The Multi-Hazards Podcast

Saving the lives of First Nations and settlers alike, protecting communities at the top of his list, Fire Chief Wilbert Wesley works tirelessly in Mattagami First Nation and throughout Ontario, Canada and beyond in Disaster Management.  Check out this inspiring new Multi-Hazards podcast episode now out: The Cutting Edge: First Nations & Emergency Management - Interview with Wilbert Wesley (Multi-Hazards Podcast S02 E02). With Study Guide! Click on the top left where it says "Pdf" above the date! https://multi-hazards.libsyn.com/the-cutting-edge-first-nations-emergency-management-interview-with-wilbert-wesley

Wilbert Wesley Bio

He is the Fire Chief at Mattagami First Nation. He has invested 17 years in the Emergency Management field, along with 20 years in the Fire Services and the last 14 years as a Disaster Management Educator. He is very passionate when it comes to education and training, as well as improving the well-being of the community members he works with. He is committed to the safety of these communities when it comes to Emergency Services / Management / Fire Services. Fire Chief Wilbert Wesley states on his LinkedIn that "it's been and honour and privilege to serve and to be of service."

Where else can you hear hour-long interviews on disasters, adapting to climate change, terrorism, artificial intelligence, loving your neighbour, protecting communities, all in one podcast?

So, the marathon continues!  Host Vin Nelsen takes a few moments to summarise the 20 episodes of Season 1 and looks forward to an exciting new season.  

Check out the Study Guide, click on the top left where it says "Pdf" above the date! https://multi-hazards.libsyn.com/season-premiere-with-multi-hazards-podcast-host-vin-nelsen

Vin Nelsen's Bio

Vin Nelsen has a passion for protecting communities. While continuing to teach immigrants at Douglas College near Vancouver, British Columbia (BC), Canada, he studied a Grad Diploma in Climate Risk Management from the University of Waterloo, a Certificate in Climate Change Policy & Practice from the University of Toronto, courses from Yukon University's Graduate Diploma in Climate Change Policy, as well as a Diploma of Emergency & Security Management, Certificate in Emergency Management and Certificate of Emergency Management Exercise Design from Justice Institute of BC (JIBC), plus courses in First Nations' Studies, meteorology, technical writing and cyber security while volunteering with a local Emergency Preparedness program and Red Cross these last two years. He finished in December 2019, then COVID-19's disruption came in March 2020, so this podcast at least lets him release some of that pent-up steam while seeking ways to contribute to Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).  He currently volunteers with Canadian Red Cross for local and nationwide disasters as well as with the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) - Canadian Council's Partnership Engagement Committee and Understanding Risk BC's Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Hub.

He has a Master of Arts in Cross-Cultural-related studies (Trinity), a Bachelor of Arts, double majors of Communication (Media) and French & Certificate of Liberal Arts (Simon Fraser University), a Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language (Vancouver Community College), and passed the Real Estate Trading Services Licensing University of British Columbia (UBC). 

His previous work includes many years in immigrant helping organisations as program manager, career and job search counsellor and instructor, English language instructor and real estate agent.  He worked six years in Asia and has mainly worked with non-Westerners since his youth.  For the next few decades, he will dedicate himself to protecting communities from extreme weather events, geohazards, security threats and damaging social and political trends.

«Être fort pour être utile.» ("Be strong to be useful")

~ From Georges Hébert (1875-1957), French Navy officer, pioneer of France's physical education programs and creator of the Natural Method.

As climate change heats up the earth, wildfires are becoming bigger and badder.  What are some solutions?  How can communities be protected while we fight fire with fire and control the uncontrollable?  Check out: Wildfires in a Changing Climate - Interview with Robert W. Gray, expert fire ecologist from British Columbia (BC), Canada.  And be sure to check out the Study Guide for the program!  Click on the top left where it says "Pdf" above the date!  https://multi-hazards.libsyn.com/wildfires-in-a-changing-climate-interview-with-robert-w-gray

Robert W. Gray Bio

Robert W. Gray is Fire Ecologist at R.W. Gray Consulting Ltd; researching fuel treatment effectiveness and effects of past wildfires.  He's also a regular contributor to Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) TV and Radio and the local Vancouver Sun news on wildfire science and policy. 

