By Eric Spacek

The holiday season is significant in two important ways for nonprofit organizations: year-end giving reaches a peak and your nonprofit is a flurry of activity as people come and go. As you focus your efforts on soliciting donations, don’t forget about emergency preparedness up to and including an armed intruder. 

Here are some of the most important strategies to keep both your people and your nonprofit safe and secure throughout the holidays. 

Limit access to your building.

Keep detailed records of who has a key or card access to your property, and only offer keys/access to those who absolutely need them. If an employee or volunteer leaves the organization, retrieve their key or cancel their access card immediately. 

When people are present, limit and monitor access points. For example, any visitors should check in at your front office before being able to reach any other parts of your building. Clearly identify all exits and ensure the paths to those exits are free from obstruction.

Make a point of regularly checking lighting.

There should be sufficient lighting in your parking lots, walkways and entrances, and assign someone to regularly inspect all lighting. As daylight hours decrease in November and December, remember to reset automatic lights so they come on earlier in the evening or afternoon.

Have an emergency preparedness and response plan in place.

Your staff members should be fully trained and familiar with your emergency response plan. Conduct drills to ensure your nonprofit is ready for an emergency and require all who are on-site on training day to participate. Additionally, remember to include your local emergency response agencies in your plan, and provide them with copies of your plan, facility maps, and contact information. 

Keep a checklist of key contacts readily accessible.

In an emergency, you need to reach people quickly. Your list should include names, email addresses and phone numbers of your key contacts. Regularly review the list to make sure all information is current and keep several copies of the list in key locations throughout your facility as well as offsite.

Determine your approach to security.

In many cases, nonprofits choose to have a formal security team in place during the holidays. Options to consider, include:

• Unarmed volunteer security team – Volunteers and/or employees watch for suspicious behavior, de-escalate non-violent incidents, and alert people in your building to danger. 
• Armed volunteer security team – Your nonprofit is responsible for the team’s actions.
• Hired local law enforcement – Highly trained security who are experienced in handling a weapon in high-intensity situations. Many times, they will assume liability when they are responding to criminal activity at your facility.
• Private security contractors – An established security contract with a professional security service. Make sure your contract ensures they will assume liability for their actions and that the contractor is adequately insured and names your organization as an additional insured on their policies.

As your nonprofit prepares for the critical holiday season, be sure to set aside a few minutes to assess whether you have the above security measures in place. When you take proper precautions and remain vigilant, that can go a long way toward ensuring a safe holiday season for your organization.

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Eric Spacek is a regular contributor to The NonProfit Times and is assistant vice president – Risk Control at Church Mutual Insurance Company, S.I.

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