Wildfires, Floods, and Chaos Communications: Management of Issues, Crises and Disasters

Send us Fan Mail When the 2008 Porters Lake–Lake Echo wildfire tore through the suburbs east of Halifax, more than 5,000 people were forced to flee with only minutes to decide what mattered most. In this episode, Paula Danyluk‑MacDonald - evacuee, mother, neighbour, and principal of Atlantic View Elementary - shares her firsthand account of sudden evacuation, community fear, and the remarkable res...

Send us Fan Mail On February 10, 2026, the peaceful mountain town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia faced the worst school shooting in Canadian history. In minutes, eight lives were taken at the community’s only secondary school and at the shooter's  home, two more were critically injured, and the town was thrust into a nightmare no one could have imagined. In this episode of the Wildfires,...

Send us Fan Mail Tim provides an update after his nearly 3,000 kilometre journey through British Columbia and Alberta.  Community rebuilding after wildfires Emergency management insights from the road Personal reflections on safety and service 00:00 Road Trip Reflections 02:57 Community Resilience and Hope 05:47 Insights from Emergency Management Professionals 09:02 Challenges on the Road 12:03 Up...

Send us Fan Mail What motivates people to prepare for emergencies? Is this the best week for emergency preparedness - or are there greater opportunities lurking? Join Tim and the conversation, recorded Live on LinkedIn and YouTube.  In this episode, Tim will share his thoughts on what emergency preparedness means for responders, on your property and in your community. He's going to share the...

Send us Fan Mail Join Tim today, Tuesday, May 5 at 1700 Pacific, 1800 Mountain, 1900 Central, 2000 Eastern, 2100 Atlantic or 2130 in Newfoundland, for the next Live, on the Butterfly Effect Communications channels on YouTube, LinkedIn, and maybe on Facebook and TikTok too.  During the Live Episode: What motivates people to get prepared? Is Emergency Preparedness Week the best week for emergency pr...

Send us Fan Mail What's happening right now in crisis communications, emergency management, and issues management - and what should we be talking about?  Live Fridays (could be any day as Tim tries this out) is your space to ask questions, share what you're seeing in the field, and join an honest, real-world conversation about how we prepare for, respond to, and communicate through disas...

Send us Fan Mail In this Quick Bits update, Tim shares a deeply personal reflection following the recent passing of his mother, Carol Conrad , after a long journey with Alzheimer’s. Through stories from his childhood, Tim explores how his mother’s decades of volunteer work with the Canadian Red Cross shaped his own lifelong commitment to helping people during their hardest moments. This short epis...

Send us Fan Mail After a disaster, the world moves on, but communities don’t. In this episode of the Wildfires, Floods and Chaos Communications Podcast, host Tim Conrad talks with Deb Borsos , one of BC’s most respected recovery specialists, about what really happens after the emergency ends. Deb shares decades of hard‑earned wisdom from wildfire zones, flood‑stricken towns, and remote communities...

Send us Fan Mail In this Quick Bits update, host Tim Conrad shares what’s new across the Wildfires, Floods and Chaos Communications podcast. Our latest video episode, now on YouTube, features Robert Cosma, Emergency Program Manager for the Tŝilhqot’in National Government, paired with stunning visuals from the Chilcotin region. Tim also highlights a run of powerful recent episodes, including Crowds...

Send us Fan Mail Episode Overview In this powerful conversation, Indigenous emergency program manager Robert Cosma shares his journey from evacuee to one of the most respected emergency leaders in the Cariboo region. Robert speaks candidly about the realities of evacuations for First Nations communities, the cultural priorities that shape Indigenous emergency response, and why land, animals, and c...

Send us Fan Mail Quick Bits: Three Fire Chiefs video episode with a preview of our time with the Indigenous National Government's emergency manager, Robert Cosma. Plus, watch for an updated video episode of last month's Heather Shtuka episode.  Watch, listen and learn at www.communicationspodcast.com Visit www.communicationspodcast.com for more detailed show info including photos and vid...

Send us Fan Mail This episode brings together nearly 150 years of combined volunteer firefighting experience as three Bridgewater Fire Department leaders, Honorary Chief Reid Whynot , Honorary Chief Wayne Thorburne , and Chief Michael Nauss, sit down to reflect on the department’s 150th anniversary and the evolution of service, technology, and community over a century and a half. Host Tim Conrad g...

