How to Disaster

 "Navigating a disaster is never about one person." -Pamela Van Halsema  

 

A disaster leaves its victim with questions and a lot of questions. Where do we go from here? When can we go back? How can we recover after a disaster? Hear these critical questions answered in today's episode. Jennifer interviews Pamela Van Halsema, Board Member of Coffey Strong, in her role as the Block Captain, and lessons from the way they worked together towards a happier, more resilient, and more beautiful town. Turn a devastated neighborhood into a paradise with your "fire family."  Tune in and find out how you and your community can recover and celebrate life again, rebuild as one, and reimagine endless possibilities for your community! 

 

Connect with After The Fire: 

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• YouTube

 

 

Highlights:

02:39: Facing the Hardest Question: Where Do We Begin?

09:08: When Can We Go Back? 

13:53: The Block Captain

21:54: Coming Together as a Fire Family 

29:37: Working Together to Rebuild

38:36: How to Recover 

"Be prepared so you can help, because everyone needs everybody in this situation." -Joshua Farrell

 

We've learned the basics of being prepared enough. Now the question is, "Are you prepared enough to help others?" Besides our basic needs, some additional necessities and actions are needed to survive a disaster. Find out what items to pack- from food to shelter and padlocks to sunblocks(?). In this episode, we also learn the secret to avoiding confusion and pressure in the event of a disaster. Tune in as the bag raid continues with Josh Farrell! Build resiliency, be prepared, be ready to help others.  

 

Connect with After The Fire: 

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• YouTube

Highlights:

02:38: Check #1- Communication and Respiration

08:57: Check #2- Rations and Essentials 

18:55: Check #3- Building Necessities

25:22: Check #4- Shelter and Pets and Sunblock?

31:40: Check #5-Clothing, Disinfection, and Navigation

37:20: How Heavy? 

41:33: Check #6- Power Supply

44:18: Prepared to Help 

"If you're prepared, you're not freaking out, you're taken care of, and you can help other people." -Joshua Farrell

 

In the event of a disaster, help may come later than expected. Therefore, the question that holds the utmost importance now is: Are you prepared enough? As individuals and citizens, we hold the responsibility to be prepared. In this episode, Jennifer interviews Citizen Prepper, Joshua Farrell on how to be prepared for any type of disaster, Joshua shares tips and habits that could save your life one day. He also lets us in on an exciting bag raid! Tune in and find out what necessities are in Joshua's to-go bag and discover essential things you can include in your disaster checklist. 

 

Connect with After The Fire: 

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• YouTube

Highlights:

02:03: The Citizen Prepper

08:11: A Wildfire Like No Other

13:36: How to be Prepared

24:14: Why be Prepared

27:47: What to Put In Your To-Go Bag 

37:53: Be a Citizen Prepper

"How to Disaster: Recover. Rebuild. Reimagine" is a podcast that focuses on the stories of individuals that have encountered a disaster. Most notably the 2017 wildfire disaster in counties north of San Francisco. On the evening of October 8, 2017, eleven fires erupted across four counties: Lake, Sonoma, Napa, and Mendocino. These fires were "mega fires" and over the next 23 days, they grew, merged, and destroyed over 9,000 structures and over 6,000 homes and took 43 lives. The scale and scope of the disaster were unprecedented. The community was left stunned yet determined to overcome and to do it together. 

Since 2017, wildfire disasters have continued, year in and year out. Our new reality is shared across the state of California and recently, the entire American West. The question of "How to Disaster" has become an urgent question for those who were recently devastated and those who wish to build resiliency into their communities. 

 

Description of Podcast

The podcast has been titled to direct our messaging as we examine each facet of disaster. During times of crisis, answering our basic questions come paramount – where, what, when, why, and most important – how. That's where the action occurs. This is where the "How" meets the Humans who have had to navigate the destruction and create an ecosystem of recovery and resiliency.

These stages of a disaster will allow us to dive into each sector to bring in experts from the field, local governmental leaders, and citizen community voices that have lived through the disaster.

 "Recover. Rebuild. Reimagine" – Three words chosen for their importance in a disaster – Recover, for the time after a disaster for communities to come together; Rebuild, for the efforts to build back stronger and prepared, and; Reimagine: to talk about what is possible if we let go of the idea we can return to the day before the disaster, but instead look forward with hope, vision, and determination.

The experiences learned from the North Bay Fires in 2017 are essential to learn from as we prepare for future realities – as the risk is now a certainty -- from wildfire and other disasters. This podcast will be a way for audiences and listeners all around the world to partake in the important discussions regarding how we care for each other, our communities, and the environment in times of emergency. 

From public, private and non-profit sectors – we will be bringing in guests that have wide-ranging knowledge – to lend their stories as our common experiences in disaster.

How To Disaster "Recover. Rebuild. Reimagine" will be aired in approximately 30 to 60-minute segments per episode. In each episode, the host will select guest/s for a video-based interview on their experiences pertaining to the guest's personal or professional scope. The conversation will touch on related topics to disaster such as recovery, preparation, response, planning, policy, safety, and funding, among others. There will be a chance for guest/s to speak on their personal or professional development or opportunities related to disaster and any connected facet of community-based disaster response, recovery, or work. This can include topics such as mental health, jobs, education, culture, arts, & society, and other peripheral junctions to disaster – as its impacts are far-reaching.

An intro and outro will be combined onto the front and back end of the podcast to establish normalcy in production.  

"How To Disaster: Recover. Rebuild. Reimagine" has been planned for a release of a minimum of 30 individual episodes for 2021 with an option to proceed further as necessary.