You Are Here

Helping visitors find their way

You Are Here maps

Every time you step into a shopping mall, you likely pass by a map very similar to the one pictured above. This is, very simply, a You Are Here map. This type of mapping, or wayfinding, is very easy to create and is incredibly helpful in directing people to a specific destination.

You already know how they work. A notation on the map helps the viewer orient to their current location and the direction they’re facing. From there, it’s a fairly simple matter to visibly chart a path to wherever one wishes to go.

Aside from malls, we see them frequently in various businesses, transportation terminals, hospitals, VA medical centers, schools and, increasingly, churches.

Pictured above are two views of a You Are Here map located adjacent to one of the primary entrances to First Baptist Church in Bryan, TX. As with all other such maps designed by 3:5-6 Maps, this is a simple and straightforward design that is taken from the base floor maps of their facilities.

Once the primary floor designs are complete, it’s an easy step to use the finished map to create these very effective wayfinding tools to help visitors navigate a campus or facility that may not be familiar to them.

You Are Here maps are remarkably effective in helping visitors to a new campus, or facility, navigate a path to where they wish to be; especially when greeters or other staff are not available to assist.'

Many churches today hold community events during weekday hours, or host a food panty or pastors conference. So many people walk through the doors of our churches in the hours outside the usual weekend worship times. Many of those folks need help finding their way both spiritually and spatially.

You Are Here maps are just one of a number of wayfinding tools that make it far easier and much less stressful for a visitor to your church to find their way.

Emergency Evacuation Maps and Your Church

Given the current cultural environment, many churches have begun to implement safety and security processes to assist members and guests. The challenges facing faith organizations have never been more evident to church leadership and attendees.

Numerous churches have put in place safety teams, while others have invested in an on-campus law enforcement presence during services and public events. Some utilize a combination of both.

However, not all threats to the lives of church members and guests originate from people outside the walls of our facilities. Numbers of churches have begun to develop an Emergency Action Plan in response to the threat of a natural disaster, such as an earthquake or tornado, or a fire.

One very important aspect of a well-developed EAP is the posting of emergency evacuation maps to help guide those unfamiliar with a facility to the safest, most effect routes of egress from a building in the event of an emergency, or to a place of refuge from a tornado or other natural disaster.

 There are no current OSHA standards as to the design, size or placement or numbers of emergency evacuation maps (local governmental agencies may, however, have requirements). A short visit to any number of public, private and governmental buildings will confirm this fact. Still, there are a few basic tenants that, when followed, will help any church in implementing a program of emergency exit maps for their facilities.

Why have emergency evacuation maps? Evacuation maps guide people exiting a building in a fire or natural disaster in the quickest and safest way possible. Exiting a burning building promptly and efficiently is one of the best ways to minimize or eliminate casualties. Don’t wait! Get out!

These maps help first responders in navigating a building interior, locating people who may be trapped by fire and in fighting the fire itself.

More than that, however, a well-designed evacuation map serves to educate staff, volunteers and others about your emergency planning and the location of EAP sites. A good map communicates that your church takes the safety of all who come there very seriously. After all, the very best map is the one that is read and understood before an emergency occurs.

Who should consider using emergency evacuation maps? Frankly, any church building could benefit from these maps. Aside from those who attend regular services, numerous churches host day care and pre-school centers. Others have full K-12 schools on-site and most all local fire statutes require emergency evacuation maps be posted within facilities used for educational purposes. Any building that accommodates large numbers of people would be well served to have emergency evacuation maps in place.

What information should be on an emergency evacuation map? Each such map should include an icon, or arrow, that helps the viewer easily understand where they are within the building.

I recently had the chance to view evacuation maps posted in a public-school classroom. The lack of any identifying icons or arrows specific to the actual room meant that a person unfamiliar with the school lay-out would have difficulty in charting a course of egress in an emergency.

There were no You Are Here notations, nor were there routes of egress to be followed. Paths to the closest exits (preferably within 125-150 feet) were left to the discretion of the viewer. A minimum of one egress route is a must and a secondary route is much preferred. OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910 Subpart E stipulates that two exits must be noted and far enough apart to accommodate people should one be blocked.

While You Are Here notations and routes of egress are the very least a good emergency evacuation map should contain, the location of fire extinguishers, AED units, first aid kits and spill kits and disaster recovery areas can also be noted. Emergency Assembly Points (EAPs or rally points) that are a safe distance away from a building can also be shown.