R.W. Gray Consulting, Ltd. specialises in the research and application of many facets of wildland fire and ecological restoration. Fire research focuses on historic fire regimes and related ecosystem structure and composition, the immediate and long-term effects of applied fire, and integrated wildland fuels management including the use of fuels to produce bioenergy. Ecological restoration focuses on elements of dry forest ecosystems, their historic fidelity and ecological integrity, and the application of restoration strategies. Wildland fire operations include the application of prescribed fire to meet specific resource management objectives. R.W. Gray has been a qualified burn boss in the United States (US) and Canada since 1995. Wildland fire management includes the arenas of fuel hazard analysis and mitigation, policy, education, social acceptance, and training. Clients and collaborators include: Parks Canada, the United States Department of the Interior (USDI) Bureau of Land Management, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, Canadian Forestry Service, Government of Mongolia, British Columbia (BC) Ministry of Forests and Range, BC Ministry of Environment, State of Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, The World Bank, University of British Columbia, University of Washington, University of Idaho, The Nature Conservancy (US), Nature Conservancy Canada, City of Cranbrook (BC), City of Kimberley (BC), Chelan County (Washington State), and numerous First Nations, industry, legal, and environmental groups.  Robert W Gray has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Montana in both Fire and Forest Ecology.  

How do indigenous people look at nature as well as climate change? How are they protecting their communities and also interacting with the world at large? Find out these answers and more in this episode, a great interview with Kerry-Ann Charles-Norris, member of the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation in Ontario, Canada and Environmental Partnership Coordinator for Cambium Indigenous Professional Services (CIPS). Check out the Study Guide for the program! Click on the top left where it says "Pdf" above the date! https://multi-hazards.libsyn.com/indigenous-perspectives-on-adapting-to-climate-change-interview-with-kerry-ann-charles-norris

Kerry-Ann Charles-Norris' Bio

Kerry-Ann Charles-Norris is a member of the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation and joined the Cambium Indigenous Professional Services (CIPS) team in 2017 as the Environmental Partnership Coordinator. She was proud to serve her community as Councilor and has over 17 years’ experience working within her community. She has worked on bylaw development, waste management, housing and environmental project coordination and management. For 8 years she was responsible for researching and developing funding proposals which helped build and sustain her First Nations Environment Department including the development of community climate change adaptation and implementation plans not only for her community but other First Nations as well.

Kerry-Ann has had great success in initiating and building relationships with various environmental organizations, developing partnerships to coordinate and carry out various environmental activities as well as promoting education and community involvement in Environmental Health within her community and others. As a result of this work, Kerry-Ann has gained international recognition and has been asked to speak across Canada, the United States and Mexico in the area of indigenous perspectives on Environmental Stewardship as well as Climate Change Adaptation.

Kerry-Ann’s wide range of career experiences give her a unique perspective that can be very valuable when assisting other communities wishing to find their balance of operations and environmental stewardship.

Bangladesh is a world leader in climate change adaptation, so what's happening there? How are they dealing with all the climate migrants being forced to move from A to B because of extreme weather? Check out: The Case of Bangladesh - Interview with the International Center for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) Team. And be sure to check out the Study Guide for the program! Click on the top left where it says "Pdf" above the date! https://multi-hazards.libsyn.com/limate-migrants-the-case-of-bangladesh-interview-with-the-icccad-team

ICCCD Team Bios

Adnan Qader is Senior Research Officer at ICCCAD. His research interests lie in climate and water security.

Sumaiya Binte Anwar is a Research Officer at ICCCAD, working in the Urban Resilience Program. She is a Civil Engineer by profession.

Nafis Fuad is a Research Officer at ICCCAD. His main research interest is in urban climate resilience and development.

Emergency management is a diverse and busy field, not for the faint of heart. How can emergency managers do a better job of assisting communities to prepare for disasters? What exactly do emergency managers do on a daily basis? With a wealth of experience from both the United Kingdom and British Columbia, Canada, Paul Edmonds of Red Dragon Consulting answers these questions and more. And be sure to check out the Study Guide for the program! Click on the top left where it says "Pdf" above the date! hthttps://multi-hazards.libsyn.com/emergency-management-with-the-red-dragon-interview-with-paul-edmondstps://multi-hazards.libsyn.com/

Paul Edmonds' Bio

Paul Edmonds is Principal and Founder of Red Dragon Consulting, which does Emergency Management and Resilience Consultancy Services out of British Columbia (BC), Canada. He settled in BC in 2018 from a successful United Kingdom (UK) career. He has appreciation and gratitude to call the Okanagan his new home and acknowledges he works within First Nation territories who have inalienable Aboriginal Title and Rights.

