Send us a text

Simple right, everyone knows that. So why, after decades of preparedness communications do so many families remain in difficult situations and not ready to navigate crisis? The question is how do we define preparedness?
Our response is three elements: personal responsibility, attitude and strategic thinking, which collectively translate to you accepting that the world is largely chaotic, beyond your control - polycrisis, climate, economic / political / familial conflict and decisions that are counter to your sense of what is right.
What are your dreams, what would you like to do while you're capable - live a simple minimal life, become an author, run for president, start a business, become fit, complete that degree? Your dreams are yours, not for external consumption.
Protect them, work to prevent the exogenous shocks from influencing you living the life you want, that roadmap is preparedness.

Support the show

https://preparednesslabs.ca/

Send us a text

SOE are enacted to provide the government to expedite normal processes to address the needs of a rapid onset event. However, there is a political side show of politicians racing to the stage in their crested jackets to look in command, to demonstrate prowess under duress, to look like they're in control.
The reality is that all of this is not required, the powers can be embedded in policy, accessible by the appropriate minister when required and procedures established for the rapid access to funding and resources.
In essence, the SOE rules can be enacted in regular legislation. 

But if we removed SOE, then we would miss the show.

Support the show

https://preparednesslabs.ca/

Send us a text

There is a persistent ideological frame in emergency management that it lies within the public and NGO sectors, leaving significant assets outside response. We chat with Kris about the role of contracted firefighting in the wildland urban interface fires of 2023 and the capabilities within the private sector to meet the expanding needs of the public sector.
An interesting discussion reflecting on the employment of a "whole of society" strategy in addressing the increasing effects of wildfires in Canada's forests, as well as the greater picture of embracing the private sector within emergency management, likely the best surge labour and equipment capacity in the nation.

Support the show

https://preparednesslabs.ca/

Send us a text

There are four responses to every emergency event - public sector (1st responders), your family, the community neighbours and the corporate world. Largely uncoordinated, these will each occur to some degree whenever a disruption occurs.
With an average ratio of 5500-1 for traditional first responders to residents, it is difficult to rely upon being served immediately after a significant event. The likelihood of rescue by the state is slim in major events, probably delayed by hours if not days. 
The community rescues itself, provides first aid, food, water, shelter to the affected population, the intent of this episode is to discuss the creation of the environment that fosters the cooperation necessary to build community resilience.
Through champions, training opporunties and the establishment of formal organizations like CERT or THW, communities can position themselves to be better prepared to navigate exogenous shock.

Support the show

https://preparednesslabs.ca/

Send us a text

The role of preparedness is to wrap your life in a blanket of insulation, to mitigate against exogenous shocks, to allow you to continue to rock an incredible life and pursue your dreams. This episode is about the rationale for choosing your life, to do what you want for an income, to pick your leisure activities and to be incredibly happy. It is a choice to get up everyday to do what brings your purpose and excitement, though the transition to that can be difficult and requires considerable planning.
Given the choice, would you rather be working, playing and living in your ideal fashion, or something chosen by others?

You life choices will be made, you might as well be the author.

Support the show

https://preparednesslabs.ca/

Send us a text

Do you need to go without food for a few days to understand hunger?

Not drink for a day to feel extreme thirst?

Not change clothes for a week to see whether merino wool will eventually stink?

Probably not.

So do you need to turn off the power at home to practice a power outage drill?

Evacuate the home on short notice to see whether it will work?

Welcome to the concept of Table Top Exercises.

TTX are a cornerstone of efficient planning in the military and emergency services, recently adopted in the business continuity environment

They excel when key individuals walk through a scenario, discussing what they would do, who they would employ and the timelines. There may be injects into the TTX to complicate the situation, however the value is having the key folks in the same location. Social capital, relationships and understanding the priority of other importance public agencies and corporate divisions.

Support the show

https://preparednesslabs.ca/

Send us a text

Preparedness week is upon us, with a plethora of offerings from the government. Digest these, embrace the ideas they espouse - to inform your plan. There are two strategies to preparedness, be a professional victim or to create an independent plan. 
Public sector resident facing preparedness communications ask you to be ready for 72 hours, have a plan for the family and to listen for further instructions - dependant on the government. 
An individual preparedness plan is grounded in the idea that you'll continue to navigate the shock without requiring government intervention, through the analysis of exposure to and dependancy on the sectors of critical infrastructure. 
The choice is yours, to ensure the continued normal operations despite the event, or to be a victim and wait for further guidance. The choice is yours, choose wisely.

Support the show

https://preparednesslabs.ca/

Send us a text

Becoming a veteran is a cultural shock, entering a society that is not hierarchal, structured and with your life planned is confusing at best and disturbing. When your career ends, and everyone's will, you need to figure out what is your next iteration, the new you, what you will do and accomplish. Humans are driven by activity, we strive to learn, to do new things and activities which bring us pleasure. 
This is my story, how I decided what I wanted to to accomplish upon retirement from the military, how I set about executing the tasks, how I turned dreams into a roadmap of calendar appointments and lessons learned.
Change is hard, still is - hopefully this provides some guidance.

Support the show

https://preparednesslabs.ca/

Send us a text

if you consider preparedness to be about disasters and readying to response to shocks, you're at the 20% point. Preparedness is about a lifestyle, adopting a lens through which you intent to protect your family, economic viability, health - physical / mental / financial, corporate sustainability and political independence. amongst others. 
We discuss the open door plan, the point at which your preparedness planning moves beyond the scope of disasters into a whole of life ideology - the loss of income. That is as impactful for a family as a house burning down, it moves the discussion from bug out bags to economic insurance plans, managing mental health in today's toxic life, building a future plan, a roadmap for familial success. 
Building a strategy, designing your life begins withe first accepting responsibility for your outcomes, then creating the structure to chase your dreams, all while wrapped in a  blanket of preparedness.

Support the show

https://preparednesslabs.ca/

Send us a text

EM has an ideological frame that it belongs in the public service or the not for profit field. There is a barrier to permitting the corporate world to enter the field, a fear of embracing the profit motive. Let's be clear, there is profit in the NGO / nonprofit world, in salaries, benefits and full cost pricing.
To be an entrepreneur, you need to become and expert in a niche, not a generalist.  The discipline is rife with individuals who consult across the EM spectrum, from mitigation through the pillars to recovery. The EM field is similar to healthcare, in that is the sum of a number of roles, not one position. Healthcare needs doctors, nurses, Xray, EMS, laboratory staff etc - they are all part of the field but cannot execute the functions of others. EM is similar, an expert in preparedness can comment on response, but it is time prohibitive to be an expert in both. 
Success is in the niche - carve out your space. The strategy works for any field.

Support the show

https://preparednesslabs.ca/