38% Prepared

This week, Leigh and producer Christy reflect on the devastating floods that struck Texas Hill Country over the July 4th weekend—and what we can all learn from this tragedy.

We discuss how to be 38% prepared for disasters like flash floods, which are the deadliest weather event in the United States.

For more flood safety tips, check out Episode 5: “Hello Spring, Flood Me Not,” where we share why flash floods are the #1 weather-related killer in the U.S.

What You'll Learn:

• How to assess your flood risk (even if you don’t live near water).

• The top alerts, apps, and tools you need to stay informed.

• How to build a go-bag and plan evacuation routes.

• Why “Turn Around, Don’t Drown” could save your life.

#38PercentPrepared #FloodSafety #TexasFloods #DisasterPreparedness #TurnAroundDontDrown #EmergencyPreparedness #WeatherSafety #FamilySafety #StayPrepared #FlashFloodAwareness #PodcastEpisode #ListenAndLearn

Part 3 of "What Really Happens" series: SBA Loans & Long-Term Recovery Groups!

After a disaster, getting back on your feet takes more than just clean-up, In Part 3 of "What Really Happens" series-38% Prepared, Angie & Leigh walk you through the next phase of recovery — including FEMA's lesser-known programs and how the Small Business Administration (SBA) steps in (hint: it’s not just for businesses!).

📝 Because thinking is the first step of preparedness.

🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform.

#DisasterRecovery #SBA #FEMAHelp #PreparednessPodcast #38PercentPrepared #EmergencySupport #BeReady #AfterTheStorm #ThinkToPrepare #38percentprepared #38pctprepared #38percentpreparedpodcast

🎯 What you’ll learn:

• What You'll Learn:

  • The difference between Other Needs Assistance (ONA) and Temporary Housing Assistance

  • What ONA covers beyond property damage (like medical costs and funeral expenses)

  • How Temporary Housing programs work — from rental aid to hotel coverage

  • What FEMA’s Home Repair Assistance includes (including accessibility and mold remediation)

  • Why not all disasters qualify for FEMA help

  • The importance of the “no duplication of benefits” rule

    
    

Key Programs Covered:

• 
  
• ONA: Personal property, vehicle, medical/dental, funeral, childcare, tools, and more
• 
  
• Temporary Housing: Rent assistance, hotel stays, trailers, and utility support
• Home Repair Assistance: Structural repairs, accessibility updates, plumbing/electrical fixesWhether you’re a renter, homeowner, or business owner — this episode has something for you.

Reminders:

• Only available after a federal disaster declaration

• You must meet residency and citizenship criteria

• Keep documentation for every expense

• Don’t assume you’re ineligible — apply early!

In this continuation of the 38% Prepared Podcast series on disaster recovery, hosts Angie and Leigh discuss  FEMA's individual assistance programs that become available after a federally declared disaster.

What You'll Learn:

• The difference between Other Needs Assistance (ONA) and Temporary Housing Assistance

• What ONA covers beyond property damage (like medical costs and funeral expenses)

• How Temporary Housing programs work — from rental aid to hotel coverage

• What FEMA’s Home Repair Assistance includes (including accessibility and mold remediation)

• Why not all disasters qualify for FEMA help

• The importance of the “no duplication of benefits” rule

Key Programs Covered:

• ONA: Personal property, vehicle, medical/dental, funeral, childcare, tools, and more

• Temporary Housing: Rent assistance, hotel stays, trailers, and utility support

• Home Repair Assistance: Structural repairs, accessibility updates, plumbing/electrical fixes

ImportantReminders:

Remember: The first step in preparedness is thinking - and taking notes!

🎙️ Why We Don’t Prepare for Disasters
Episode Summary
Why do we delay emergency prep—even when we know better? In this episode, our host Leigh, Angie, and producer Christy unpack the hidden psychological biases that hold us back, like normalcy bias and short-term thinking.

You’ll learn simple, practical ways to shift your mindset and take action—because thinking is the first step of preparedness.

🎧 Keep the Conversation GoingListen to more episodes of 38% Prepared and make preparedness feel like a normal part of life—not something to dread. Understanding why we don’t prepare is the first step to doing it better.

⁠Follow us on Instagram⁠

⁠Listen on Spotify⁠

⁠Listen to us on Apple Podcast⁠

#disasterpreparedness #emergencypreparedness #beready #planahead #whywewait #38percentprepared #38pctprepared #decisionlab #preventionweb #ostrichparadox

🧠 What You’ll Learn
1. Normalcy Bias – “It Won’t Happen Here”

• Why about 80% of people underestimate the threat—even when danger is close

• How our brains cling to “business as usual,” even during hurricanes or wildfires

• Real stories of how this bias plays out in emergencies
  ✅ Try this: Watch realistic disaster scenarios or join a local drill to gently challenge your assumptions

2. Optimism Bias – “It Won’t Happen to Me”

• The sneaky belief that bad things happen to others, not us

• Why we often prep for big disasters but overlook everyday emergencies like house fires
  ✅ Try this: Rely on facts, not feelings—and reframe preparedness as a loving investment in your future self

3. Myopia – “I’ll Do It Later”

• Why it’s hard to spend time and money today for a “maybe” tomorrow

• How this bias is hardwired into our brains (hello, marshmallow experiment!)
  ✅ Try this: Break it down! Start small, and find prep steps that benefit you now and later

💬 Notable Quotes

“Thinking is the first step of preparedness.”
“These biases aren’t character flaws—they’re how our brains are wired.”
“Preparedness is about being honest: emergencies will happen. You can handle them better if you're ready.”

