Physical security is the basic type of security which ensures that the Church security basics are taken care of. Physical security ensures that your building, property, and other assets are secure from theft or destruction. There are several approaches that can be used to ensure the physical security of the church premises. Some include practices like, natural access control, territory description, and securing the inside.
Natural Access of Control
It is one of the methods of crime prevention through environmental design for church basic security. This basically means that the access to the church building should be channeled through a natural route by design, which means anyone moving from the norm will be easily identified. Some of the measures to enforce this is maintaining a clear path from all entrances to the specific public areas, for example, a person entering the sanctuary from the gate, should move naturally without the possibility of getting lost. Care should be taken to seal off possible areas of escape a Church basic security measure.
Territory reinforcement
This simply means clearly demarcating the private and public access area for church basic security. Borders can be established using simple methods like waist high fences, signage and other methods that divide the premises.
Inner perimeter security
This refers to use of doors, windows and walls of the building. Protection of the internal perimeter is done using locks, keys, security alarm system, burglary detection devices, fire detection system, and fire extinguishers used for church basic security.
Locks-Single and double cylinder deadbolts are the common types. The single cylinder deadbolt lock uses a key on one side and a knob on the other. They are ideal for doors which are away from windows since if near windows burglars can break the window and open them. The double cylinder deadbolt locks are locked by keys from both sides and would be more ideal for doors near windows.
For churches these locks may be used in internal rooms and offices as fire codes prohibit their use in public places.
Security Alarm systems- Alarm systems are monitored off site by a security company. The company is alerted whenever the alarm goes off. When the alarm goes off, a contact person is informed immediately. Passive monitoring refers to alarm system monitoring where the offsite company contacts the predetermined person when the alarm goes off. While active monitoring involves a detailed log of the activity of the system including, the down time, the active zones etc
Burglary detection devices- Burglary detection devices include, motion detection sensors, magnetic contacts and photoelectric beam device. Motion detection sensors detect infrared body heat. When this heat is detected an alarm is triggered. Magnetic contacts are placed in doors and windows and when contact is lost when a door or a window is opened and contact is lost. Photoelectric beam device one device emits light and another device receives it. When light is obstructed an alarm is triggered.
Fire detection system- These include smoke detectors and heat detectors. Smoke detectors detect smoke by either ionization or by photoelectronic. Smoke detectors detect smoke from small fires which a heat detector may not be able to detect. Heat detectors detect rises in temperatures of the environment. Heat detectors are ideal for Kitchens where smoke alarms may be triggered causing false alarms. The heat detectors can be either fixed temperature, where an alarm is triggered when a threshold temperature is exceeded or rate of rise, ideal for already hot environment like boiler rooms, which detect changes using several thresholds.
Fire extinguishers- These are used to put out fires. There are different types of fire extinguishers depending on the type of fire being put out that can be used for church security basics. Fire extinguishers are also classified according to the fire they are designed to put out. The common classes are:
A: This as a class of fire extinguishers used to put out wood, paper and fires related to these types of combustible materials.
B: This is a class of fire extinguishers used to put out grease, oil and other fires from inflammable liquids.
C: This class of extinguisher is used to put out electrical fires. When fire is on electrical lines, and electronic appliances this is the best extinguisher to use.
Other considerations for the basic church security would be use of glass breakage detectors, Use of supervised lines, and zoning of the premises.
If the Church security basics are observed, there would be reduced incidents of losses occasioned by theft or by fire.