Disaster management practices in churches in London, UK

Churches, as living cultural heritage with tangible and intangible values, are at risk of disasters such as fire, flood and theft. By conducting 21 semi-structured interviews in 17 churches in London, we explore disaster management practice, specifically examining the main disaster risks, preparation and mitigation practices, available support, and response and recovery strategies. We found that while fire risk plans are widely implemented (86%), theft/burglary plans are less common (60%), and flood risk plans are rare (12%), reflecting low flood risk. Generic disaster management support is available, but difficult to customise for individual churches. Access to a committed volunteer base can aid disaster recovery, although heritage aspects introduce unique challenges involving both risks to heritage and risks from heritage. We also discovered that what is perceived as a disaster depends on the local context. There are several factors that affect the quality of disaster management plans including the financial and human resources available. A significant number of churches depend on insurance to fund recovery. This research also identified the limitations of academic disaster management cycle and explored how practical disaster management planning exists as a series of disconnected steps. • Churches combine tangible and intangible heritage, posing complex risks to and from them. • Disaster management is limited by financial constraints and lack of expertise. • Fire and theft/burglary plans are common; flood plans are rare. • Gaps between research and practice show opportunities for stronger engagement.