What is the best design of an emergency evacuation map? Clarity is the first order of business for an evacuation map. A few years past, I attended a meeting in our local police department and took a moment to view an emergency map posted on the third floor of the building. Fortunately, I was very familiar with the building lay-out, as the posted evacuation map was indecipherable, even to someone who reads maps every day. Nothing on the map pointed to my location, nor where paths of egress marked on the map. Clarity is an absolute imperative!

An 8.5” X 11” map size is easy to print and post in hallways, rooms and auditoriums. Frames for this size are easily obtainable as well.

Architectural floor plans tend to be very busy and unclear to most people. They generally contain much information that impairs a viewer in orienting to their location and charting a path of egress.

Where should emergency evacuation maps be placed? Post them in corridors and rooms, spaces where access to exits is least obvious. Emergency lighting is a must in the event power has been disrupted. No one can read a map in the dark!

Who has an interest in evacuation maps being posted? All local fire departments, law enforcement and first responders prefer evacuation maps. Fire departments routinely look for them during annual inspections. Making a digital copy of a church floor plan available to first responders is always a good idea.

Insurance carriers encourage the posting of evacuation maps and, in some instances, offer discounted premiums to churches that use them.

Review

Who should have emergency evacuation maps? If you’re reading this in your church, you’re likely a good candidate.

What information should a good map contain?

·        You Are Here notations

·        Routes of egress (two minimum)

·        Fire extinguisher locations

·        AED equipment

·        First aid kits

·        Spill kits

What is the best design?

·        Clarity!

·        8.5” X 11”

Where should evacuation maps be posted?

·        Hallways and rooms where exit paths are not obvious

·        In proximity to emergency lighting

Who generally wants to see evacuation maps posted?

·        Fire departments and first responders

·        Insurance carriers

·        Staff members

·        Members and visitors

Thanks so much for visiting with us here at 3:5-6 Maps. We appreciate your interest in our work and hope that you will connect with us should you see value in what we do for your campus.

Michael Sawyer

Church Wayfinding: Three Benefits

Navigating a new and unfamiliar church can be a real challenge for visitors. At times, its a challenge for members as well, as we expand and renovate existing church facilities. If your church campus poses a challenge for visitors to find their way for services, conferences, ministry and special events, church wayfinding may prove to be a major benefit.

Immanuel Baptist Church Lexington, KY

There are a number of specific benefits that are derived from having attractive and effective maps of a church campus and facility. For this blog installment, we’ll look at three.

1. Orient and connect visitors to your church

As mentioned above, visiting a new and unknown church campus can be a daunting experience. Often, just finding visitor parking can be a challenge, and locating the children’s areas can likewise prove difficult.

With or without an abundance of volunteers, a user-friendly map solution can help visitors identify important locations, either before arriving on the campus or while walking through a foreign hallway.

Employing printed and digital maps of your church campus and facilities can help visitors become more quickly acquainted with you and feel more familiar with their new surroundings.

2. Grow your church’s outreach potential

Society has become more mobile and dependent on technology, so it comes as no surprise that many people searching for a church home are turning to the internet to help them decide which churches to visit. As has often been said, the internet is the new front door to the church.

Maps have proven to be a great help to prospective visitors in preparing them for stepping into a new church campus, especially when placed on a church website to be viewed ahead of time.

Maps have stood the test of time, even in their most basic form, and serve well in helping people locate a desired ministry point, find how to get there and then navigate to that point.

Yes, volunteers are almost always on hand for services. However, they’re generally not on hand for mid-week or special events. A good map goes a long way to lessening the stress of navigating an unfamiliar building.

State Street United Methodist Church Jackson, MS

3. Increase visitor return rates

Providing people with campus information through easy-to-use church maps helps reduce confusion. A church map makes it far easier for visitors to understand their surroundings. Volunteers and staff can also assist visitors simply by pointing out on a map a path to a given destination. It can be a hand-held, printed map, a digital map on a mobile phone, a You Are Here map or a fully interactive mapping tool. They all work!

Well-designed and attractive campus maps help create an environment where visitors know that their needs and and expectations are being considered.

Next time, we’ll look at three additional benefits to church wayfinding. Thanks for visiting with us.

3:5-6 Maps is dedicated to helping people find their way through print and digital maps, aerial renderings and interactive mapping tools. 3:5-6 Maps simplifies the process of arriving at your destination.

Blog Post Title Four

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.