Frank Storch’s Safety Guide Offers Clear Way to a More Secure School

Frank Storch, author of “Keep Your School Safe” explains what motivated him to write such a guide.

“I have thought about making this guide for many years,” he said. “But because of the Newtown tragedy, I felt that it was imperative — now more than ever — for schools to take a much-needed closer look at their safety and security measures to keep our children from any potential harm.”

Frank Storch

The Newton tragedy which Frank Storch is referring to is of course the events of December 14, 2012, when a gunman forced his way into a Connecticut elementary school and kindergarten and murdered 20 children and six adults.

Ever since that morning officials who are responsible for the daily care of children have been asking the question, “How can we prevent that from happening to us?” Frank Storch’s guide is a concise, easy to understand pamphlet offering clear steps to making schools and other institutions safe and secure so such a tragedy can be prevented in the future.

“It’s a good, comprehensive document,” said Paul Goldenberg, national director of SCN (Secure Community Network) about “Keep Your School Safe.” “Though there’s no one-size-fits-all [security guide], this community created this document for their situation.”

Frank Storch Addresses Attendees at Celebration for AED Program

AED Saves Lives

The Doubletree Hotel in Pikesville, Maryland hosted a celebration of ten years since the inauguration of the AED project, a program established by Baltimore’s Project Ezra and the Chesed Fund.

Speaking at the celebration was Frank Storch, overseer of the Chesed Fund.

“Thousands of lives each year would be saved if more defibrillators were placed throughout the country. We, as the Jewish Nation, value life tremendously. The Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Program shows achdus, unity, and our commitment to help all Jewish people, regardless of their affiliations,” Frank Storch said.

Keeping Our Children Safe in School: A Security Guide by Frank Storch

“Keep Your School Safe” is a new guidebook written by Frank Storch, security consultant and coordinator for CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) of Northern Park Heights in Baltimore. The booklet is a 40-page handbook designed to help schools, yeshivas, and other institutions where children gather, to assess their security level and strengthen it if needed.

The Guide is available in hard copy, and has already been distributed widely, with 10,000 copies already printed and in circulation. Frank Storch is working hard to maximize the guide’s distribution by making it available as a downloadable PDF file on-line to anyone who wants it, for absolutely no cost or other obligation.

The handbook was reviewed by security professionals, including members of various law enforcement agencies and SWAT officials. Experts in the field of security from both the United States and Israel also examined and approved the guide.

Funding for the production and publication of the guide came from the Chesed Fund and Project Ezra of Baltimore, organizations in which Frank Storch has taken an active part on a regular basis in the past.

As Frank Storch says in the introduction to the guide:

“We were all shocked by the horrific tragedy that took place in December 2012 at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. This incident, along with the more recent Boston Marathon terror attack, calls attention to our schools’ crucial responsibility to protect our children.”

Therefore, Mr. Storch continues,

“The purpose of this guide is to help your school ask the right questions, the answers to which will help you create a safety and security program customized to your own particular needs.”

Ohr Simcha Offers Baltimore a Warm Shul Environment

After more than twenty years Congregation Ohr Simcha has been a vibrant, but small gathering place for Jews in Baltimore. About one and a half years ago the decision was made to take the leap, and more their premises and see if they could continue to offer the warm, intimate feel of the small shul, while at the same time expanding into a larger, more comfortable facility.

With the generous help of Frank Storch and his wife Danielle Ohr Simcha was able to more into larger premises on the Storch’s property. Since then the congregation has been growing by leaps and bounds. Yet, they have not lost their special welcoming character which allows all different types of Jews to feel comfortable within. The characteristics that made the shul so special in the first place are still present: sincere and respectful davening (prayer), a warm atmosphere, and a strong feeling of community.

The Aftermath of Hurricane Sandy: Baltimore Responded with Frank Storch

In a recent edition of the on-line edition of Jewish Action Frank Storch told the story of how he and several other volunteers from Baltimore brought truckloads of emergency equipment to the victims of Hurricane Sandy in New York City.

“I was in Israel when I heard about the hurricane. I changed my ticket so I could return earlier and help out.
A member of Hatzalah called, saying he was interested in taking some generators from Baltimore to New York. Instead of bringing just a few generators, I thought, Let’s make a large purchase of generators, gas cans, flashlights, batteries, lanterns—everything the communities would need. 

Home Depot in Baltimore was suspicious of the fact that we wanted to purchase hundreds of generators; they assumed we would be bringing them to New York to resell. I told them to speak with the attorney general of Maryland who knows me personally and could vouch for me. They contacted the attorney general and realized we had truly come to do a good deed. We ended up bringing 120 generators, 250 gas cans and thousands of batteries, flashlights, sump pumps, trash bags and more. With a caravan of four large rented trucks, one mini truck and my four-wheel drive, we left for New York with more than $150,000 worth of emergency equipment.”

Frank Storch in Yellow Jacket with Volunteers Helping Out During Hurricane Sandy

Growing Strong at Congregation Ohr Simcha

For fifteen years Congregation Ohr Simcha met in the private home of Mr. and Mrs David Wolf without even the benefit of the services of a rabbi. Five years ago the shul finally took the plunge and hired Rabbi Ari Storch to lead them, and lead them he did. Straight to a larger location, and the shul has not stopped growing since!

Frank Storch at Congregation Ohr Simcha During Purim

Thanks to the generous support of Frank Storch and his wife Danielle, Congregation Ohr Simcha was able to move to a larger facility, at the back of Frank Storch’s property, and watch their membership climb. On the first Shabbat after the change in venue about twenty of the congregations regular attendees came. Within just one week that number was already double. Today the shul can be proud of its 100 participants every Shabbat, all responding to the shul’s emphasis on a sincere, respectful service, a warm, welcoming, friendly atmosphere, and a desire to unify and strengthen their community while encouraging members from a large spectrum of the orthodox community.

Chesed Task Force of Greater Washington

Frank Storch furthered the cause of Chesed in Baltimore last week when he participated in the Chesed Task Force of Greater Washington's training program for volunteers (chaverim.)

See below for the details of the event, and if you would like to help, dont hesitate to call the number and volunteer. There is no greater mitzvah (good deed) than helping someone in need.