Season 5

“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...

“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...

“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...

"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...

“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...

“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...

“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...

“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...

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...

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.”...

"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...

“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...

“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...

“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...

“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.”...

“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...

“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...

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...