Nation IN BRIEF : FLORIDA : Church Members Go on Fire Guard Duty

Church congregations in Florida are going against the advice of police and breaking out sleeping bags for guard duty after a rash of fires. Churches in Gainesville and Ocala are letting parishioners sleep in sanctuaries following five church fires in four days. “That should be a job for trained security personnel or law enforcement,” said Lynn Cyprian, a spokeswoman for the Ocala Police Department. “It could be very dangerous. If they were by chance to fall asleep and the church is set on fire, they could burn to death.” The latest string of blazes began Oct. 18 and brings to 23 the number of church fires in Florida since the summer of 1990. A special task force hasn’t found any suspects or motives.