the action take place?

• How long should the action take and how much time is actually available?

• What has to happen before the action?

• What happens after the action?

• What resources and skills are needed to perform the action?

• How will this action affect specific populations, such as children, the elderly, and 

individuals with disabilities and others with access and functional needs?

 Select courses of action. After developing courses of action, planners compare the costs and

benefits of each proposed course of action against the goals and objectives. Based on this 

comparison, planners select the preferred course or courses of action to move forward in the 

planning process. Plans often include multiple courses of action for a given scenario to 

reflect the different ways it could unfold.

After selecting courses of action, the planning team should identify the resources necessary to 

accomplish each course of action without regard to resource availability. Once the planning team 

identifies all of the resource requirements, they begin matching available resources to the 

requirements. This step provides planners an opportunity to identify resource gaps or shortfalls

that should be taken into account.

Step 4 Outcome

After completing Step 4, the planning team will have identified goals, objectives, and courses of 

action for before, during, and after threats and hazards, as well as functions. Goals, objectives, 

and courses of action for threats and hazards will be contained in the threat- and hazard-specific

annexes in the plan. Goals, objectives, and courses of action for functions will be contained in 

the functional annexes of the plan.

Step 5: Plan Preparation, Review, and Approval

In Step 5, the planning team develops a draft of the EOP using the courses of action developed in 

Step 4. In addition, the team reviews the plan, obtains official approval, and shares the plan with 

community partners and stakeholders.

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

Format the Plan

An effective plan is presented in a way that makes it easy for users to find the information they 

need and that is compatible with local and state plans. This may include the use of plain 

language, providing pictures or visual cues for key action steps. This guide presents a traditional 

format that can be tailored to meet individual house of worship needs. This format has three 

major sections: the basic plan; functional annexes; and threat- and hazard-specific annexes.

The basic plan provides an overview of the house of worship’s approach to emergency 

operations. Although the basic plan guides the development of the more operationally oriented

annexes, its primary audience consists of the house of worship, local emergency management 

officials, and the community (as appropriate). The elements listed in this section should meet the 

needs of this audience while providing a solid foundation for the development of supporting 

annexes.

The functional annexes detail the goals, objectives, and courses of action of functions 

(e.g., evacuation, lockdown, and recovery) that apply across multiple threats or hazards. 

Functional annexes discuss how the house of worship manages a function before, during, and 

after an incident.

The threat- and hazard-specific annexes specify the goals, objectives, and courses of action that a 

house of worship will follow to address a particular type of threat or hazard (e.g., hurricane, 

active shooter). Threat- and hazard-specific annexes, like the functional annexes, discuss how the 

house of worship manages a threat or hazard before, during, and after an incident.

The following functional format can be used for the functional annexes as well as for the threatand hazard-specific annexes. Using the format below and the work the planning team did in Step 

4, each function, threat, and hazard will have at least three goals, with one or more objectives for 

each goal and a course of action for each objective.

Sample Annex Format

• Title (Function, Threat, or Hazard)

• Goal(s)

• Objective(s)

• Course(s) of Action (i.e., describe the courses of action developed in Step 4 in the 

sequence in which they will occur)

Figure 2 outlines the different components of each of these three sections. The “Plan Content”

section of this guide discusses content for each of these components. The format presented in this 

guide can be used for both the basic plan and annexes. Each function, threat, or hazard will have 

at least three goals, with one or more objectives for each goal, and a course of action for each of 

the objectives. Each annex should specify the title of the annex and list the goals, objectives, and 

courses of action (in the sequence in which they would occur).

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Basic Plan

1. Introductory Material

1.1. Promulgation Document/Signatures

1.2. Approval and Implementation

1.3. Record and Changes

1.4. Record of Distribution

1.5. Table of Contents

2. Purpose and Situation Overview

2.1. Purpose

2.2. Situation Overview

3. Concept of Operations

4. Organization and Assignment of 

Responsibilities

5. Direction, Control, and Coordination

6. Information Collection, Analysis, and 

Dissemination

7. Training and Exercises

8. Administration, Finance, and Logistics

9. Plan Development and Maintenance

10. Authorities and References

Functional Annexes

(Note: This is not a complete list; however, it is 

recommended that all plans include these 

functional annexes.)

1. Evacuation

2. Lockdown

3. Shelter-in-Place

4. Recovery

5. Security

Hazard-, Threat-, or Incident-Specific Annexes

(NOTE: This is not a complete list. Each house of 

worship’s annexes will vary based on their threat 

and hazard identification and risk assessment.)

1. Severe Storm

2. Earthquake

3. Tornado

4. Fire

5. Hazardous Materials Incident

6. Active Shooter

Figure 2: Sample EOP Format

Write the Plan

As the planning team works through successive drafts of the plan, the members add necessary 

tables, charts, and other supporting graphics. The planning team prepares and circulates a draft

plan to obtain the comments of stakeholders that have responsibilities for implementing the plan.

Successful plans are written following these simple rules:

 Use clear and simple writing in plain language. Summarize important information with 

checklists and visual aids, such as maps and flowcharts.

 Avoid using jargon and minimize the use of abbreviations.

 Use short sentences and the active voice. Qualifiers and vague wording only add to 

confusion.

 Use a logical, consistent structure that makes it easy for readers to understand the rationale 

for the sequence of information and to find the information they need.

 Provide enough detail to convey an easily understood plan that is actionable. Organize the 

contents in a way that helps users quickly identify solutions and options. Plans should 

provide guidance for carrying out common courses of action, through the functional- and 

threat and hazard-specific annexes, but “stay out of the weeds.”

 Develop accessible tools and documents. Use appropriate auxiliary aids and services 

necessary for effective communication, such as accessible Web sites; digital text that can be 

converted to audio or Braille; the use of text equivalents for images; and captioning of any 

audio and audio description of any video content.

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

Review the Plan

Planners should check the written plan for compliance with applicable laws and for its usefulness 

in practice. Commonly used criteria can help determine the effectiveness and efficiency of the 

plan. The following measures can help determine if a plan is high quality.

 A plan is adequate if the plan identifies and addresses critical courses of action effectively; 

the plan can accomplish the assigned function; and the plan’s assumptions are valid and 

reasonable.

 A plan is feasible if the house of worship can accomplish the assigned critical courses of 

action by using available resources within the time contemplated by the plan.

 A plan is acceptable if it meets the requirements driven by a threat or hazard, meets cost and 

time limitations, and is consistent with the law.

