Test The Plan

Test the Plan

Exercises and Drills for Houses of Worship

By JT Henry

You have an emergency plan. How will you know it works?

A written plan can identify responsibilities, evacuation routes, and emergency procedures. Practice reveals whether volunteers understand their assignments, messages reach the right people, and available equipment can be accessed when needed.

Test the Plan helps houses of worship turn written procedures into purposeful practice. This practical guide walks leaders through designing, conducting, and evaluating exercises that fit their congregation’s people, facilities, and resources.

Inside, you’ll find guidance for:

• Facilitating tabletop discussions that uncover assumptions and clarify decisions.
• Conducting controlled drills for communications, evacuation, sheltering, medical response, and child reunification.
• Exploring realistic scenarios involving a medical emergency, a threatening visitor, a bomb threat, and severe weather.
• Protecting participants through advance notice, appropriate training equipment, accessibility planning, and clear safety boundaries.
• Turning exercise observations into corrective actions with an owner, a deadline, and a method for verifying improvement.

Printable planning worksheets, observation forms, exercise logs, and improvement records help your team document progress and follow through on unresolved gaps.

Written for clergy, administrators, safety teams, ushers, ministry leaders, and volunteers, Test the Plan provides a structured way to build shared understanding without overwhelming your congregation.

Part of the Securing the Sacred preparedness collection from Trident Storms LLC.

Prepare your people to put the plan into practice—and use what they learn to make it stronger.

Digital PDF edition with front and back covers. Educational guidance; not a substitute for hands-on certification or site-specific professional advice.