Me, Myself & Disaster

Veteran of the Royal New Zealand Navy Stephen Gibson joins the show this month to share his experience transitioning out of the military into humanitarian work, including in disaster zones across the Middle East.

After 23 years in the Navy where he deployed as a peacekeeper to Yugoslavia and the Solomon Islands, Steve joined the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. Steve quickly discovered that while his experience in the Navy set him up well for his new career – the humanitarian space was very challenging – he faced mortar attack, vehicle bombs, suicide bombers and a high risk of kidnapping – and one location was evacuated to the airport under gunfire.

This episode provides a rare and insightful look into the realities of humanitarian work in some of the world’s most challenging conflict environments, and the personal toll it can take on those dedicated to helping the most vulnerable populations. Steve emphasises the importance of cultural understanding, building relationships with local staff, and maintaining mental health when living and working in these high-stress environments. Steve shares strategies for communicating, negotiating, and positioning the humanitarian role to be able to deliver aid effectively. The discussion also explores the challenges Steve faced in transitioning back to life in New Zealand after his humanitarian deployments, feeling unappreciated and struggling to find work that matched his unique experiences overseas.

Join Andrew, Josh and Steve for this episode on your favourite podcast platform!

Community organisations are so critical to disaster recovery efforts, and many organisations emerge during and directly after disasters. Following the destructive Marshall Fire in Colorado, one community member co-founded a community organisation to support disaster survivors. Empowered by her experience, she then ran for Public Office and became a Trustee on the Local Council in the town of Superior, Colorado.

Jenn Kaaoush joins Andrew and Josh on the show today to discuss how her experience as a resident impacted by the fire motivated her to become a voice for those impacted by running for public office. When the fire destroyed over 1,000 properties, she sprang into action, co-founding the Superior Rising community organisation to support disaster survivors. Jenn, a former diplomat and fourth-generation Army veteran, shares insights on the importance of communication, empathy and community organising in disaster recovery while reflecting on her own personal growth through the crisis.

This episode offers a unique perspective on disaster recovery, highlighting the power of grassroots community organisations as part of the emergency response and recovery efforts, and the potential for community leaders in disasters to consider taking on a different role to make a difference in their community.

Watch Jenn’s advocacy following the fire on CBS.

As climate change impacts our environment, communities might face a tough choice. Do they stay and accept a lower quality of life, mitigate the effects of climate change, or decide to leave?

This episode explores the complex relationship between climate change, disaster risk reduction, and human mobility. Andrew and Josh speak with Professor Mo Hamza who has been researching people movement for 35 years. Mo provides a clear distinction between disasters and climate change, and how individual vulnerability shapes perceptions and impacts, as well as the challenges of addressing the root causes of vulnerability.

Mo discusses how communities adapt to environmental changes through mobility both domestically and internationally. While international migration comprises a small portion of movement, it raises a range of challenges particularly for people leaving a location suffering environmental degradation. Listen to the episode to understand we can’t call those who move locations as ‘climate refugees’.

Mo Hamza is a Professor of Risk Management and Societal Safety at Lund University in Sweden and has led numerous projects with international development organisations including the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, United Nations agencies, the Swedish Red Cross, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency and many others. Mo has consulted across the world with a particular focus on the Middle East.

Learn more about Professor Mo Hamza’s research at Lund University.

When disaster manager Brenden Winder arrived in Christchurch after the earthquake, he found a city with destroyed buildings, chimneys fallen to the ground and windows blown in. The devastation was confronting. As aftershocks continued, rescue crews worked around the clock to pull people from the rubble.

In this episode, Andrew and Josh are joined in Christchurch by Brenden Winder, Head of Civil Defence and Emergency Management at Christchurch City Council. Brenden shares his story working as part of the massive recovery effort following the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes which struck the city. The conversation explores key aspects of coordinating the recovery, such as community involvement in decision making, housing and infrastructure planning, and navigating tensions around the property buybacks. Memorialisation and anniversary events are also discussed. Brendan shares how lessons from Christchurch informed his work providing demolition training to over 100 people after Nepal’s 2015 earthquake.

Brenden started his career in the Royal New Zealand Navy before working for adventure tourism company in Queenstown and then moving into emergency management. When the quake struck, Brenden was deployed to Christchurch and ended up staying to help with the clean up. He now manages all hazards in the city and outside of his day job has also travelled overseas to help other nations recover from major disasters.

Brendan is optimistic about Christchurch’s future resilience and growth. The city is modern, vibrant and more resilient to future earthquakes. Join Andrew and Josh on a walk around Christchurch with Brenden Winder on YouTube.

Research as far back as 1992 indicates a disturbing trend in Australia, with increased violence and aggression from men towards woman after a disaster. Today Josh and Andrew are exploring this hidden disaster – the rise in domestic violence following a disaster, such as a bushfire or flood.

What can emergency managers to reduce this violent behaviour altogether? Experts Dr Debra Parkinson and Steve O’Malley AFSM from Gender and Disaster Australia join the show to discuss their research and links between disasters and increased violence towards women. They examine how societal expectations of gender roles can exacerbate relationship issues under the pressure of a disaster, and how expectations of masculinity, such as being strong and self-reliant, can discourage seeking help and lead to misdirected coping behaviours.