 A plan is complete if it:

• Incorporates all courses of action to be accomplished for all selected threats and hazards 

and identified functions

• Integrates the needs of the whole house of worship population

• Provides a complete picture of what should happen, when, and at whose direction

• Makes time estimates for achieving objectives, with safety remaining as the utmost 

priority

• Identifies success criteria and a desired end-state

• Is developed with the planning principles described in this guide.

 The plan should comply with applicable local and state requirements, because these provide 

a baseline that facilitates both planning and execution.

Additionally, when reviewing the plan, the planning team does not have to provide all of the 

resources needed to execute a course of action or meet a requirement established during the 

planning effort. However, the plan should explain where or how the house of worship would

obtain the resources to support those requirements.

Approve and Share the Plan

After finalizing the plan, the planning team should present the plan to the appropriate leadership 

and obtain official approval of the plan. Once approval is granted, the planning team should 

share the plan with local emergency management officials, community partners that have a role 

in the plan, and organizations that may use the building(s). The planning team should maintain a 

record of the people and organizations that receive a copy of the plan.

Step 5 Outcome

After completing Step 5, the planning team will have a final EOP for the house of worship.

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

Step 6: Plan Implementation and Maintenance

Train Stakeholders on the Plan and Their Roles

Everyone involved in the plan needs to know their roles and responsibilities before, during, and 

after an incident. Key training components include:

 Hold a meeting. At least once a year, hold a meeting to educate all parties on the plan. Go 

through the plan in order to familiarize these stakeholders with it.

 Visit evacuation sites. Show involved parties not only where evacuation sites are located,

but also where specific areas, such as reunification areas, media areas, and triage areas will 

be located.

 Give stakeholders appropriate and relevant literature on the plan, policies, and 

procedures. It may also be helpful to provide them with quick reference guides that remind 

them of key courses of action.

 Post key information throughout the building. It is important that congregants are familiar 

with and have easy access to information such as evacuation routes and shelter-in-place 

procedures and locations. Ensure information concerning evacuation routes and shelter-inplace procedures and locations is communicated effectively to congregants with disabilities

or others with access and functional needs.

 Familiarize congregants with the plan and community partners. Bringing law 

enforcement, fire, and EMS personnel and community partners that have a role in the plan, as 

well as other organizations that use the building(s), into the house of worship to talk about 

the plan will make congregants and others more comfortable working with these partners.

This may include community partners who are congregation members.

 Train stakeholders on the skills necessary to fulfill their roles. Persons will be assigned

specific roles in the plan that will require special skills, such as first aid, how to use ICS, and 

the provision of personal assistance services for children, the elderly, and individuals with 

disabilities and others with access and functional needs.

Exercise the Plan

The more a plan is practiced and stakeholders are trained on the plan, the more effectively they 

will be able to act before, during, and after an incident to lessen the impact on life and property. 

Exercises provide opportunities to practice with local emergency management officials and 

community partners, as well as to identify gaps and weaknesses in the plan. The exercises below 

require increasing amounts of planning, time, and resources. Ideally, houses of worship will 

create an exercise program, building from a tabletop up to a more advanced exercise, like a 

functional exercise.

9

 Tabletop exercises are small group discussions that walk through a scenario and the courses 

of action a house of worship will need to take before, during, and after an incident. This 

9 For additional information on conducting exercises, please see the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation 

Program Web site at http://hseep.dhs.gov.

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activity helps assess the plan and resources and facilitates an understanding of emergency 

management and planning concepts.

 During drills, local emergency management officials, community partners, and relevant 

house of worship personnel use the actual house of worship grounds and buildings to practice 

responding to a scenario.

 Functional exercises are similar to drills, but involve multiple partners. Participants react to 

realistic simulated events (e.g., a bomb threat, or an intruder with a gun), and implement the 

plan and procedures using ICS.

 Full-scale exercises are the most time-consuming activity in the exercise continuum and are 

multiagency, multi-jurisdiction efforts in which resources are deployed. This type of exercise 

tests collaboration among the agencies and participants, public information systems, 

communications systems, and equipment. An emergency operations center is established 

(usually by the local emergency management agency) and ICS is activated.

Before making a decision about how many and which types of exercises to implement, a house 

of worship should consider the costs and benefits. Houses of worship should also consider 

having representative(s) participate in larger community exercises to ensure that their efforts are

synchronized with the whole community’s efforts.

It is up to the planning team to decide how often exercises should be conducted. While frequent 

exercise is important, it is imperative that exercises are high quality. To conduct an exercise

effectively:

 Include local emergency management officials and community partners

 Communicate information in advance to avoid confusion and concern

 Exercise under different and non-ideal conditions (e.g., time of day, weather)

 Be consistent with common emergency management terminology

 Debrief and develop an after-action report that evaluates results; identifies gaps or shortfalls;

and documents lessons learned

 Discuss how the plan and procedures will be modified, if needed, and specify who has the 

responsibility for modifying the plan.

Review, Revise, and Maintain the Plan

Planning is a continuous process that does not stop when the plan is published. Plans should 

evolve as lessons are learned; new information and insights are obtained; new threats or hazards 

emerge; and priorities are updated. Reviews should be a recurring activity. Planning teams 

should establish a process for reviewing and revising the plan. Many organizations review their 

plans on an annual basis. In no case should any part of the plan go for more than two years 

without being reviewed and revised.

Some organizations have found it useful to review and revise portions instead of reviewing the 

entire plan at once. Certain events will also provide new information that will be used to inform 

the plan. Houses of worship should consider reviewing and updating their plan after the 

following events:

 Actual emergencies

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

 Changes in policy, personnel, organizational structures, processes, facilities, equipment, or 

membership size

 Formal updates of planning guidance or standards

 Formal exercises

 Threats or hazards change or new threats or hazards emerge

 Changes in the house of worship’s demographics (e.g., changing language needs) or site 

assessment.

The planning team should ensure that all local emergency management officials and community 

partners have the most current version of the house of worship’s plan.

Plan Content

Step 5 of the planning process in this guide introduced a format with three sections for houses of 

worship to follow in developing an EOP. This section provides greater detail about what each of 

the three sections should include and provides some key considerations in developing the 

content.

Basic Plan

The basic plan provides an overview of the house of worship’s approach to operations before, 

during, and after an incident. This section addresses the overarching activities the house of 

worship undertakes regardless of the function, threat, or hazard. The content in this section 

provides a solid foundation for the house of worship’s operations. The information in this section 

should not duplicate information contained in other sections of the plan. Almost all of the 

information contained in the basic plan should be able to come from the planning team. If the 

planning team finds that it has to go outside the planning team for a significant amount of 

information, it may be an indication that the planning team membership needs to be expanded.