📚 Credits and Further Reading
Here are some of the resources we used in this episode:

• The Decision Lab – Normalcy Bias

• PreventionWeb – Why People Don’t Prepare for Disasters

• The Ostrich Paradox by Meyer & Kunreuther (Wharton School Press)

🌪️ May 22 marks 14 years since the EF5 tornado devastated Joplin, Missouri. In our latest episode, we unpack the Netflix doc The Twister: Caught in the Storm—and what it teaches us about being prepared when disaster strikes.

What’s Inside:

• A Harrowing Look: How the film captures the raw, personal stories of teens and young adults who had just celebrated graduation before the storm hit.

• Ignored Warnings: Why many Joplin residents didn’t respond to sirens—and what we can learn from that.

• Unfiltered Reality: The documentary’s use of real-time, first-hand footage from phones and cameras.

• Stories of Survival: Memorable accounts from people like Mac, Kaylee, Eric, Cecil, Steven, and Chad.

• Emotional Aftermath: How the tornado affected survivors mentally and emotionally for years to come.

• Preparedness Tips: What this disaster teaches us about being ready, even when away from home.

• A Community Rebuilt: How Joplin pulled together to recover and rebuild.

Joplin Tornado Snapshot:

• EF5 tornado with winds over 200 mph

• Over a mile wide

• 158 lives lost, 1,000+ injured

• 7,500+ buildings destroyed

• Among the costliest tornadoes in U.S. history

  
  

  📚 Resources Mentioned in This Episode

  • 📺 The Twister: Caught in the Storm — now streaming on Netflix

  • 🌪️ Skywarn — National Weather Service’s volunteer program for storm spotting and weather education (weather.gov/skywarn)

  • 📱 Weather Tools — Radar apps and YouTube storm trackers for real-time severe weather updates (e.g., RadarScope, MyRadar, Ryan Hall Y’all, Reed Timmer)

Did you know that, according to FEMA, only 38% of people in the U.S. are prepared for a disaster? In this episode of 38% Prepared, Angie and Leigh kick off a brand-new series focused on what happens after a disaster strikes.

🔍 What You'll Learn:

• What the "Sequence of Delivery" is and why it’s critical for disaster recovery

• The difference between the response and recovery phases

• Immediate actions to take after a tornado or similar disaster

• How to report property damage to local emergency management

• When and how to file insurance claims

• What mass care services are available right after a disaster

• Which initial FEMA assistance programs may be available

🌪 Disaster Scenario:

Using a tornado scenario, Angie and Leigh walk you through what happens when:

• Your home is damaged but still standing

• You have a hole in the roof and broken windows

• Your car is crushed by a fallen tree

• You have no power or internet access

🛠️ Key Actions After a Disaster:

• Find a safe place to stay if your home is uninhabitable

• Report property damage to local emergency management
  (Tip: Find out how to do this before disaster strikes!)

• File claims with both homeowners/renters insurance and auto insurance

• Seek out mass care services like sheltering, food, and emergency supplies

  
  

🏡 Initial FEMA Assistance Programs:

After an official disaster declaration, the following programs may be available:

• Lodging Expense Reimbursement (LER): Covers short-term lodging costs

• Rental Assistance: Helps with temporary housing costs

• Emergency Assistance: A one-time payment (around $750) for immediate needs

  
  

⚡ Important Notes:

• Local communities may offer additional resources not covered in this episode

• Insurance companies and contractors may be backlogged after major disasters

• FEMA will not duplicate benefits already covered by insurance

In this episode, Leigh and Angie uncover the sticky tragedy—the true story of the 1919 Great Molasses Flood in Boston’s North End. A seemingly harmless substance turned into a deadly force, killing 21 people and injuring over 150 people.

This historic disaster helped usher in modern building codes and corporate accountability, leaving a lasting legacy in safety regulation.

"Thinking is the first step of preparedness. And for this episode: situational awareness is the first step of preparedness." — Leigh

#slowasf # molasses #disaster #boston #crazy #facts #history # 38%prepared #38pctprepared

🔍 Episode Highlights:

• The Unexpected Danger: A 50-foot-tall, 90-foot-wide industrial tank holding 2.3 million gallons of molasses suddenly ruptures.

• Not So Slow: The molasses swept through the city at 35 mph, faster than most people can run, creating a 25-foot wave weighing 26 million pounds.

