How to Disaster

"The only way through this is together." -Jennifer Thompson   E pisode Description:  We've come so far! And we did it together!  Thank you ever so much for being with us until this moment.    In Season 1 &2, we've met incredible people who faced life-threatening and terrifying wildfires and yet proved themselves resilient and selfless emergent leaders. We've also learned pr...

"You are not alone if you're going through a disaster. What we share is humanity."  -Jennifer Gray Thompson   E pisode Description:  Two seasons have passed since you walked this journey with us on How to Disaster . As we close the season and welcome another, we want to express our eternal gratitude to you for the support and love you've shown for the show.    In this episode, Jenn...

"When the call for evacuation comes, take it seriously. When the fire is coming at you, you don't have any time." -Gary Jones   E pisode Description:  "All the big decisions in life are before you", says Gary Jones, a Woolsey Fire survivor. We have heard Gary's story in part 1 of this interview. This week, Jennifer and Gary  discuss practical lessons on survival, healing, a...

"Let the timing flow, be open to finding your space. There is a room for everyone and a need for everyone to participate. We're at a critical point in human evolution where we don't have the luxury of waiting for everyone else to solve the problems. We have to do this together." - Jacqui Jorgenson   E pisode Description:  Majority of firefighters are volunteers. However, after risk...

"Fire never has enough. It has an insatiable appetite." -Gary Jones     E pisode Description:  "911 showed up six days later", says Gary Jones, a Woolsey Fire survivor. During a fire, you are on your own for days. So one of the biggest decisions we can make during a fire is to heed warnings immediately. On November 8, 2018, a bush fire was reported in Ventura County, California. Th...

"We have much worse wildfires due to everything that climate change has caused. We need to have a forward-thinking conversation, not a reactionary one." - Wendy Nystrom   E pisode Description:  We are living in a major historical event- climate change. And the best mechanism we have to combat this is community. By working together, we can overcome unprecedented events. Learn how your commu...

"A fundamental principle of innovation is that if you want more diversity of ideas and possibilities, you need to have more diverse brains in the room. That's not a diminishment of anyone. In fact, that's an elevation of everyone."  -Amy Simpkins   E pisode Description:  Electricity is probably one of the most significant achievements of all time. The biggest industries down to ind...

  "After every disaster, communities need to be rebuilt, but it shouldn't just be the powers from above that decide how that happens. There should be a participatory process for people to engage and reassess." - George Laws Garcia   E pisode Description:  What happens when politics enters into the disaster space? It depends on the community you ask, and for Puerto Rico, it's an unf...

"Advocate for yourself as best as you can in terms of knowing what your rights are.  There's this element where you lack confidence as a survivor, you think that that person knows more than you do and that's not true." -Kendall Jarvis Esq.    E pisode Description:  After a disaster, people go through two of the most complicated recovery issues at the same time: trauma and legal. It...

"You're in that place where disaster hasn't hit you, but you know it's coming. Start training now." -Tennis Wick   E pisode Description:  The community often looks to public sector officials for everything, and any delay or failure often turns to blame. Most people forget that these officials are victims themselves. The only difference is that the public sector stands at the fr...

"We don't have the time to be in constant debate. We have to find solutions…  and we're going to set the stage for a future that's going to be brighter." -Marko Bey      "We need to have a plan in place, and we need to practice these incidents before they ever occur. Preparation is crucial in this. Prevention response, recovery, mitigation- all are in a whole community resp...

"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   E pisode Description:  On September 8th of 2020, Oregon continues in high alert as another brush fire sparks along Almeda Drive, the 18th fire of the 2020 Wildfire Season. With unusually strong winds and extremely dry condit...

  "Sometimes, it's not going to be pretty. And sometimes, it's not going to be easy, but we're going to make it, and we're going to move on and move forward, oftentimes, to a better place." - Sydnie Kohara   In times of disaster, providing accurate information is crucial to public safety and recovery. In this episode, Jennifer interviews Sydnie Kohara, Founder of Kohara Stu...

SERIES: Role of the Non-Profit   "We had to understand that things were changing whether we like it or not. We want to keep things the way they were but to be resilient in the future, we need to adapt to the fact that fire is a necessary part of the ecosystem." - Lisa Micheli Ph. D   E pisode Description:  The 3 most expensive words are: equity, sustainability and resiliency. We are now in...

SERIES: Role of the Tribal Leader   "The policies that you make should reflect your love for the community... If you can't do that, then you need to take a step back and go talk to your elders again." -Reno Franklin   E pisode Description:  Did you know? - The first inhabitants of coastal Sonoma County were the Kashia/Kashaya Band of Pomo Indians!    In this episode, Jennifer sits with...

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 E pisode Description:    There are so many layers to unpack in a disaster. Everything happens so quickly, people are anxious, supplies are r...

SERIES: Role of the Non-Profit   "A lot of Adjusters come in from out of state. They're supposed to be trained,  but they often don't.  So it often falls to the property owner to stand up for themselves." -Amy Bach E pisode Description:  One of the urgent issues in recovery is insufficient insurance. It is often dismissed by many because of varied reasons. Whereas, for the ones tha...

SERIES: Role of the Non-Profit   "You don't want to say to people, 'trust no one'. You want to say, 'trust but verify'. "    -Amy Bach   E pisode Description:  Getting insured is one of the best things you can do before a disaster strikes. It gives you the power to protect your family and property after the immediate dangers have passed. However, some people may try to...

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   E pisode Description:  In the event of a disaster, first responders receive ca...

SERIES: Role of Agriculture   "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    E pisode Description:  The majority of wildlands are privately owned. This fact can help us understand the extent of our impact as landowners and as neighbors. In order to see changes, we need to supp...

SERIES: Role of the Public Sector   "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   E pisode Description:  "To Protect and To Serve" is more than a motto. It is a vow that every police officer must take seriously. What does it mean to be a poli...

SERIES: Role of the Mental Health Care Leaders   "We have to go beyond education, we need mental health action!" -Adrienne Heinz, Ph. D.   E pisode 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 menta...

SERIES: Role of the Public Sector   "When things go wrong, if you're not already ready, it's too late to get ready." -Nancy Brown   E pisode Description:  Preparedness builds resilience and a resilient community always wins over any disaster. In this episode, Jennifer sits with Nancy Brown, the Community Preparedness Program Manager of Sonoma County. Nancy talks about the role of t...

SERIES: Role of Mass Media "If we are in a position to be able to save lives, let's make sure we are adamantly prepared to do that." -Pat Kerrigan   E pisode Description:  If you are sitting in a broadcasting studio with phones ringing non-stop, what would you do? KSRO News Director, Pat Kerrigan spent 24 days on-air delivering urgent news and serving the community in every way she can...

SERIES: Role of the Community Leader   "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   E pisode Description:  Discover how emergent leaders are made way before a disaster even strikes! This week, Jennifer and Margie Foster, one of Glen Ellen's emergent leaders teach how to...