Jehovah’s Witnesses scrambled to safety after member shot outside NC worship hall

[Shannie]

https://amp.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article239361273.html?fbclid=IwAR1A1qMxrrKlYhCd3lni4bGZCBmaB5CZOQBOntHY3WSJs4VMTXJFof52qOg

 

You know i was just wondering about this....What is the evacuation plan..for Kingdom Halls and Conventions and Assemblies? What if someone came in to do harm. Are there any evacuation plans in place? Things are getting crazier and will continue to right down to the end of this system..

 

Edited January 17, 2020 by Shannie

[jwhess]

There are even "written" evac procedures for every Hall.  they should have been conveyed to the congregation by a local needs part or something from the LDC.  They were reviewed about the time we began locking all the doors during the meetings.

 

Edited January 17, 2020 by jwhess

[Shannie]

Not our hall

[Omoyeme]

Well, we have yet to have that local needs part at our congregation.

[carlos]

8 hours ago, Shannie said:

You know i was just wondering about this....What is the evacuation plan..for Kingdom Halls and Conventions and Assemblies? What if someone came in to do harm. Are there any evacuation plans in place? Things are getting crazier and will continue to right down to the end of this system..

In our congregation not only there are plans but we even have a drill once a year.

 

Shannie, you could ask one of your elders. It doesn't have to be anything formal, just a question like you did here. One of these mornings when you meet for field service you can mention that news report and that you wondered what would your congregation do in a situation like that. I'm sure he will be happy to tell you if there's a plan, and maybe that reminds him that they need to give a local needs talk about the subject.

Edited January 17, 2020 by carlos

[careful]

we had a situation at our regional where an alarm went off inside during the program and we were all directed outside and down the street where we stood for an hour. it was very orderly and calm. we were never told what the problem was.

[Lee49]

9 hours ago, jwhess said:

There are even "written" evac procedures for every Hall.  they should have been conveyed to the congregation by a local needs part or something from the LDC.  They were reviewed about the time we began locking all the doors during the meetings.

 

"Several other members who were outside during the shooting scrambled to safety in the congregation‘s Kingdom Hall, joining other worshippers who “sheltered in place,”

 

I don't recall any "procedure" that we do when there is a commotion "outside" the KH! The logical thing to do would be to seek shelter, which some did, we have an evacuation procedure set in place and a designated area outside the KH where a head count would then be taken to assure all are accounted for.

[AH173]

10 hours ago, jwhess said:

There are even "written" evac procedures for every Hall.  they should have been conveyed to the congregation by a local needs part or something from the LDC.  They were reviewed about the time we began locking all the doors during the meetings.

 

 

10 hours ago, Shannie said:

Not our hall

 

9 hours ago, Omoyeme said:

Well, we have yet to have that local needs part at our congregation.

I wish all who would like to know the security plan inquire of either your field service group overseer or cobe/secretary. 

 

This happened after the meeting. There are contingencies for that also in an approved security plan. 

 

Quote

The shooting happened about 9:15 p.m., Wray and police said. Members stayed inside until about 11 p.m., Wray said, when police gave them the OK to leave.

 

[jwhess]

Unless your hall has a basement (some in our area do have them), most emergency plans have an external consideration that involves weather at the very least (like tornadoes or high winds).  To "shelter in place" inside the hall, away from windows and near an interior wall (or centrally located seating) would probably be the standard instructions.

[Lee49]

11 hours ago, Shannie said:

Not our hall

That's why it's very important to attend all meetings or listen in, just missing one meeting can be the difference between knowing or not knowing if or what we have been instructed to do, I'm not saying that perhaps you missed a meeting and thus missed hearing the instructions given, it happens to all of us from time to time, but knowing that things are only going to get worse shows us that importance!  😏

[Loopy]

This could have been a lot worse for this dear sister. ♥️ Minor injuries? Thank goodness. 

 

Still traumatized? You think? O my. 
 

Like we learn in our meetings. We are not immune to all the happenings in Satan’s world. 
 

 

[Shannie]

40 minutes ago, Lee49 said:

That's why it's very important to attend all meetings or listen in, just missing one meeting can be the difference between knowing or not knowing if or what we have been instructed to do, I'm not saying that perhaps you missed a meeting and thus missed hearing the instructions given, it happens to all of us from time to time, but knowing that things are only going to get worse shows us that importance!  😏

I NEVER miss Meetings... And if I do...which is Extremely Extremely Rare... we listen in by dial-in...My family and I are known for being 1 hour early for Sunday and mid week meeting....others often call me to save seats because I'm always early.