Introductory Material

Introductory material can enhance accountability with local emergency management officials 

and community partners and make a plan easier to use. Typical introductory material includes:

 Cover Page. The cover page has the title of the plan. It should include a date and identify the 

house of worship covered by the plan.

 Promulgation Document/Signature Page. This document/page is a signed statement 

formally recognizing and adopting the plan as the house of worship’s plan. It gives both the 

authority and the responsibility to house of worship leadership to perform their tasks before, 

during, or after an incident, and therefore should be signed by the house of worship’s senior 

leadership.

 Approval and Implementation Page. The approval and implementation page introduces the 

plan, outlines its applicability, and indicates that it supersedes all previous plans. It should 

include a delegation of authority for specific modifications that can be made to the plan and 

by whom they can be made without the signature of leadership. It should also include a date 

and should be signed by the house of worship’s senior leadership.

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 Record of Changes. Each update or change to the plan should be tracked. The record of 

changes, usually in table format, contains, at a minimum, a change number, the date of the 

change, the name of the person who made the change, and a summary of the change.

 Record of Distribution. The record of distribution, usually in table format, indicates the title 

and the name of the person receiving the plan, the organization to which the recipient 

belongs, the date of delivery, and the number of copies delivered. Other relevant information 

could be considered. The record of distribution can be used to prove that tasked individuals 

and organizations have acknowledged their receipt, review, and/or acceptance of the plan.

 Table of Contents. The table of contents is a logically ordered and clearly identified layout 

of the major sections and subsections of the plan that will make finding information within 

the plan easier.

Purpose and Situation Overview

This section includes the following components:

 Purpose. The purpose sets the foundation for the rest of the plan. The basic plan’s purpose is 

a general statement of what the plan is meant to do. The statement should be supported by a 

brief synopsis of the basic plan and annexes.

 Situation Overview. The situation overview explains why the plan is necessary. The 

situation overview covers a general discussion of:

• The threats and hazards that pose a risk to the house of worship and would result in a 

need to use this plan

• Dependencies on parties outside the house of worship for critical resources

Concept of Operations

This section explains in broad terms the decision maker’s intent with regard to an operation. This 

section provides an overall impression of how the house of worship will protect its occupants 

and should:

 Identify those with authority to activate the plan

 Describe the process by which the house of worship coordinates with all appropriate agencies 

within the jurisdiction

 Describe how plans take into account the architectural, programmatic, and communication 

needs of children, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities and others with access and 

functional needs (including their service animals)

 Identify other response/support agency plans that directly support the implementation of the

plan (e.g., city or county EOP)

 Explain that the primary purpose of actions taken before an incident is to prevent, protect 

from, and mitigate the impact on life or property

 Explain that the primary purpose of actions taken during an incident is to respond to the 

incident and minimize its impact on life or property

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 Explain that the primary purpose of actions taken after an incident is to recover from its 

impact on life or property

Organization and Assignment of Responsibilities

This section provides an overview of the broad roles and responsibilities of house of worship 

leadership and staff; local emergency management officials; and community partners and an 

overview of organizational functions during all incidents. This section should:

 Describe the roles and responsibilities of each individual/organization that apply during an 

incident (response), including, but not limited to, house of worship leadership, staff, lay 

leadership, congregants, and local departments and agencies (e.g., fire, law enforcement, 

EMS, emergency management) 10

 Describe informal and formal agreements in place for the quick activation and sharing of 

resources during an incident (e.g., evacuation locations to a nearby business’ parking lot). 

Agreements may be between the house of worship and response organizations (e.g., fire, law 

enforcement, EMS), other houses of worship, organizations, and businesses.

Direction, Control, and Coordination

This section describes the framework for all direction, control, and coordination activities. This 

section should:

 Describe the chain of command used by the house of worship

 Describe the relationship between the house of worship’s plan and the broader community’s 

emergency management system

 Describe who has control of equipment, resources, and supplies needed to support the plan.

Information Collection, Analysis, and Dissemination

This section addresses the role of information in the successful implementation of the activities 

that occur before, during, and after an incident. This section should:

 Identify the type of information that will be helpful in the successful implementation of the 

activities that occur before, during, and after an emergency, such as:

• Before and during: weather reports, law enforcement alerts, National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration radio alerts, and crime reports

• After: Web sites and hotlines for mental health agencies, emergency management

agencies, and relief agencies assisting in all aspects of recovery.

 Provide answers to the following questions for each of the identified types of information:

• What is the source of the information?

• Who analyzes and uses the information?

10 If the planning team considers the information critical to the successful implementation of the plan, it may identify 

roles and responsibilities of one or more individuals/organizations before and after an incident in addition to during 

the incident.

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• How is the information collected and shared?

• What is the format for providing the information to those who will use it?

• When should the information be collected and shared?

Training and Exercises

This section describes the critical training and exercise activities the house of worship will use in 

support of the plan. This includes the core training objectives and frequency to ensure that 

stakeholders understand roles, responsibilities, and expectations. This section also establishes the 

expected frequency of exercises to be conducted by the house of worship. Content may be 

influenced based on similar requirements at the local level (e.g., the local emergency 

management agency’s exercise schedule). Exercises may range from basic fire and shelter-inplace drills to full-scale community-wide drills.

Administration, Finance, and Logistics

This section covers general support requirements and the availability of services and support for 

all types of incidents, as well as general policies for managing resources. It should identify and 

reference policies and procedures that exist outside of the plan. This section should:

 Identify administrative controls and requirements that will be used to provide resource and 

expenditure accountability

 Briefly describe how the house of worship will maintain accurate logs of key activities

 Briefly describe how vital records will be preserved

 Identify sources for replacement of assets

 Identify general policies for keeping financial records; tracking resource needs; tracking the 

source and use of resources; acquiring ownership of resources; and compensating the owners 

of private property used by the house of worship.

Plan Development and Maintenance

This section discusses the overall approach to planning and the assignment of plan development 

and maintenance responsibilities. This section should:

 Describe the planning process, participants in that process, and how development and 

revision of different sections of the plan (i.e., basic plan, annexes) are coordinated prior to an 

incident

 Assign responsibility for the overall planning and coordination to a specific position or 

person

 Provide for a regular cycle of training, evaluating, reviewing, and updating of the plan.

Authorities and References

This section provides the legal basis for emergency operations and includes:

 Lists of laws, statutes, ordinances, executive orders, regulations, and formal agreements 

relevant to emergencies in the community

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

 Provisions for the succession of decisionmaking authority and operational control to ensure 

that critical emergency functions can be performed in the absence of the house of worship’s 

senior leadership.

