Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 18 August 2025

Faith-Based Security Headlines

These updates are shared to help raise the situational awareness of Faith-Based organizations to best defend against and mitigate the impacts from all-hazards threats including physical security, cybersecurity, and natural disasters.

Ky. church hosts safety seminar following church shooting

On August 16^th, the Church of the Living God in Winchester, Kentucky, hosted a safety seminar in response to the recent Richmond Road Baptist Church shooting in nearby Lexington. The seminar was led by Jimmy Meeks, a retired police officer and pastor who founded the Bulletproof House of Worship Safety Conference, a program that has now reached more than 30,000 churches in 40 states. Meeks emphasized that in the past 25 years, more people have died in acts of violence in churches than in schools, underscoring the need for preparedness in faith communities. Dozens of pastors and faith leaders from across Kentucky attended, learning practical steps to improve security and protect congregants.

Analyst Comments: This seminar reflects a broader shift in how faith communities are approaching safety in the aftermath of high-profile shootings. Traditionally, churches have emphasized openness and accessibility, but growing threats have forced leaders to weigh those values against the need for physical security. Faith-based organizations face the challenge of balancing a welcoming environment with protective measures like drills, security protocols, or trained volunteers. This seminar demonstrates a proactive community response rather than waiting for another tragedy leaders are trying to build resilience ahead of time.

Key messages regarding Hurricane Erin

Hurricane Erin, the first major hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season, rapidly intensified, escalating from Category 1 to a Category 5. Sustained winds around 130 mph and hurricane-force winds extending up to 60-80 miles from its center and tropical-storm force winds reaching up to 230 miles. Although it is not expected to make landfall, its expansive winds can lead to life-threatening surf, dangerous rip currents, and potentially minor coastal flooding from the Bahamas to the U.S. East Coast and Atlantic Canada. AccuWeather highlights the storm’s forecasted path between the U.S. and Bermuda, warning that even without a direct hit, Erin’s size and strength pose serious hazards including rough surf, costal erosion, and hazardous marine conditions.

Analyst Comments: Hurricane Erin’s development shows several critical lessons for risk management and resilience planning. Although the hurricane may not hit land it is important to focus on the impacts that still may come with the weather. The rapid intensification from Category 1 to Category 5 within a short period reinforces the challenge forecasters and emergency managers face in preparing the public for storms that escalate faster than traditional preparedness. Erin serves as a reminder that preparedness measures like reinforcing costal defenses, reviewing evacuation protocols, and communicating risks beyond just landfall threat are important even if a storm is to remain offshore.

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