 

 

Edited January 17, 2020 by Shannie

[Lee49]

57 minutes ago, Shannie said:

I NEVER miss Meetings... And if I do...which is Extremely Extremely Rare... we listen in by dial-in...My family and I are known for being 1 hour early for Sunday and mid week meeting....others often call me to save seats because I'm always early.

 

 

" I'm not saying that perhaps you missed a meeting and thus missed hearing the instructions given,"   must not have read my entire post!  again, I'm not directing this to any one brother or sister!

[Qapla]

3 hours ago, jwhess said:

Unless your hall has a basement (some in our area do have them)

 

Extremely rare in Florida .... just not a "basement" state

[Loopy]

I just sent an email to our snowbirds (elder & wife) who go to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for the winter regarding this. Even tho I figure they heard all about it tho.

 

At the same time I asked “just out of curiosity” if we ever had an evacuation type Local Needs or even what to do under such circumstances. 

 

Up here in the northern U P of Michigan we haven’t had any real violent stuff like that happen. Definitely NOT saying it never will. 

 

But to have it explained not to panic and given direction on what to and not do beforehand would really be a smart (show of wisdom) thing.

 

It seems like it’s coming closer to our area tho every day.

Edited January 17, 2020 by Loopy

[Hope]

We've never had such a drill or information in our congregation - wouldn't be a bad idea..

 

[Loopy]

This is the reply I got back.

 

“The subject was addressed with the servant body back when the attendant/security arrangement was put in place. IE: doors locked for cleaning and service meetings and such. The servants are supposed to know what to do IF a problem would arise.”

 

Ok, so guess it’s been taken care of. 

[carlos]

3 hours ago, Shannie said:

I NEVER miss Meetings... And if I do...which is Extremely Extremely Rare... we listen in by dial-in...My family and I are known for being 1 hour early for Sunday and mid week meeting....others often call me to save seats because I'm always early.

Shannie, will you please save two seats for me and my wife this Sunday?

[AH173]

2 hours ago, Loopy said:

“The subject was addressed with the servant body back when the attendant/security arrangement was put in place. IE: doors locked for cleaning and service meetings and such. The servants are supposed to know what to do IF a problem would arise.”

That's what happened in my congregation and they followed up with a local needs part. It would be encouraging and give the congregation some peace of mind to have a few details about the security policy. It was encouraged to the congregation that all brothers and sisters need to be vigilant at all meetings especially the ones taking the lead.

[Loopy]

19 minutes ago, AH173 said:

That's what happened in my congregation and they followed up with a local needs part. It would be encouraging and give the congregation some peace of mind to have a few details about the security policy. It was encouraged to the congregation that all brothers and sisters need to be vigilant at all meetings especially the ones taking the lead.

Thank you Br.Ashley. 
 

without sounding disrespectful, which I have no intentions, it seems even things like this are on a “need to know basis” and some just don’t need to know. 
 

But after this attack at one of our KH’s I wonder. 
 

O well, as we keep being reminded, “there’s more with us than against us”. 

Edited January 17, 2020 by Loopy

[AH173]

15 minutes ago, Loopy said:

without sounding disrespectful, which I have no intentions, it seems even things like this are on a “need to know basis” and some just don’t need to know. 

I only mentioned a "few details" and the few details that is shown to the friends would let the the friends know that there is a policy in place.  It follows what we as attendants and servants were trained for the convention level security plan. You are not sounding disrespectful to me, you have and are entitled to your opinion. Your points are well taken.

[jwhess]

On 1/16/2020 at 10:02 PM, Shannie said:

Not our hall

Did the elders have a part on the meeting where they explained the locking of the doors during meetings for security and things like that?  that was the time the security plan was developed. It was about a year ago or maybe a little less (I would have to check the date on the organizations instructions).

[Shannie]

2 hours ago, jwhess said:

Did the elders have a part on the meeting where they explained the locking of the doors during meetings for security and things like that?  that was the time the security plan was developed. It was about a year ago or maybe a little less (I would have to check the date on the organizations instructions).

actually no they did not we just noticed that they started locking the doors there was no announcement made or anything and there's also a brother in the lobby who opens and closes the doors and guards two doors but there was never an announcement made about it never

[careful]

we also have a brother standing in the back during meeting for service watching the screen as cars come and go in the parking lot. this week I noticed that the conductor asked that brother to say the prayer at the end of the meeting for service.   I thought,,,,how is he gonna keep and eye on the parking lot and door if he is saying a prayer?????

[Lee49]

43 minutes ago, careful said:

we also have a brother standing in the back during meeting for service watching the screen as cars come and go in the parking lot. this week I noticed that the conductor asked that brother to say the prayer at the end of the meeting for service.   I thought,,,,how is he gonna keep and eye on the parking lot and door if he is saying a prayer?????

the Holy Spirit was also watching!  😇