Katie Lighthall is the Coordinator for the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Strategy in the Western Region. She assists federal, state, local, and tribal agencies as well as non-governmental organizations so that they can be ready in case of a large fire disaster. When you’re coordinating for multiple agencies, it’s important that everybody is on the same page as quickly as possible. Katie shares her experiences on today’s show and showcases how she got into this field, in the first place!

 

Key Takeaways:

[1:10] A message from Leadership Nature.

[1:50] A quick intro about Katie’s background.

[3:35] How did Katie first get introduced to this industry?

[8:15] What kind of training do you need to get started in this work?

[11:0] When Katie had her first child, she still wanted to be involved with the fire department, but without taking calls in the middle of the night.

[14:05] Katie explains why we need a national cohesive wildland fire management strategy.

[20:50] Large fires are not handled by local firefighters. When big fires happen, they call state or even federal crews. This means there are multiple agencies coming in to tackle the fire.

[23:50] Everybody has a small part to play when it comes to wildland fire.

[27:25] What is the end-vision for the cohesive strategy?

[32:15] You need to evacuate your home earlier on red-flag warning day if you are caring for someone who has a disability and depends on you. Don’t wait till you receive an evacuation notice. The system is overwhelmed and by the time they get to you, it could be too late.

[36:25] What do leaders need to do better?

[41:15] What is Katie the proudest of about her career?

 

Mentioned in This Episode:

Fs.fed.us

“California fire forces senior living community evacuations”