Functional Annexes

Functional annexes focus on critical operational functions and the courses of action developed to 

carry them out. This section describes functional annexes that the house of worship should 

develop as part of the plan. As the planning team assesses the house of worship’s needs, it may 

need to prepare additional or different annexes. Also included in this section are issues the 

planning team should consider as it develops goals, objectives, and courses of action for these 

functions. These are some of the most important issues, but this is not meant to be an exhaustive 

list.

Functions may occur consecutively or concurrently, depending on the incident. While functions 

build upon one another and overlap, it is not necessary to repeat a course of action in one 

functional annex if it appears in a second functional annex. For example, though an evacuation 

may lead to reunification, it not necessary to list a course of action for reunification within the 

evacuation annex.

Evacuation Annex

This annex focuses on the courses of action that the house of worship will execute to evacuate 

buildings and grounds. The planning team should consider the following when developing their 

goals, objectives, and courses of action:

 How to safely move persons to designated assembly areas from buildings and outside areas

 How to evacuate when the primary route evacuation route is unusable

 How to evacuate children who are not with a parent or guardian

 How to evacuate senior citizens and individuals with disabilities (along with service animals 

and assistive devices) and others with access and functional needs, including language, 

transportation, and medical needs.

Lockdown Annex

This annex focuses on the courses of action the house of worship will execute to secure buildings 

and grounds during incidents that pose an immediate threat of violence in or around the house of 

worship. The primary objective of a lockdown is to ensure all persons are secured quickly in the 

rooms away from immediate danger. The planning team should consider the following when 

developing their goals, objectives, and courses of action:

 How to lock all exterior doors and when it may or may not be safe to do so

 How particular building characteristics (e.g., windows, doors) affect possible lockdown 

courses of action

 What to do when a threat materializes inside the house of worship

 When to use the different variations of a lockdown (e.g., when outside activities are curtailed, 

doors are locked, and visitors closely monitored but all other activities continue as normal).

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

Shelter-in-Place Annex

A shelter-in-place annex focuses on courses of action when persons are required to remain 

indoors, perhaps for an extended period, because it is safer inside the building or a room than 

outside. Depending on the threat or hazard, persons may be required to move to rooms that can 

be sealed (such as in the event of a chemical or biological hazard) or without windows, or to a 

weather shelter (such as in the event of a tornado). The planning team should consider the 

following when developing their goals, objectives, and courses of action:

 What supplies will be needed to seal the room and to provide for personal needs (e.g., water)

 How shelter-in-place can affect individuals with disabilities and others with access and 

functional needs, such as persons who require the regular administration of medication, 

durable medical equipment, and personal assistant services

 How to move persons when the primary route is unusable

 How to locate and move children who are not with a parent or guardian

 Consider the need for and integration of “safe rooms” for protection against extreme wind 

hazards (such as a tornado or hurricane) in order to provide immediate life-safety protection 

when evacuation is not an option.

Recovery Annex

This annex describes how the house of worship will recover from an emergency. The four 

fundamental kinds of recovery are services recovery; physical recovery; fiscal recovery; and 

psychological and emotional recovery. The planning team should consider the following when 

developing their goals, objectives, and courses of action:

 Services Recovery

• When and who has the authority to close and reopen the house of worship

• What temporary space(s) may be used if buildings cannot be immediately reopened

• How alternate services will be provided in the event that congregation members cannot 

physically reconvene.

 Physical Recovery

• How assets are documented, including physically accessible facilities, in case of damage

• Which personnel have expert knowledge of the assets and how and where they will 

access records to verify current assets after an emergency

• How the house of worship will work with utility and insurance companies before an 

emergency to support a quicker recovery.

 Fiscal Recovery

• How will staff receive timely and factual information regarding returning to work

• What sources the house of worship may access for emergency relief funding.

 Psychological and Emotional Recovery:

• Who will serve as the leader

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• Where will counseling and psychological first aid be provided

• How members will create a calm and supportive environment for the congregation, share 

basic information about the incident, provide psychological first aid (if trained), and 

identify members and staff who may need immediate crisis counseling

• Who will provide trained counselors

• How to address immediate-, short-, and long-term counseling needs of staff members and 

families

• How to handle commemorations, memorial activities, or permanent markers and/or 

memorial structures (if any will be allowed); including concerns such as when a 

commemoration site will be closed, what will be done with notes/tributes, and how the 

congregation will be informed in advance

• How memorial activities will strike a balance among honoring the loss; resuming routines 

and schedules; and maintaining hope for the future.

Security Annex

This annex focuses on the courses of action that the house of worship will implement on a 

routine, ongoing basis to secure the house of worship from criminal threats, including efforts 

done in conjunction with law enforcement.

Threat- and Hazard-Specific Annexes

The threat- and hazard-specific annexes describe the courses of action unique to particular 

threats and hazards. Courses of action already outlined in a functional annex need not be 

repeated in a threat- or hazard-specific annex. A house of worship will develop these based on 

the prioritized list of threats and hazards determined during the planning process. As planning 

teams develop courses of action for threats and hazards, they should consider the local, state, and 

Federal regulations or mandates that often apply to specific hazard. Table 2 provides example 

threats and hazards for which a house of worship may need to plan.

Table 2: Example Threats and Hazards

Threat/Hazard Type Examples

Natural Hazards • Earthquakes

• Tornadoes

• Lightning

• Severe wind

• Hurricanes

• Floods

• Wildfires

• Extreme temperatures

• Landslides or mudslides

• Tsunamis

• Volcanic eruptions

• Winter precipitation

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

Threat/Hazard Type Examples

Technological Hazards • Explosions or accidental releases from industrial plants

• Hazardous materials releases from major highways or railroads

• Radiological releases from nuclear power stations

• Dam failure

• Power failure

• Water failure

Adversarial and Humancaused Threats

• Arson

• Active shooters

• Criminal or gang violence

• Violence related to domestic disputes

• Bomb

• Cyber attacks

If there is a functional annex that applies to one of the threat- or hazard-specific annexes, the 

threat- or hazard-specific annex will include it by reference.

For example if a during course of action for a fire hazard involves evacuation and there is an 

evacuation functional annex, the fire annex would state “see evacuation annex” in the fire 

annex’s during course of action section rather than repeat the evacuation courses of action in the 

fire annex.

A Closer Look: Active Shooter Situations

Police officers, firefighters, and EMS (i.e., first responders) who come to a house of worship 

because of a 911 call involving gunfire face a daunting task. Though the objective—protect 

congregants—remains the same, the threat of an active shooter incident is different from

responding to a natural disaster or other emergencies.

