Videos

2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “Trust is so important to building a community of practice. And part of that trust comes from understanding where people are and where they stand.” —Michael McCormick “Once the scene is stabilized and we start to clean things up, and then there comes a…

2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: This recovery is slow, it's painful, and it's costly. We need patience, and aloha, and support because we're all in this together.” —Angus McKelvey “We have a lot of challenges moving forward, and it's figuring out the strategy of how we're going to approach…

2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “How you frame your argument is how you get them to listen.” —Jeff Okrepkie, Tubbs Fire 2017 “We're willing to help anybody out that is going through this now or in the future.” —Steve Crowder, Camp Fire 2018 “There's no playbook when it comes…

2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “Home ownership is about stability. Homeownership is about building wealth. Homeownership is about families. But if you don't have a clear title, you don't know if that stability is going to be there.” —Tim Carpenter Disaster strikes, but for some, the real battle is…

2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “As the recovery process continues, you have to continue to adapt.” —Emily Nilsen Disaster recovery is a complex challenge, but innovative lenders are stepping up to the plate. Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) like Impact Development Fund are providing flexible financing, coordinating resources, and…

2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “We're not powerless. We are not powerless against wildfire. We know what we need to do.” —Amanda West “I try not to use the word remove. Just move them. You can have plants. You can have a beautiful landscape. We want that five feet…

2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “Aloha does not mean hello and goodbye. Aloha has a much deeper meaning of love and respect. Hello to the return of our Indigenous kupuna knowledge and goodbye to the profit-making capitalistic colonization types of thinking that put profit over people.” —Ku’uleinani Maunupau Colonization…

2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “We are not hopeless against megafires. We are not hopeless against the era of climate change. We can do these things together because we are daring to hope and to help each other.” —Jennifer Gray Thompson As we bring this transformative event to a…

On the 7th anniversary of our creation, @afterthefireusa is taking time to show what we've been doing, where we are today, and what we care about most: disaster survivors and leaders. Our Story In October 2017, a massive wildfire devastated the California North Bay Counties of Sonoma, Napa, Lake and…

Wildfire Recovery Expert and CEO / Founder of @afterthefireusa Jennifer Gray Thompson speaks with NBC News Now about Maui Fires Recovery approximately 90 days post-disaster.

“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…

“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…

“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…

“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…

"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…

Website : https://afterthefireusa.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AfterTheFireUSA X: https://twitter.com/AfterTheFireUSA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afterthefireusa/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/after-the-fire-usa-8241b7217/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuTefxZgWUJkDVoZGZQpxgQ

“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…

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 circumstances, emergent leaders step forward to direct rescue efforts, organize relief supplies, provide calm guidance, and more. Though they…

“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…

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.”…

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…

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…

"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…

“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…