UPPER MARLBORO, Md. - Marylandian -- Kenneth L. Briscoe has spent most of his life running toward danger so others don't have to. As a decorated U.S. Army Special Operations Officer and a 20-year veteran of the Department of Homeland Security, he's been in the rooms where the hardest decisions get made. Today, that experience has a new home: the church pew and the classroom. His new handbook, Emergency Planning for Faith Based Organizations: A Guide to Securing Your Church and School, released in March 2026, gives faith leaders and school administrators something they've long needed but rarely had: a real plan, written by someone who has lived through the worst.

The handbook is direct and deeply practical. It covers active shooter events, lockdowns, shelter-in-place situations, natural disasters, and fires. Each scenario is covered with clear, actionable steps that don't require any prior security training to follow. Briscoe wrote it for the pastor of a small congregation who has never thought about emergency planning and the administrator of a faith-based school who has thought about it but never known where to start. It meets people exactly where they are.

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Briscoe's resume speaks for itself as he has served in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Uphold Democracy in Haiti, and Restore Hope in Somalia. At DHS, he was one of the architects of the Office of Business Continuity and Emergency Preparedness and played a key role in the federal response to Hurricanes Katrina, Sandy, Rita, and Andrew. His commitment to documenting practical guidance goes back more than a decade as in 2013, he authored Disaster Management & Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP) Handbook, still available on Amazon for emergency management professionals. He has walked through communities after a catastrophe. He knows what preparedness looks like, and he knows what the absence of it costs.

"Churches and faith-based schools are the heart of our communities, and right now, most of them have no written emergency plan," said Briscoe. "I spent four decades learning how to protect people in the most dangerous environments on earth. This handbook is my way of making sure that knowledge gets into the hands of the leaders who need it most, before they need it most."

The need is urgent. Threats against houses of worship and faith-based schools have grown steadily in recent years, yet most remain without a formal emergency protocol. Briscoe is clear that this handbook isn't about fear. "Preparation is about honoring the people who trust you with their safety every time they walk through your doors," he says. "That's a responsibility worth taking seriously."

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Emergency Planning for Faith Based Organizations: A Guide to Securing Your Church and School is available now on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Kenneth is available for media interviews, podcast appearances, and speaking engagements via candice@candicenicolepr.com. To follow his work and stay connected, find him on LinkedIn by visiting HERE or searching "Kenneth Briscoe'.

About Kenneth L. Briscoe

Kenneth L. Briscoe is a retired U.S. Army Special Operations Officer, decorated combat veteran, and 20-year Department of Homeland Security veteran. He is a co-creator of the DHS Office of Business Continuity and Emergency Preparedness and has led disaster response operations for some of the most significant natural disasters in modern American history. A holder of three Meritorious Service Medals and nine Commendation Medals, Kenneth now serves faith communities and educational institutions as a speaker, trainer, and security consultant. His handbook, Emergency Planning for Faith Based Organizations: A Guide to Securing Your Church and School, is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.