His first role in BC was managing the Okanagan Similkameen BC floods, landslides, and fires of 2018. He went on to provide subject matter expert for the Boundary Flood Recovery in Kootenay Boundary and Grand Forks areas. In BC, Paul now assists many different governments and organizations in many different roles. Red Dragon has delivered advanced planning, response planning, flood response planning, wildfire communications, operational response procedures, gap analysis, and evacuation plans. Mitigation strategies and risk assessments. Grant writing including assisting on a major Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF). Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Design and Exercise. Industrial risks. Mentoring. Recommending measures to protect cultural heritage. Taken part in local and provincial workshops in shaping the future. To name a few. He also works with a number of qualified professionals to deliver resiliency and mitigation projects. Red Dragon's Principal Consultant and founder, Paul Edmonds, is a qualified supplier of emergency management in British Columbia, Canada.

How can businesses plan for life in the COVID-19 pandemic as it stretches on? What about individuals, families and communities? Find out these answers and more in this episode, a timely interview with crisis management expert Regina Phelps. And be sure to check out the Study Guide for the program! Click on the top left where it says "Pdf" above the date! https://multi-hazards.libsyn.com/covid-19-pandemic-planning-for-businesses-interview-with-regina-phelpshttps://multi-hazards.libsyn.com/

Regina Phelps' Bio

Regina Phelps is President of Emergency Management & Safety Solutions Inc. based out of San Francisco, California, USA. She is an internationally recognised expert in the field of crisis and continuity management and exercise design. Since 1982, she has provided consultation and speaking services to clients in four continents. She is a frequent speaker at international continuity conferences such as those of Disaster Recovery Journal (DRJ), the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM)and the World Conference on Disaster Management. Ms. Phelps is consistently rated as one of the top speakers in her field and is known for her approachable and entertaining speaking style and her ability to take complex topics and break them into easily digestible and understandable nuggets. Experts and novices consistently say that they always learn something new from her presentations.

Ms. Phelps latest book is Cyberbreach: What if Your Defenses Fail? Designing an Exercise to Map a Ready Strategy. Her other books are Emergency Management Exercises: From Response to Recovery and the companion Instructor's Guide. All three are available on Amazon.

How does gender play a role in disasters? What exactly can emergency management planners do to address the gendered impacts of disasters? Find out these answers and more in this episode, a great interview with Alex Valoroso. And be sure to check out the Study Guide for the program! Click on the top left where it says "Pdf" above the date! https://multi-hazards.libsyn.com/gender-in-disasters-emergency-management-interview-with-alex-valoroso

Alex Valoroso's Bio

Alex Valoroso is a Senior Advisor of Emergency Management, Strategic Partnerships at Emergency Management British Columbia (EMBC). She has experience in Gender and Disaster Management as well as a wide variety of skills as an accomplished humanitarian professional.

Alex holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in International Development with a focus on community development, a Master’s degree in Disaster and Emergency Management with focus on gender and disaster, and certificates in Shelter and Settlement Coordination in Emergencies, Addressing Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies, and International Humanitarian Law. Her most recent accomplishment includes GenderPro, a specialised technical program at George Washington University.

Alex volunteers as the Vice President of her local Women's Resource Centre and has recently spearheaded a Women in Leadership initiative for her community. Dedicated to working with communities, Alex has extensive practitioner experience in emergency management throughout BC, and during various responses in Canada. Besides her current role as a Senior Advisor at EMBC (Emergency Management British Columbia), she is a Gender Equity Advisor through the provincial government's Gender Equity Office.

In the past, Alex provided technical support as a Gender Specialist with Cuso International in Guyana, South America, participated in an emergency mission for the refugee crisis in Tanzania, Africa, with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) International (also known as Doctors Without Borders in English), and provided expertise during various responses as a coordinator with the Canadian Red Cross.

