We the members of Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent, as a religious community, strive to create an environment upholding Unitarian Universalist principles by living in respectful relationship with one another. Our welcoming spirit and volunteer commitment is necessary to our congregational growth and health. Part of a healthy congregation is attention to safety. Safety is a condition in which individuals and a community experiences a freedom from danger or injury.

Child Protection and Safety

Our children and youth are one of our greatest treasures and we constantly strive to provide a safe and nurturing environment in which they can learn, explore, and flourish. Click here to open or download a copy of the UU Church of Kent’s Safer Congregation Policy.

Fire Safety

Although we pray to never experience a fire in the Church, on behalf of everyone’s safety we occasionally practice fire drills. Detailed below are the Church’s Sunday morning Fire Drill procedures:

Classroom Teachers and Youth Group Advisors:

take attendance clipboard
“lead teacher” should guide the children and youth down the main steps to the ground level and out the front door, near the elevator. Do not use the spiral staircase during a fire drill unless instructed to do so.
“helper teacher” should follow the last child or youth is out of the room
turn off lights
proceed with the children to the grassy area of the backyard of the Eldredge Annex
take attendance
hold up classroom clipboard to identify class (the grade level of each classroom is posted on the back of the clipboards)
report count to Karen Lapidus or whomever is leading RE in her absence
stay and keep children and youth close until all have been picked up by parents/guardians.

Teachers who are in the building, but not teaching that morning:

report to the nursery upon hearing the fire alarm
assist Michelle Bores and the nursery helper in getting the little ones out the front steps to the grassy area behind Eldredge Annex
stay and keep the babies and children close until all have been picked up by parents/guardians

Director of Religious Education:

sound the alarm
sweep the upper level of the church to assure that all have evacuated
report that the upper level has been evacuated to Melissa and/or the Sexton who should be stationed (or will be stationed) by the front doors
go to the grassy area of the backyard of the Eldredge Annex to help the teachers take attendance
take report of attendance from the teachers
release the children to their parents/guardians

Sexton:

upon hearing the alarm from Founders’ Lounge, sound the smoke alarm in Fessenden Hall
activate the stopwatch at the sound of the alarm
go to the ground level rooms
direct anyone in Fessenden Hall to exit the building via either the front or kitchen door
check all three bathrooms
“sweep” Fessenden, the kitchen and the storage area to assure that everyone has evacuated
turn off lights and shut all doors on the ground level
go to the lower front door (or to the bottom of the steps) and inform Melissa (or whomever is leading the worship service) that the lower level is evacuated
stop the stopwatch when Melissa has closed the door indicating that all are out of the 2^nd and 3^rd levels of the building

Minister and Worship Associate:

instruct congregants seated on the east side of the sanctuary to exit out the lobby door of the sanctuary, towards Founders’ Lounge and then out the front door and down the steps
instruct congregants seated on the west side of the sanctuary to exit out the back steps on the outside of the building
instruct congregants without children to gather on the pavement behind the church, in the Franklin Township Building’s parking lot or the large parking lot, but not blocking the driveway to assure that any emergency vehicles can maneuver through
instruct congregants who are parents/guardians to meet their children in the grassy area in the backyard of the Eldredge Annex and not to go up the stairs to retrieve them
guide and assist folks as necessary
exit the Sanctuary last, shutting doors and turning off the lights
check the library
check the elevator on the way out the front door
when you are sure that the middle level has been evacuated, close the front door

Music Director (or other musician) and Greeter(s), Choir members, Worship Associates (in the building, but not involved in worship that morning) and Board Members:

approach those who need special assistance leaving the building and assist them in getting to Founders’ Lounge
get assistance from other people as needed
Hal or other musician will get the wheelchair, located on the sanctuary level by the elevator and take it to Founders’ Lounge
for the purpose of the fire drill, those with mobility challenges will not leave the building since it would involve going down the front steps
in case of an actual fire, all the people listed above assist those with mobility challenges down the front steps and around the building to the back, transporting them in the wheelchair, as needed

Inclement Weather

Though we are unlikely to need to cancel Sunday services entirely (Rev. Melissa, our minister, and Hal Walker, our music director, live within walking distance), we may choose to have only the second service if the weather or the roads warrant a delay. It is more likely that we may need to cancel our religious education program in inclement weather as our Director of Religious Education, Karen Lapidus, and many of our volunteer teachers and advisors drive some distance to get to church.

If the weather or the condition of the roads cause you to wonder whether we are proceeding with our programming as scheduled, please check for cancellations before you head out.

You can check in one of three places:

our church’s Facebook page,
call the church number and listen to the message on voicemail
tune in to any television or radio station connected with iAlert.

Listed below are the TV stations, radio stations and websites that i-Alert notifies this year:

Television Stations powered by iAlert

WKYC-TV Channel 3
Radio Stations powered by iAlert

Newsradio WTAM 1100, AM
WMVX, Mix 106.5 FM
WMJI, Magic 105.7 FM
WGAR, My Country 99.5 FM
WAKS, KISS 96.5 FM
WMMS, 100.7 FM Cleveland’s Rock Station
WHLO, 640 AM
WKDD, 98.1 FM
RADIO FREE OHIO 1350 AM

90.3 WCPN ideastream

WCRF, 103.3 FM
WCLV, 104.9 FM
Websites

640whio.com