1. Church Administrators & Emergency Planning
Minnesota Department of Public Safety
State Fire Marshal Division

2. Topics Church Fires in Minnesota Prevention of Fires
Fire Protection Systems
Emergency Planning

3. Church Fires in Minnesota
From (9 years):
332 fires (37 per year)
$7,740,706 in property loss ($860,078 per year)
23 fires with $50,000 damage or more (94% of the total property loss)
About 3 per month; we tend to think of them as pretty isolated but dramatic.
More common than most people know but many are very small – the ones with $50,000 or more are the ones you tend to hear about (roughly 2 ½ per year)

4. Church Fires in Minnesota
Most common causes:
Intentional: 37
Equipment failure: 31
Act of nature: 12
Other “accidental” cause: 55
Cause not listed: 130

5. Church Fires in Minnesota
Area of origin (where they start):
Outside area: 35
Kitchens: 11
Assembly / sanctuary: 11
Heating / mechanical spaces: 11
Egress system (halls, entrances, etc.): 9
Storage areas: 9
Bathrooms: 5
Office areas: 4
Removing car fires from the list (about 40)

6. Preventing Fires High Risk Areas for Preventable Fires:
Cooking (how trained are people who cook in your facilities)
Candles (keep at least 18 inches from things that can burn – wood, paper, plastic, cloth materials, etc.)
Heating / mechanical areas:
Maintenance of equipment
Combustible storage near heating equip.
Difficult to prevent intentional fires (arson fires)
Also mention housekeeping (keep combustibles away from heat sources and limit opportunities for intentional misuse)

7. Interior Concerns
Refrain from storing gas-fueled equipment in the building:
Snow blowers, lawnmowers, etc.
Allowed inside building if stored in separate fire-rated room
Egress system (corridors, stairs, etc.) blocked with storage

8. Exterior Concerns Keep dumpsters away from buildings
Storage sheds and outbuildings – keep at least 10 feet from main building
Wood chip / mulch fires

9. Fire Protection – Hierarchy of Effectiveness
Fire sprinkler systems – about 1 church saved each year
Fire alarm systems – about 2 fires detected each year
Construction features:
Non-combustible construction – limits spread
Fire separation walls / doors
Portable fire extinguishers
Sprinkler systems give you lots of options
Although non-comb construction limits spread, many spaces are large and open
Fire doors being propped open is a big problem in many commercial buildings including churches – consider magnetic hold-opens

10. Fire Safety & Evacuation Planning
Required for larger churches:
Multi-use facilities with large reception spaces, day care, or pre-school functions
Used exclusively for worship for 2,000 or more occupants (big church!)
Buildings used for housing and sleeping purposes (Families Moving Forward, Interfaith Hospitality Network, etc.)
Families Moving Forward

11. Fire Safety Plan – Contents
Procedure for reporting fires
Site plans (hydrants, FD access locations, occupant assembly point)
Identification of responsible persons:
Maintenance of fire protection systems
Building housekeeping and maintenance (eliminating fire hazards)
Business interruption considerations

12. Fire Evacuation Plan – Contents
Means of notifying occupants of a fire:
Fire alarm system, public address, etc.
What does it sound like?
Identification of egress routes
Procedures for accounting for staff and occupants (primary & secondary means)
Relocation of occupants
Reporting the fire to the fire department

13. Questions