The panel consider practical steps that can be taken to prepare for and address domestic violence in disaster planning, response and long-term recovery, including through policy, cultural competency training, mental health support and addressing underlying social factors that enable violence against women.

Gender and Disaster Australia (GADAus) is an Australian organisation established to provide evidence-based education, training and resources to address the harmful impacts of gendered expectations in disaster.

Dr Debra Parkinson is Executive Director of GADAus and is a social researcher and globally recognised researcher in the field of gender and disaster. She is an Adjunct Research Fellow at Monash University Disaster Resilience Institute (MUDRI) and has led extensive research, policy and advocacy work in the women’s health sector for over 25 years.

Steve O’Malley AFSM is a Senior Leading Firefighter and the current Manager of Emergency Management sector engagement at Gender and Disaster Australia. He has been an operational firefighter for more than 30 years and is an experienced trainer and passionate presenter on gender, diversity and inclusion and passionate advocate for a more equitable and fairer society for all.

If this episode has raised issues for you, please contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) in Australia. If you are in NZ contact Shine on 0508 744 633, in the UK contact Refuge’s National Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247 or in the United States call 1800 799 7233.

Have you ever visited a location impacted by a disaster, such as Chernobyl, Ukraine or Fukushima, Japan? Dark Tourism involves people visiting sites of death or tragedy, where the extraordinary has occurred.

In this episode, dark tourism expert Dr Philip Stone joins Andrew and Josh to understand the motivations for dark tourism and why people visit disaster sites. Philip explains the history behind dark tourism and examples from around the world. He also shares the challenges of balancing education with sensitivity when memorialising tragic events.

Dr Philip Stone is the Executive Director of the Institute for Dark Tourism Research at the University of Central Lancashire in the UK and has a PhD in Thanatology which involves researching society’s reactions to and perceptions of mortality. He has written several books and published extensively about Dark Tourism and speaks regularly at conferences on the topic, in addition to teaching undergraduate and postgraduate courses in tourism, sociology and management at the University.

Gear up for the year ahead with our insights and highlights from Season 3 of Australia’s leading disaster podcast.

During this season, Andrew and Josh spoke with guests from around the world about disasters. These are some of their favourite highlights.

Money is often said to make the world go round, and targeted investments in strategic projects can indeed wield significant influence, especially when directed towards mitigating disaster risks.

In this episode, Andrew and Josh chat with Steven Goldfinch, Senior Disaster Risk Specialist at the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Steve explains ADB’s Strategy 2030, a comprehensive plan aligning the bank’s efforts with the pressing needs of the Asia Pacific Region. This includes reducing poverty, adapting to climate change, promoting gender equality, and developing sustainable cities. Steve discusses how the ADB collaborates with nations to integrate disaster risk considerations into infrastructure projects and support low-carbon development. He also highlights ADB’s role in providing both pre- and post-disaster financial assistance.

Throughout the conversation, Steve shares insights into how ADB strategically prioritises projects, balancing developmental needs with climate action – a particular challenge in one of the world’s most disaster-prone regions. The discussion also covers gender considerations in disaster management, challenges of climate-induced displacement, and tools for assessing long-term climate risks.

In his role, Steve Goldfinch works across the bank, supporting resilient development and recovery. Prior to joining the ADB in 2018, he worked for over a decade with the United Nations in New York, Dhaka and Kampala. Originally from Australia, he holds a master’s degree in peace and conflict studies from the University of Sydney and a bachelor’s degree in Asian studies and political science.

Join Andrew and Josh as they unlock the bank vault and understand how the ADB are working to reduce the impact of disasters in the Asia Pacific.

Dr Albrecht Beck joins Andrew and Josh to discuss his award-winning disaster diplomacy work facilitating emergency management cooperation between Israel, Palestine, and Jordan – one of the world’s most complex regions. 

Albrecht shares the challenges of building trust between the nations and how focusing discussions on shared risks from natural hazards such as earthquakes helped establish initial cooperation. Over a decade, the project grew to include joint training, exercises, and developing standard operating procedures.

While political tensions remain high, day-to-day coordination between emergency services continues – showing how disaster management can open lines of communication even where diplomacy has stalled.

This episode provides a rare behind-the-scenes look at the challenges and successes of using disaster resilience as a starting point for building understanding between adversaries in a high-risk, high-conflict area of the world,  and offers valuable lessons for other divided regions facing disaster threats. 

Dr Albrecht Beck is the Director of Prepared International and a former United Nations staff member. Albrecht started work on the project while working for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). He has since worked for NATO, lectured at a University and started a consulting firm, Prepared International. 

The year was 2002, and Inspector Peter Baines was working with NSW Police in Sydney when he was deployed to Bali following bombings in two busy Kuta nightspots. Two and a half years later, Peter was deployed again overseas – this time to Thailand, to assist with victim identification following the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.

In this episode, Peter Baines joins Andrew and Josh to discuss his leadership journey. Peter shares his experience working in challenging environments overseas, dealing with post-deployment blues, imposter syndrome, taking on a limitless mindset and the importance of having a presence as a leader during disasters.

Peter’s experience and leadership lessons are also published in his new book, Leadership Matters.