Active shooter situations are defined as those where an individual is “actively engaged in killing 

or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area.”11 Unfortunately, houses of 

worship are not immune from this tragedy. For example, in 2012, six people were killed and four 

injured in a shooting at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, and in 2008, two people were 

killed and seven wounded at a Unitarian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The better first responders and those working and visiting a house of worship are able to discern 

these threats and react swiftly, the more lives can be saved. This is particularly true in an active 

shooter situation, where law enforcement responds to a 911 call of shots fired. Many innocent 

lives are at risk in a concentrated area. Working with emergency management officials and 

community partners, houses of worship can develop a plan to better prepare their staff and 

congregants in prevention, reaction, and response to an active shooter incident.

11 DHS. 2008. Active Shooter: How to Respond. Washington, DC: DHS. 

http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/active_shooter_booklet.pdf. Other gun-related incidents that may occur in a 

house of worship are not defined as active shooter incidents because they do not meet this definition. Instead, they 

may involve a single shot fired, accidental discharge of a weapon, or incidents that are not ongoing.

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

Active shooter situations are unpredictable and evolve quickly. Because of this, individuals must 

be prepared to deal with an active shooter situation before law enforcement arrives on the scene.

Preparing for an Active Shooter Incident

Planning

As with any threat or hazard that is included in a house of worship’s EOP, the planning team will 

establish goals, objectives, and courses of action for an active shooter annex. These plans will be 

affected by the assessments conducted at the outset of the planning process and updated as 

ongoing assessments occur. As courses of action are developed, the planning team should 

consider a number of issues, including, but not limited to:

 How to evacuate or lockdown personnel and visitors. Personnel involved in such planning 

should pay attention to disability-related accessibility concerns when advising on shelter sites 

and evacuation routes

 How to evacuate when the primary evacuation routes are unusable

 How to select effective shelter-in-place locations (optimal locations have thick walls, solid 

doors with locks, minimal interior windows, first aid-emergency kits, communication devices 

and duress alarms)

 How those present in buildings and on the ground will be notified that there is an active 

shooter incident underway. This could be done using familiar terms, sounds, lights, and 

electronic communications, such as text messages or emails. Include in the courses of action 

how to communicate with those who have language barriers or need other accommodations, 

such as visual signals to communicate with hearing-impaired individuals. Planners should 

make sure this protocol is readily available and understood by those who may be responsible 

for sending out or broadcasting an announcement. Rapid notification of a threat can save 

lives by keeping people out of harm’s way.

 How everyone will know when buildings and grounds are safe.

The planning team may want to include functions in the active shooter annex that are also 

addressed in other functional annexes. For example, evacuation will be different during an active 

shooter situation than it would be for a fire.

Additional considerations are included in the “Responding to an Active Shooter Incident” and 

“After an Active Shooter Incident” sections below.

Sharing Information with First Responders

The planning process is not complete until the house of worship’s EOP is shared with first 

responders. The planning process should include preparing and making available to first 

responders an up-to-date and well-documented site assessment as well as any other information 

that would assist them. These materials should include building schematics and photos of the 

buildings, both inside and out, and include information about door and window locations, as well 

as locks and access controls. Emergency responders should also have advance information on 

where individuals with disabilities are likely to be sheltering or escaping, generally in physically 

accessible locations or along accessible routes. Building strong partnerships with law 

enforcement, fire, and EMS includes ensuring they also know the location of available public 

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

address systems, two-way communications systems, security cameras, and alarm controls. 

Equally important is information on access to utility controls, medical supplies, and fire

extinguishers.

Providing detailed information to first responders allows them to rapidly move through buildings 

and the grounds during an emergency; to ensure areas are safe; and to tend to those in need. It is 

critically important to share this information with law enforcement and other first responders 

before an emergency occurs so that they have immediate access to the information. Law 

enforcement agencies have secure Web sites where these items already are stored for many 

schools, business, public venues, and other locations. All of these can be provided to first 

responders and viewed in drills, exercises, and walkthroughs.

Technology and tools with the same information (e.g., a portable USB drive that is compatible 

with computers used by first responders) should be maintained in secured locations in the 

building where designated staff for the house of worship can immediately provide it to 

responding officials, or where first responders can directly access it. The locations of these 

materials should be known by and accessible to a number of individuals to ensure ready access in 

an emergency. Every house of worship should have more than one individual charged with 

meeting first responders to provide them with the site assessment, the EOP, and any other details 

about facility safety or concerns.12

Exercises

Evacuation drills for fires and protective measures for tornadoes may be part of routine activities 

for a house of worship, but far fewer facilities practice for active shooter situations. To be 

prepared for an active shooter incident, houses of worship should train their staff and 

congregation, as appropriate, in what to expect and how to react.

Good planning includes conducting drills that involve first responders. Exercises with these 

valuable partners are one of the most effective and efficient ways to ensure that everyone knows 

not only their role, but also the role of others at the scene. These exercises should include walks 

through buildings to allow law enforcement to provide input on shelter sites as well as 

familiarize first responders with the location.

Each person carries a responsibility that is three-fold:

1. Learn the signs of a potentially volatile situation and ways to prevent an incident.

2. Learn the best steps for survival when faced with an active shooter situation.

3. Be prepared to work with law enforcement during the response.

Preventing an Active Shooter Incident

Warning Signs

No profile exists for an active shooter; however, research indicates there may be signs or 

indicators. Leaders and staff in houses of worship counsel congregants on a daily basis as part of 

12 For additional information, please see http://www.ready.gov.

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

their work. Law enforcement can assist in knowing the signs of a potentially volatile situation 

and help houses of worship proactively seek ways to prevent an incident from escalating.

By highlighting common pre-attack behaviors displayed by past offenders, Federal researchers 

have sought to enhance the detection and prevention of tragic attacks of violence, including 

active shooting incidents. Several agencies within the Federal Government continue to explore 

incidents of targeted violence in the effort to identify these potential “warning signs.” In 2002, 

the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) published a monograph on workplace violence, 

including problematic behaviors of concern that may telegraph violent ideations and plans.13

Specialized units in the Federal Government (such as the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit) 

continue to support behaviorally-based operational assessments of persons of concern in a 

variety of settings (e.g. schools, workplaces, houses of worship) who appear to be on a trajectory 

toward a catastrophic violent act. A review of current research, threat assessment literature, and 

active shooting incidents, combined with the extensive case experience of the Behavioral 

Analysis Unit, suggest that there are observable pre-attack behaviors which, if recognized, could 

lead to the disruption of a planned attack. 14 While checklists of various “warning signs” are 

often of limited use in isolation, there are some behavioral indicators that should prompt further 

exploration and attention from law enforcement and/or house of worship officials. These 

behaviors often include:

 Development of a personal grievance

 Contextually inappropriate and recent acquisitions of multiple weapons

 Contextually inappropriate and recent escalation in target practice and weapons training

 Contextually inappropriate and recent interest in explosives

 Contextually inappropriate and intense interest or fascination with previous shootings or 

mass attacks

 Many offenders experienced a significant real or perceived personal loss in the weeks and/or 

months leading up to the attack, such as a death, breakup, divorce, or loss of a job

 Few offenders had previous arrests for violent crimes.