• Engineering Failures: The tank’s walls were only half as thick as needed, and made with poor-quality steel—leading to a catastrophic collapse.

• Ignored Warning Signs: Leaks, cracks, and groaning noises were reported by workers, but dismissed by company officials.

• Devastating Aftermath: First responders waded through hardening molasses; cleanup required salt water, sand—and even flamethrowers.

  
  

  🛠 Key Preparedness Takeaways:

• Document Safety Concerns: Take photos, notes, and keep records.

• Build a Paper Trail: Send emails and make formal complaints to create documentation.

• Know Your Rights: Understand local regulations and who enforces them.

• Connect with Neighbors: Collective action can amplify your voice.

• Have an Escape Plan: Always be ready for unexpected emergencies.

• Situational Awareness: Stay alert to industrial or environmental risks in your area.

Resources

Heart health matters year-round! Although February was American Heart Month, it’s important to keep the conversation going. This episode explores how heart disease uniquely affects women and why it remains their #1 killer.

Stay informed, recognize the signs, and take steps to protect your heart health!

❤️ You’re never too young or too healthy to be affected by heart disease. Trust your instincts, and seek help if something feels wrong.

#hearttruth #hearthealthy #38%prepared #38pctprepared #heartdisease

❤️ Learn about:

• How heart disease impacts women differently

• Recognizing atypical heart attack symptoms

• Understanding microvascular disease & MINOCA

• Pregnancy complications as future heart risk indicators

• The role of menopause in heart health

• High blood pressure: The "silent killer"

• Heart disease causes 1 in 5 female deaths

• Over 1 in 3 women live with heart disease

• 71% of women don’t discuss heart health with their doctors

• Women are 50% more likely to receive a misdiagnosis

✔ Stay active
✔ Maintain a healthy weight
✔ Eat a heart-healthy diet
✔ Quit smoking
✔ Manage stress
✔ Limit alcohol

🚨 Chest pain or discomfort
🚨 Upper back/neck pain
🚨 Unusual indigestion
🚨 Extreme fatigue
🚨 Shortness of breath
🚨 Sudden dizziness

Resources & Credits

American Heart Association:

• The Slowly Evolving Truth About Heart Disease and Women

• Heart Attack Symptoms in Women

• Heart Disease: Symptoms & Prevention

• Women & Heart Disease

• 8 Things Every Woman Should Know About Her Heart

Mayo Clinic:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):Penn Medicine Research:

In this surprise pop-up episode, co-host Angie gets an unplanned "power outage challenge" when the lights go out for nearly 12 hours. From habitually flipping dead light switches to realizing which medical devices need backup power, she shares real-life lessons on surviving without electricity. Tune in for practical tips and a fresh perspective on just how much we rely on power!

#poweroutage #preparedness #backuppower #38%prepared #38pctprepared #38prepared #

Call to Action: Look around your home and identify all the items that require electricity. Then consider how you would manage without them and what non-electric alternatives you might need during an outage.

In This Episode:

• Angie’s unexpected 12-hour blackout after a downed power pole
• The surprising instinct to keep flipping light switches
• Why losing internet feels like the biggest disruption
• Food struggles—and why peanut butter sandwiches win
• How power outages affect pet care essentials
• Backup plans for medical devices like CPAP machines
• The mystery of toilets that won’t flush—solved!
• Simple steps to prepare for the next outage

Key Takeaways:
✔ Keep portable battery packs charged
✔ Use battery-operated lights in dark spaces
✔ Plan backup power for medical devices
✔ Stock non-electric food and a manual can opener
✔ Learn how to manually open your garage door
✔ Have entertainment options that don’t need power

Resources Mentioned:

• Battery-powered push-button lights for dark spaces
• Power banks to charge multiple devices during an outage
• Battery backup options for essential medical devices like CPAP machines
• Generators—now more affordable for home backup power

THIS IS NOT ME! Hosts Leigh and Angie dive into financial scams, sharing Thelma’s story to uncover how scammers use psychology to target even the most cautious people.

#elderfraud #giftcardscam #Thelma #38%prepared #38pctprepared #38percentprepared

Key Points:

• A $5 software add-on led to an elaborate scam.
• Scammers use psychology to manipulate victims.
• Politeness makes it hard to stop scams.
• Victims often feel too ashamed to report them.

Alarming Stats:

• FBI reports $3.5B lost to scams in 2023.
• Elder fraud victims lose $33,915 on average.
• 81% of victims feel anger, 36% feel shame.
• 24% never tell anyone about their experience.

Safety Tips:

1. Avoid email links; go directly to bank websites.
2. Hang up on suspicious calls, then call your bank.
3. Set family consultation requirements for large transactions.
4. Don’t be afraid to be “rude” to protect yourself.
5. Talk fraud prevention with family.
6. Set transaction limits on accounts.
7. Check local consumer resources through the police.

Resources/Credits:

Gift Card Scams

Gift Card Scams/Federal Trade Commission Consumer advice

Elder Fraud Conversation We Need