Send us Fan Mail When the Attention Leaves: Crisis Communications and the Search for Ryan Shtuka is now available in video at CommunicationsPodcast.com and our YouTube Channel .  Also included is a teaser of a new episode with a 150-year-old fire crew at a 150-year-old volunteer fire department in Nova Scotia.  Visit www.communicationspodcast.com for more detailed show info including photos and vi...

Send us Fan Mail On February 17, 2018, at a residence on Burfield Drive in Sun Peaks, British Columbia, Canada. 20-year-old Ryan Shtuka, a worker at Sun Peaks, vanished without a trace.  Ryan's mother, Heather, joins host Tim Conrad, APR, MCPRS , to reflect on what she learned when someone you love goes missing and how to keep the search alive.  Key Topics Covered Heather’s emotional opening...

Send us Fan Mail In this conversation, Tim Conrad and Karen Knight discuss the challenges and strategies in managing volunteers, especially during emergencies. They explore the importance of understanding volunteer motivations, maintaining their well-being, leveraging their skills, and the benefits of role rotation. The discussion emphasizes building relationships with volunteers, streamlining tra...

Send us Fan Mail Discover the crucial role of standardization in emergency services and how it saves lives. Standardization is the backbone of efficient emergency response, enabling services to respond quickly and effectively in high-pressure situations. In this podcast, we explore the importance of accreditation in emergency services, including its impact on communication, equipment, and procedur...

Send us Fan Mail Knowing what mitigations to have ahead of a cyberattack is one step in many as cybercriminals exploit vulnerabilities on mobile devices, computers and entire operations. Learn about the cyberattacks individuals and organizations face today from Kit Professionals' Hunter Geerts.  Listen for:  1:20 Attack methods 12:18 Ransomware and phishing, with a side of mitigation 25:27 VI...

Send us Fan Mail Conspiracy, AI-created imagery, misinformation and false information now dominate disasters, overpowering truthful and honest information. It is mainstream on social media, podcasts and traditional media, and often repeated by broadcasters, hosts and celebrities.  Pete Jensen is on the front lines of the southern California wildfires, where, in the past, he has served in many role...

Send us Fan Mail National Parks' search and rescue family liaison officer, Moose Mutlow, joins host Tim Conrad, APR, and shares how they connect incident command to families and friends to ensure strong communication throughout searches. Listen For: 01:50 - The roles of search and rescue and family liaison officers 10:33 - Setting the stage 28:40 - The idea of truth 40:28 - Finale - Three qui...

Send us Fan Mail Author Doug Levy, of The Communications Golden Hour® Book, joins host Tim Conrad, APR, for the final of three episodes to discuss the roles of public information officers and crisis communications in emergencies and crises/issues. Listen For: 01:08 - Who to trust? 11:17 - Is that a trusted spokesperson? 15:22 - They turned off the news and turned on an app 22:53 - Finale - Three q...

Send us Fan Mail Author Doug Levy, of The Communications Golden Hour® Book, joins host Tim Conrad, APR, for the second of three episodes to discuss the roles of public information officers and crisis communications in emergencies and crises/issues. Listen For: 01:05 - Communicating in the chaotic Trump style 10:40 - Media literacy 14:12 - Navigating global conflicts 19:45 - How values can be used...

Send us Fan Mail Author Doug Levy, of The Communications Golden Hour® Book, joins host Tim Conrad, APR, for the first of three episodes to discuss the roles of public information officers and crisis communications in emergencies and crises/issues. Listen For: 01:15 - From Practitioner to Author 11:27 - The Role, Skills and Practice of a Public Information Officer 20:30 - Communications is Two-way...

Send us Fan Mail It was the year 2008. Newspapers, local and provincial/state broadcast TV news, and radio news dominated the media landscape. Misinformation wasn't a word that was used. These are the stories of the before times. When coordinating more news media was easier than responding, developing, coordinating, producing, and posting media on all channels. Listen For: 03:55 - Size Up wit...

Send us Fan Mail How do you handle the unexpected when the stakes are at their highest?   Tim sits down with Shawna Bruce to break down the critical differences between a crisis communications plan and a full-fledged program .  Recorded live at the 2024 Canadian Emergency Preparedness and Climate Adaptation Convention in Ottawa, the conversation dives deep into the importance of preparedness, flex...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder what it takes to be the calm in the storm during an emergency?   Tim talks with Dorit Mason, an expert in emergency planning and operations. They look at the critical role of planners in emergency operations centres (EOCs), recalling their experiences managing wildfire evacuations in 2017.   Mason shares insights on the characteristics of a great planner, the importanc...