No research has been conducted on individuals solely engaged in active shooting incidents at 

houses of worship; however, the behaviors listed above may be useful in identifying some of the 

behaviors of individuals of potential concern.15

13 FBI. 2002. Workplace Violence: Issues in Response. Quantico, VA: FBI. http://www.fbi.gov/statsservices/publications/workplace-violence 14 See Contemporary Threat Management: A Practical Guide for Identifying, Assessing, and Managing Individuals 

of Violent Intent (Specialized Training Services, 2003); The Handbook for Campus Threat Assessment and 

Management Teams (Applied Risk Management, 2008); Threat Assessment: An Approach to Prevent Targeted 

Violence (U.S. Department of Justice, 1995); and Rethinking Risk Assessment: The MacArthur Study of Mental 

Disorder and Violence (Oxford University Press, 2001). 15 For information on warning signs of violence at schools, see The Final Report and Findings of the Safe School 

Initiative: Implications for the Prevention of School Attacks in the United States (U.S. Secret Service and U.S. 

Department of Education, 2004) and Threat Assessment in Schools: A Guide to Managing Threatening Situations 

and to Creating Safe School Climates (U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Department of Education, 2002). Additionally, 

in 2007 the U.S. Secret Service, FBI, and U.S. Department of Education initiated an examination of attempted and 

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Threat Assessment Teams

As described in the previous section, research shows that perpetrators of targeted acts of violence 

engage in both covert and overt behaviors preceding their attacks. They consider, plan, prepare, 

share, and, in some cases, move on to action. A useful tool to identify, evaluate, and address 

these troubling signs is the creation of a multidisciplinary Threat Assessment Team (TAT) for 

the house of worship.16 The TAT serves as a central convening body, so that warning signs 

observed by multiple people are not considered isolated incidents, slipping through the cracks,

when they actually may represent escalating behavior that is a serious concern. TATs should 

keep in mind, however, the importance of relying on facts (including observed behavior) and 

avoid unfair labeling or stereotyping of individuals to remain in compliance with civil rights 

laws, when applicable.

Although not as common in private industry or in religious establishments, TATs are 

increasingly common in college and university settings, pushed to the forefront of concern 

following the 2007 shooting at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, 

Virginia, where 32 individuals were killed. In some cases, state funding mandates that 

institutions of higher learning create TATs.

17 Houses of worship may also want to create TATs. 

The Departments offer the following recommendations for the creation and operation of TATs, 

although they fully recognize that houses of worship may differ in their approaches to certain 

issues.

For the purposes of consistency and efficiency, a TAT should be developed and implemented in 

coordination with other policy and practices for the organization. A TAT with diverse 

representation often will operate more efficiently and effectively. TAT members may include the 

leaders or administrators of the house of worship, counselors, staff, congregants, and medical 

and mental health professionals, who may be drawn from the congregation.

TATs review troubling or threatening behavior of persons brought to the attention of the TAT. 

TATs contemplate a holistic assessment and management strategy that considers the many 

aspects of the person’s life. More than focusing on warning signs or threats alone, a TAT 

assessment involves a unique overall analysis of changing and relevant behaviors. The TAT 

takes into consideration, as appropriate, information about behaviors; communications; any 

threats made; security concerns; family issues; or relationship problems that might involve a 

troubled individual. The TAT may also identify any potential victims with whom the individual 

may interact. Once the TAT identifies an individual that may pose a threat, the team will identify 

a course of action for addressing the situation. The appropriate course of action, whether law 

committed homicidal acts of violence on American college campuses from 1900 to 2008, Campus Attacks: Targeted 

Violence Affecting Institutions of Higher Education (U.S. Secret Service, et al., 2010, 

http://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/campus-attacks.pdf). A second phase of the project focuses exclusively on 

grievance-based attacks that occurred from 1985 to 2010. 16 Albrecht, Steve. 2010. “Threat Assessment Teams: Workplace and School Violence Prevention.” FBI Law 

Enforcement Bulletin (February 2010). http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/law-enforcementbulletin/february-2010/threat-assessment-teams 17 For example, please see http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+23-9.2C10. Additional information 

can be found in Recommended Practices for Virginia Colleges Threat Assessments (Virginia Department of 

Criminal Justice Services, 2009, 

http://www.threatassessment.vt.edu/resources/tat_info/VArecommended_practices.pdf).

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enforcement intervention, counseling, or other actions, will depend on the specifics of the 

situation.

The TAT may wish to seek assistance from law enforcement that can help assess reported threats 

or troubling behavior and tap available Federal resources (as part of the TAT process or 

separately). The FBI’s behavioral experts in its National Center for the Analysis of Violent 

Crimes (NCAVC) at Quantico, Virginia are available on a 24 hours per day, seven days per week

basis to join in any threat assessment analysis and develop threat mitigation strategies for persons 

of concern. Law enforcement working with a TAT from a house of worship should contact the 

local FBI office for this behavioral analysis assistance.

Each FBI field office has a NCAVC representative available to work with the house of worship 

TAT and coordinate access to the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit, if the congregation wishes. 

They focus not on how to respond tactically to an active shooter situation, but rather on how to 

prevent one. Early intervention can prevent a situation from escalating by identifying, assessing,

and managing the threat.

Houses of worship should also work with local law enforcement to gain an understanding of the 

threats from outside the house of worship community that may affect the facility, so that, in 

partnership, appropriate security measures can be established.

Generally, active shooter situations are not motivated by other criminal-related concerns such as 

monetary gain or gang affiliation. Often, violence may be prevented by identifying, assessing,

and managing potential threats. Recognizing these pre-attack warning signs and indicators might 

help disrupt a potentially tragic event.

Responding to an Active Shooter Incident

The house of worship’s EOP should include courses of action that will describe how congregants 

and staff can most effectively respond to an active shooter situation to minimize the loss of life,

and teach and train on these practices.

Law enforcement officers may not be present when a shooting begins. Providing information on 

how congregants and staff can respond to the incident can help prevent and reduce the loss of 

life.