An added Disclaimer here: Alex speaks from her experience and not for the Government of British Columbia in this podcast.

To adapt to climate change, communities need to take the necessary steps to improve their energy sources and infrastructure. Eddie Oldfield, a specialist in both clean energy and climate change adaptation, discusses his work in Atlantic Canada. Tune in to learn more of the important progress that Canadians are making in preparing for, responding to and recovering from extreme weather events and other impacts of climate change.

Be sure to check out the Study Guide for the program! Click on the top left where it says "Pdf" above the date! https://multi-hazards.libsyn.com/mart-energy-communities-climate-adaptation-interview-with-eddie-oldfieldhttps://multi-hazards.libsyn.com/

Eddie Oldfield's Bio

Eddie Oldfield is Senior Lead, Projects & Advisory Services, at QUEST Canada, a national non-government organisation that works to accelerate the adoption of efficient and integrated community-scale energy systems in Canada by informing, inspiring, and connecting decision-makers. So, back to Eddie Oldfield. Since 1998, he has coordinated initiatives focused on local sustainability, GHG emissions reduction, clean energy and efficiency, transportation/fleets, climate adaptation and resilience planning. Eddie works to advance more resilient, Smart Energy Communities, and is Senior Lead, Projects and Advisory Services, QUEST. In this role, he helps deliver regional and national projects and supports Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Partners for Climate Protection members in Atlantic Canada.

Eddie also co-chairs the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC)’s Energy and Utilities working group and is a Charter member of the OGC Health and Smart Cities working groups. He has led development of innovative web-based map services & distributed spatial data infrastructure, to support decision making including for climate-health and a cross-border pandemic exercise in 2007. In the past, he worked as Director of the NB Climate Change Hub, was a board member of the Canadian Risk and Hazards Network, and participated in the Resilient Communities Working Group of the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction. Eddie holds a BA (2008), with Interdisciplinary Honours (Sociology, Political Science, Environment, Science & Technology) from St. Thomas University, and owns and operates Spatial Quest based in Fredericton NB. Received Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for efforts to help municipalities address climate change.

What's it like to help a community recover from an earthquake? Why join disaster management as a career? What kind of person is needed to save lives and property? Find out these answers and more in this episode, a wonderful interview with Dr. Burçak Başbuğ Erkan, Coventry University, UK. And be sure to check out the Study Guide for the program! Click on the top left where it says "Pdf" above the date! https://multi-hazards.libsyn.com/earthquakes-disaster-management-education-protecting-communities-interview-with-dr-burak-babu-erkan/

Dr. Burçak Başbuğ Erkan's Bio

Dr. Burçak Başbuğ Erkan is Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) at the School of Energy, Construction and Environment, at Coventry University, United Kingdom (UK). She is a Lecturer and also the Course Director for the Master of Science in Disaster Management and Resilience at Coventry University, as well as an Associate Researcher at the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations (CTPSR). Her other current positions include Editorial Board member of the journal ‘Disasters’, a Global Challenge Research Fund (GCRF) Urban Disaster Hub project team member with responsibility in Istanbul city, Turkey, Academic Director of the Institute for Civil Protection and Emergency Management (ICPEM), etc. Her past experience in these fields reaches back to 2005.

She has a Ph.D Statistics, London School of Economics and Political Sciences, United Kingdom (2007), A Master of Science in Statistics, University of Warwick, United Kingdom (2002) and a Bachelor of Science in Statistics, Middle East Technical University (METU), Ankara, Turkey (1999). Dr. Burçak Başbuğ Erkan has expertise on policy development in disaster risk reduction, disaster risk management, resilience, accountability, financial management strategies for disaster losses, catastrophe insurance, DRR/DRM education, risk management, and risk analysis.

She has been the director of the Turkish Disaster Data Bank project for AFAD (Turkey), as well as the Turkish Catastrophe Insurance Pool. She has 20 years of national and international work in teaching, consulting and training in Disaster Risk Reduction / Disaster Risk Management. Dr. Burcak Basbug Erkan has extensive working experience in developing multi-hazard countries and also field experience such as the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) response to the Syrian Refugee Crisis, the 2011 Van Earthquakes, and the May 2014 Soma Mine Fire in Turkey. She has published many journal publications and books, worked on numerous projects and received many awards.