Watchman’s Founder

Samuel Chism is the Founder, CEO, and Chairman of Watchman Risk Management, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening public safety through advanced emergency preparedness, threat mitigation, and active-shooter response training. Drawing on decades of military, security, and instructional experience, he has devoted his career to helping organizations and communities prepare for, prevent, and respond effectively to critical incidents.

A former United States Army Operator and Combat Veteran, Mr. Chism brings real-world tactical experience, disciplined leadership, and mission-focused crisis response to every training program he delivers. Following his military service, he served as Security Director and Coordinator for ARGA Assemblies, where he oversaw comprehensive security operations, emergency planning, and protective services for large-scale events.

Mr. Chism is a Nationally Certified Instructor through the A.L.I.C.E. Training Institute, one of the nation’s leading evidence-based active-shooter preparedness programs. He is also a FEMA Certified Emergency Management Specialist, a Certified Active Shooter Response Instructor through the Emergency Preparedness Institute (E.P.I.), and an A.L.E.R.R.T. (Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training) Certified Instructor, a credential recognized by law enforcement agencies throughout the United States.

As an innovator in emergency preparedness, Mr. Chism developed the P.I.V.O.T.™ Active Shooter Response System, a proprietary, civilian-focused framework that provides individuals and organizations with a structured, decision-based process for responding to violent critical incidents. He also created the O.U.T.™ Realtor Safety System, a practical personal-safety and situational-awareness program designed specifically to help real estate professionals recognize danger early, communicate distress discreetly, and safely exit threatening situations.

Through Watchman Risk Management, Inc., Mr. Chism provides training and consulting for churches, schools, corporations, nonprofit organizations, real estate professionals, and government agencies. His instruction emphasizes practical skills, clear decision-making, and confidence under pressure, equipping people to act quickly and effectively when seconds matter.

Mr. Chism is also the author of WELCOME TO “IT CAN’T HAPPEN HERE”: Southern Churches and Preparedness, a practical guide that challenges churches to rethink security, emergency planning, and their responsibility to protect their congregations. The book is available on Amazon: ⁠WELCOME TO “IT CAN’T HAPPEN HERE”: Southern Churches and Preparedness

His mission remains unwavering: to build faster, smarter emergency-response systems that save lives.