No single response fits all active shooter situations; however, making sure each individual knows 

his or her options for response and can react decisively will save valuable time. Depicting 

scenarios and considering response options in advance will assist individuals and groups in 

quickly selecting their best course of action.

Understandably, this is a sensitive topic. There is no single answer for what to do, but a survival 

mindset can increase the odds of surviving. As appropriate for the house of worship’s

congregation, it may be valuable to schedule a time for an open conversation regarding this 

topic. Though some congregants or staff may find the conversation uncomfortable, they may also 

find it reassuring to know that as a whole their house of worship is thinking about how best to 

deal with this situation.

During an active shooter situation, the natural human reaction, even for those who are highly 

trained, is to be startled; feel fear and anxiety; and even experience initial disbelief and denial. 

Noise from alarms, gunfire, explosions, and people shouting and screaming should be expected. 

Training provides the means to regain composure, recall at least some of what has been learned, 

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

and commit to action. There are three basic response options: run, hide, or fight. Individuals can 

run away from the shooter; seek a secure place where they can hide and/or deny the shooter 

access; or incapacitate the shooter in order to survive and protect others from harm.

As the situation develops, it is possible that congregants and staff will need to use more than one 

option. During an active shooter situation, these individuals will rarely have all of the 

information they need to make a fully informed decision about which option is best. While they 

should follow the plan and any instructions given during an incident, they will often have to rely 

on their own judgment to decide which option will best protect lives.18

Respond Immediately

It is common for people confronted with a threat to first deny the possible danger rather than 

respond. An investigation by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (2005) into the 

collapse of the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001 found that people close to the

affected floors waited longer to start evacuating than those on unaffected floors.19 Similarly, 

during the Virginia Tech shooting, individuals on campus responded to the shooting with varying 

degrees of urgency.20 These studies support this delayed response or denial. For example, some 

people report hearing firecrackers, when in fact they heard gunfire. Train congregants and staff

to skip denial and to respond immediately.

For example, train congregants to recognize the sounds of danger, act, and forcefully 

communicate the danger and necessary action (e.g., “Gun! Get out!”). In addition, those closest 

to a communications system should communicate the danger and necessary action. Repetition in 

training and preparedness shortens the time it takes to orient, observe, and act. Upon recognizing 

the danger, as soon as it is safe to do so staff or others should alert responders by contacting 911 

with as clear and accurate information as possible.

Run

If it is safe to do so, the first course of action that should be taken is to run out of the building 

and far away until in a safe location. Congregants and staff should be trained to:

 Leave personal belongings behind

 Visualize possible escape routes, including physically accessible routes for individuals with 

disabilities

 Avoid escalators and elevators

18 As part of its preparedness mission, Ready Houston produces videos, handouts, and trainings to promote 

preparedness among residents of the Houston, Texas region. These videos are not recommended for viewing by 

minors. All of these items are available free-of-charge and many are available at 

http://wwww.readyhoustontx.gov/videos.html. 19 Occupants of both towers delayed initiating their evacuation after WTC 1 was hit. In WTC 1, the median time to 

initiate evacuation was three minutes for occupants from the ground floor to floor 76, and five minutes for occupants 

near the impact region (floors 77 to 91). Averill, Jason D., et al. 2005. Federal Building and Fire Safety 

Investigation of the World Trade Center Disaster: Occupant Behavior, Egress, and Emergency Communications. 

Washington, DC: National Institute of Standards and Technology. 

http://www.mingerfoundation.org/downloads/mobility/nist%20world%20trade%20center.pdf

20 Virginia Tech Review Panel. 2007. Mass Shootings at Virginia Tech: Report of the Review Panel. Richmond, VA: 

Virginia Tech Review Panel. http://www.governor.virginia.gov/tempContent/techPanelReport-docs/FullReport.pdf

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

 Take others with them, but do not stay behind because others will not go

 Call 911 when safe to do so

 Let a responsible adult know where they are.

Hide

If running is not a safe option, hide in as safe a place as possible. Congregants and staff should 

be trained to hide in a location where the walls might be thicker and have fewer windows. In 

addition:

 Lock the doors

 Barricade the doors with heavy furniture

 Close and lock windows and close blinds or cover windows

 Turn off lights

 Silence all electronic devices

 Remain silent

 If possible, use strategies to silently communicate with first responders; for example, in 

rooms with exterior windows, make signs to silently signal law enforcement and emergency 

responders to indicate the status of the room’s occupants

 Hide along the wall closest to the exit but out of the view from the hallway (allowing for an 

ambush of the shooter and for possible escape if the shooter enters the room)

 Remain in place until given an all clear by identifiable law enforcement.

Fight

If neither running nor hiding is a safe option, as a last resort, when confronted by the shooter, 

adults in immediate danger should consider trying to disrupt or incapacitate the shooter by using 

aggressive force and items in their environment, such as fire extinguishers or chairs. In a study of 

41 active shooter events that ended before law enforcement arrived, the potential victims stopped 

the attacker themselves in 16 instances. In 13 of those cases, they physically subdued the 

attacker.21

While talking to the congregation and staff about confronting a shooter may be daunting and 

upsetting for some, they should know that they might be able to successfully take action to save 

lives. How each individual chooses to respond if directly confronted by an active shooter is up to 

him or her. Each house of worship should determine, as part of its planning process, policies on 

the control and presence of weapons, as permitted by law.

21 Blair, J. Pete and M. Hunter Martaindale. 2010. United States Active Shooter Events from 2000 to 2010: Training 

and Equipment Implications. San Marcos, TX: Texas State University. 

http://alerrt.org/files/research/ActiveShooterEvents.pdf

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

Interacting with First Responders

If a shooting occurs, congregants and staff should be trained to understand and expect that law 

enforcement’s first priority must be to locate and stop the person or persons believed to be the 

shooter(s); all other actions are secondary. One comprehensive study found that in more than 

half of mass shooting incidents where a solo officer arrived on the scene (57 percent) shooting 

was still underway when the officer arrived. In 75 percent of those instances, that solo officer 

had to confront the perpetrator to end the threat. In those cases, the officer was shot one-third of 

the time.

22

Congregants and staff should be trained to cooperate and not to interfere with first responders. 

They should display empty hands with open palms and anticipate that law enforcement may 

instruct everyone to place their hands on their heads or get on the ground.

After an Active Shooter Incident 23

Once the scene is secured, first responders will work with house of worship staff and victims on 

a variety of matters. This will include transporting the injured, interviewing witnesses, and 

initiating the investigation.

