How to Disaster

2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT   Episode Description:  "We were rendering aid— food, medical, and those immediate needs until such that the government arrived. So we were in operation for 30 days." —Kalikolehua Storer   "Hard decisions had to be made that day. My daughter would grab the pets and I would grab my uncle. This was the plan… On the one-year date, I scattered my uncle's...

2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT   Episode Description:  "We have one chance, and we have one chance to get this right. If we rebuild Lahaina only for Lahaina, we will fail. We have to rebuild Lahaina for all of Hawaii, for all of mankind, so that Lahaina can be the example of how we need to move forward for Hawaii and for the world. The SAIL PLAN for Hawaii is in your hands. It's in all of...

2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT   Episode Description:  "Nothing else mattered more than helping our people… Together, we have the chance to not only rebuild, but to do so in a way that honors our past, supports our present, and secures a resilient future."  —Honorable Richard Bissen   The August 2023 Maui wildfire is considered the deadliest wildfire incident in the U.S. in over a century...

2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT   Episode Description:  "The most important people in the room are the people who have lived it, who went to bed one night and the next day when they woke up, their lives were absolutely never the same." —Jennifer Gray Thompson   "In Hawaii, we call land Aina, and within that word is the word AI, and AI is food, and that is what nourishes you. So we unde...

2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT   Episode Description:  "The biggest component of it is making sure that everyone's talking as much as possible, that there is collaboration and you're working together in order to make sure that kids have the support that they need." —Henry Meier   "If I don't feel emotionally safe, physical safety means nothing.—Kasey Earnest   "When we...

"If you're just doing a very limited role and not maximizing your contribution, you're selling yourself short. And it's probably not why you were selected." -Aristotle Wolfe   Episode Description:  When disaster strikes, police officers take on the difficult but vital role of protecting the public. They establish security perimeters, communicate warnings, and keep other first r...

"You do have to bring in some science and some education. But there is something that people who have this generational knowledge can teach." -Algeo Che Casul     Episode Description:  Mega fires pose a grave threat to private lands across California in the era of climate change. As hotter, drier conditions fuel larger and more destructive wildfires, the majority of wildlands that surround...

"Don't expect to go through it yourself. People will want to help, ask for it. And then when you get through your disaster, pay it forward." -Margie Foster   Episode Description:  When catastrophe strikes, it falls to ordinary citizens to come together, support each other, and lead the recovery efforts from the ground up.  And in these moments, they also discover inner strength and res...

"Be prepared so you can help, because everyone needs everybody in this situation." -Joshua Farrell   Preparation isn't just about survival— it's about having the capacity to help others. Our ability to lend a hand can significantly ease the burden and contribute to a faster recovery for the entire community.  In the previous episode, we covered the basics of individual disaster pre...

"If you're prepared, you're not freaking out, you're taken care of, and you can help other people." -Joshua Farrell   Being prepared for disaster is crucial for citizens and communities alike. When emergencies like wildfires or other natural hazards strike, they can overwhelm local response efforts and leave many residents vulnerable in the aftermath. However, with some basic p...

 "Don't isolate first responders by making them into heroes. The greatest thing that anyone can do is just say, 'thank you for your service.'" -Susan Farren   "We owe it to our first responders to do whatever we can to help make their jobs easier." -Bailey Farren Episode Description:  Our first responders and healthcare workers sacrifice so much to care for our communit...

"Being a volunteer is a privilege…  I wasn't documented so I volunteered a lot. And that volunteer work led many doors to be opened up for me." -Jocksana Corona   Episode Description:  When disaster strikes a community, ordinary people frequently discover an inner strength and sense of purpose they never knew they possessed. Driven by a desire to help their neighbors through difficult...

"You're in that place where disaster hasn't hit you, but you know it's coming. Start training now." -Tennis Wick   Episode Description:  In the aftermath of the devastating 2017 wildfires that destroyed thousands of homes in Sonoma County, Tennis Wick found himself at the center of recovery efforts as the director of Permit Sonoma.  This interview explores how to effectively na...

SERIES: Role of the Non-Profit   "You cannot approach a community without respecting in full who they are and their autonomy. If you can't approach it that way, it's going to come off as ingenuine, and they're going to read it right away, and that disengages people right off the bat." -Alma Bowen   Episode Description:  In the event of a disaster, first responders receive calls...

SERIES: Role of the Public Sector Leader    "Sometimes we think physically doing something for someone is what's best for them. But sometimes they just want someone to hear their story… Sit back and listen. People want to be heard." -Christa López Episode Description:    There are so many layers to unpack in a disaster. Everything happens so quickly, people are anxious, supplies are ru...

SERIES: Role of the Mental Health Care Leaders   "We have to go beyond education, we need mental health action!" -Adrienne Heinz, Ph. D.   Episode Description:  What's more terrifying and costly than cancer? Untreated mental health issues. Mental health is a huge part of recovery after a disaster. This week, Jennifer interviews Dr. Adrienne Heinz for an in-depth discussion about mental...

 "Be very careful what you promise unless you know you can deliver something. There is enough heartbreak in a disaster that people don't need to hear that you're going to solve all their problems, and then you don't." -Charles Brooks   The last thing we want to do in a disaster is to create another disaster, that's why having an organization to help build a system is invalu...

"You have to have some structure so that when that event happens, there's a trusted grassroots network in place." —Michael Morter   Episode Description:  It is said that disaster recovery is part problem-solving and part relationship-building. It recognizes that both practical solutions and social connections are vital to restoring what was lost and building resilience for the future....

"If you're a local leader, you're knee-deep in it, moving at the speed that the community wants you to move, in the direction that they're willing to go. That's the basis of a successful recovery." —Alicia Johnson    "We have to learn and be able to educate our communities around … the why behind what rebuild looks like." —Dave Reid   Episode Description:    Disaste...

"One of the beautiful things disasters have to teach us is how to not just offer support, but receive it." —Jolie Wills    Episode Description:  Emergent leaders and frontliners are akin to shock absorbers in a car. They absorb a heavy load of impact, cushioning the rest of the community. These individuals, by virtue of their roles, are at the frontlines of disaster response, spearheading...

"Helping people adjust to that new financial reality is really critical in helping them adjust quickly. Because the longer someone goes where they're spending more than they're making every month, the harder it is for them to recover long-term." —Kate Bulger     Episode Description:  When disaster strikes, loss of income is often an unpleasant reality. Whether it's due to busin...

"It's a matter of keeping the guardrails up and making sure that people continue to be safe." —Reina Pomeroy     Episode Description:  When disaster strikes, there's no time for mixed messages. Misinformation can fuel panic, hamper recovery efforts, and even endanger lives. Effective disaster response isn't just about physical aid— it's also about keeping the facts straight...

"Disaster relief needs a space where we can provide support for kids because it has so many knock-on effects. The only way a community up and running again is if they have reliable childcare." —Mikey Latner Episode Description:  Natural disasters can be very frightening for children. They may see or hear about things that are frightening, such as death, destruction, and violence. They may...

Welcome aboard to Season 5 of the How to Disaster Podcast!   When we launched this podcast a couple of years ago, we could not have foreseen the escalation of global warming in such a short span. Climate change is no longer a distant reality, and its impacts are being felt across the globe. Our health, economy, and social structures are experiencing unprecedented strain due to these cascading cris...

  "It's through those human relationships that make this whole thing tolerable to do because it's about the people involved." -Pamela Van Halsema   E pisode Description:  Wildfires are a natural part of the globe's ecosystem. But in recent years, they've become more common and destructive due to climate change. Wildfires have been occurring with greater frequency and intens...