001: How to Disaster Recover. Rebuild. Reimagine

How to Disaster

“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.