The house of worship’s EOP should identify trained personnel who will provide assistance to 

victims and their families. This should include establishing an incident response team (including 

community partners) that is trained to appropriately assess and triage an active shooter situation 

(as well as other emergencies), and provide emergency intervention services and victim 

assistance beginning immediately after the incident and throughout the recovery efforts. This 

team will integrate with local, state, and Federal resources when an emergency occurs.

Within an ongoing and/or evolving emergency, where the immediate reunification of loved ones 

is not possible, providing family members with timely, accurate, and relevant information is 

paramount. Having family members wait for long periods for information about their loved ones 

not only adds to their stress and frustration, but can also escalate the emotions of the entire 

group. When families are reunited, it is critical that there are child release processes in place 

where minors might be involved (e.g., childcare, religious classes) to assure that no child is 

released to an unauthorized person, even if that person well meaning.

Essential steps to help establish trust and provide family members with a sense of control can be 

accomplished by:

 Identifying a safe location separate from distractions and/or media and the general public, but 

close enough to allow family members to feel connected in proximity to their children/loved 

ones

 Scheduling periodic updates even if no additional information is available

 Being prepared to speak with family members about what to expect when reunified with their 

child/loved ones

22 Ibid. 23 Please see the “Functional Annexes” section of this guide for additional recovery annex considerations.

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

 Ensuring effective communication with those that have language barriers or need other 

accommodations, such as sign language interpreters for the hearing impaired.

When reunification is not possible because an individual is missing, injured, or killed, how and 

when this information is provided to families is critical. Before an emergency, the planning team 

should determine how, when, and by whom loved ones will be informed if their loved one is 

missing or has been injured or killed. Law enforcement typically takes the lead on death 

notifications, but all parties should understand their roles and responsibilities. This will ensure 

that families and loved ones receive accurate and timely information in a compassionate way.

While law enforcement and medical examiner procedures must be followed, families should 

receive accurate information as soon as possible. Having trained personnel to talk to loved ones 

about death and injury on hand or immediately available can ensure the notification is provided 

to family members with clarity and compassion. Counselors should be on hand to immediately 

assist family members.

The house of worship’s EOP should include identified points of contact to work with and support 

family members (e.g., Federal victim assistance personnel, counselors, police officers). These 

points of contact should be connected to families as early in the process as possible, including 

while an individual is still missing but before any victims have been positively identified. After 

an incident, it is critical to confirm that each family is getting the support it needs, including 

long-term support.

The house of worship’s EOP should consider printed and age-appropriate resources to help 

families recognize and seek help in regard to a variety of reactions that they or their loved ones 

can experience during and after an emergency. It is critical that families and loved ones are 

supported as they both grieve their loss and support their surviving family members.

The house of worship’s EOP also should explicitly address how affected families will be 

supported if they prefer not to engage with the media. This includes strategies for keeping the 

media separate from families while the emergency is ongoing and support for families that may 

experience unwanted media attention at their homes.

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

Appendix A: References

Albrecht, Steve. 2010. “Threat Assessment Teams: Workplace and School Violence Prevention.” 

FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin (February 2010). http://www.fbi.gov/statsservices/publications/law-enforcement-bulletin/february-2010/threat-assessment-teams

Blair, J. Pete and M. Hunter Martaindale. 2010. United States Active Shooter Events from 2000 

to 2010: Training and Equipment Implications. San Marcos, TX: Texas State University. 

http://alerrt.org/files/research/ActiveShooterEvents.pdf

Calhoun, Frederick and Stephen Weston. 2003. Contemporary Threat Management: A Practical 

Guide for Identifying, Assessing, and Managing Individuals of Violent Intent. San Diego, CA: 

Specialized Training Services.

Cornell, Dewey. 2009. Recommended Practices for Virginia College Threat Assessment. 

Richmond, VA: Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. 

http://www.threatassessment.vt.edu/resources/tat_info/VArecommended_practices.pdf

Deisinger, Gene, et al. 2008. The Handbook for Campus Threat Assessment and Management 

Teams. Stoneham, MA: Applied Risk Management.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). 2002. Workplace Violence: Issues in Response. Quantico, 

VA: FBI. http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/workplace-violence

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). 2011. A Whole Community Approach to 

Emergency Management: Principles, Themes, and Pathways for Action. Washington, DC: 

FEMA. http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=4941

2010. Developing and Maintaining Emergency Operations Plans (Comprehensive 

Preparedness Guide [CPG] 101), Version 2.0. Washington, DC: FEMA. 

http://www.fema.gov/plan

Fein, Robert, et al. 1995. Threat Assessment: An Approach to Prevent Targeted Violence.

Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice. http://www.secretservice.gov/ntac/ntac_threat.pdf

Monahan, John, et al. 2001. Rethinking Risk Assessment: The MacArthur Study of Mental 

Disorder and Violence. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

U.S. Department of Education, et al. 2013. Guide for Developing High-quality School 

Emergency Operations Plans. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education. 

http://rems.ed.gov

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). 2012. Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk 

Assessment Guide (CPG 201). Washington, DC: DHS. http://www.fema.gov/plan

2012. Homeland Security Advisory Council’s Faith-based Security and Communications 

Advisory Committee Final Report. Washington, DC: DHS. 

http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/hsac/hsac-faith-based-security-and-communicationsadvisory-committee-final-report-may-2012.pdf

2011. National Preparedness Goal. Washington, DC: DHS. 

http://www.fema.gov/national-preparedness-goal

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Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

2008. National Incident Management System. Washington, DC: DHS. 

http://www.fema.gov/national-incident-management-system

2008. Active Shooter: How to Respond. Washington, DC: DHS. 

http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/active_shooter_booklet.pdf

U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Department of Education. 2004. The Final Report and Findings of 

the Safe School Initiative: Implications for the Prevention of School Attacks in the United States. 

Washington, DC: U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Department of Education. 

http://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/preventingattacksreport.pdf

2002. Threat Assessment in Schools: A Guide to Managing Threatening Situations and to 

Creating Safe School Climates. Washington, DC: U.S. Secret Service and U.S. 

Department of Education. http://www.secretservice.gov/ntac/ssi_guide.pdf

U.S. Secret Service, et al. 2010. Campus Attacks: Targeted Violence Affecting Institutions of 

Higher Education. Washington, DC: U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Department of Education, and 

FBI. http://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/campus-attacks.pdf

Virginia Tech Review Panel. 2007. Mass Shootings at Virginia Tech: Report of the Review 

Panel. Richmond, VA: Virginia Tech Review Panel. 

http://www.governor.virginia.gov/tempContent/techPanelReport-docs/FullReport.pdf

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