#32 The Motivational AAR, Interview with Patrick McGinn from The Salvation Army

After action reports (AAR) are critical in the emergency management pursuit to achieve excellence in disaster response. Using the 2020 Pandemic Wildfire Response as a framework, Patrick McGinn discusses personal, professional, and team after actions to help emergency managers learn and improve in the field.

Due to the pandemic, the 2020 Wildfires provided unique challenges to response organizations. During these fires, Patrick McGinn oversaw the feeding program to survivors in behalf of The Salvation Army. The Salvation Army is a critical VOAD member that works with the CalOES during large-scale disasters. Working with several partners, Patrick coordinated food delivery to 160 hotels. This provided him with great insight into the complexity of disaster response and will be able apply these lessons learned for the future. In this after action report (AAR) style episode, Patrick and our host, John Scardena, talk about individual and career growth, strengthening emergency management organizations, and the importance of coordination between all response groups.

#31 "That's your Gold Sword of Disaster Response." Interview with USAR Expert & FEMA Instructor, Joe Hernandez

Joe Hernandez is a USAR expert with experiences that include response to The Oklahoma City Bombing, 9/11 Twin Towers, Haiti Earthquake, and others. He shares these experiences and lessons learned on our show. Check it out!

We can’t say enough about Joe Hernandez. His 30 year career as a USAR operations expert includes deployments to the Okalahoma City Bombing, 9/11 Twin Towers, the Haiti Earthquake, and more. He has been instructing FEMA personnel for the past 10 years and talks about the mental and emotional tole as well as tools to dealing with extreme event.

#30 "Like Army Men Stuck in Egg Salad" Interview with USAR Expert and FEMA Instructor, Joe Hernandez

Joe Hernandez is a USAR expert with experiences that include response to The Oklahoma City Bombing, 9/11 Twin Towers, Haiti Earthquake, and others. He shares these experiences and lessons learned on our show. Check it out!

We can’t say enough about Joe Hernandez. His 30 year career as a USAR operations expert includes deployments to the Okalahoma City Bombing, 9/11 Twin Towers, the Haiti Earthquake, and more. He has been instructing FEMA personnel for the past 10 years and talks about the mental and emotional tole as well as tools to dealing with extreme event.

#25 October - The 2020 All Hazards Month

President Trump has COVID-19. Wildfires are raging on the West Cost. Schools are looking to reopen in a pandemic before a vaccine is available, pandemic released inmates are committing crimes, and we are still in Hurricane Season. Emergency managers must be on the top of their game and self-correct to meet the numerous challenges of this month. This episodes provides ideas to emergency managers to help them address concerns with community partners. And bonus: Halloween Hunt idea!

Using, "In the moment after actions," this episode addresses the numerous hazards and potential threats that we are currently facing. From President Trump testing positive for COVID-19, to massive wildfires burning across California, Oregon, and Washington, to hurricane recovery, to potential civil unrest, to schools reopening... we look at each sector and suggest course corrections. We also talk about Halloween and how to prepare to celebrate the Holiday in an appropriate way. Big Hint- It's time to take it's place as the rightful holiday candy hunt.

#24 Thunderclap! Wildfires & Hurricanes with Emergency Manager Meteorologist Jason Clapp

Expert emergency manager meteorologist talks about the Washington, Oregon, and California wildfires. This episode is focused around National Preparedness Month. Jason shares ideas to help emergency managers and individuals better prepared for wildfire and hurricane events.

U.S. Air Force member, Jason Clapp lead a successful career in meteorology, as he began helping response operations, he found emergency management and now works in Yakima County as an emergency planner. His unique experience allows him to address natural disasters through the lens of weather science. He uses his data background to look for gaps that others are unable to see. We talk about the Washington wildfires, the Oregon Wildfires, the California Wildfires, and Hurricanes. Jason provides advice about emergency mitigation and training for these events and settles the argument about about the differences between Global Warming and Climate Change. This podcast was recorded remotely.

#23 The Leslie Knope of Earthquakes - Interview with Amanda Siok From FEMA Region 10

FEMA’s Region 10 based in Seattle has some of the most high frequency, low occurrence threats in the United States. The Earthquake, Tsunami, and Volcano Program Manager, Amanda Siok talks about these threats, earthquake policy, hazard mitigation plans, and community outreach on this weeks episode.

This episode is like 5,000 candles blowing in the wind, of an earthquake. Amanda Siok, the, “Leslie Knope of Earthquakes” due to her passion and work on earthquake policy. She has spent her entire career in the Northwest, focusing on mitigating the some of the most catastrophic natural events on Earth. This earth shattering interview covers several key elements of earthquake, tsunami, and volcanic mitigation efforts and a large portion is focused on lessons learned from previous disasters such as the 2011 Japanese Earthquake Tsunami, and Fukushima Disaster, the 1964 Earthquake Tsunami in Alaska, the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, and even the 79 A.D. Pompeii Volcanic Eruption.

Through this lesson’s learned format, we learn what the Federal Emergency Management Agency is doing to help communities around the United States. We learn about community outreach, policy, environmental considerations and critical infrastructure’s role within the wild environment. We also talk about Bison vs Buffalo, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Waffles, and efforts individuals and families and take now to be better prepared for earthquake safety, tsunami response, and volcanic evacuations. This is the perfect episode for National Preparedness Month. Don’t forget about The Great Shakeout on October 15th at 10:15 am local time. Get it? On 10-15 at 10:15? Do it! It will be great practice for an actual event.

#22 Never Forget 9/11 with Retired Firefighter Paramedic and Army Veteran Mike Levasseur

This is a special episode, talking about the events of 9/11, emergency response, military response, and the actions that emergency managers in the future should take to learn from the events the terrorist attacks that impacted thousands of lives in the US and changed disaster management forever.

Mike talks about his experience with 9/11. He was serving in the U.S. Army in Eastern Europe when it happened. He talked about that fateful day from his perspective and the lessons learned as he has responded to countless emergencies as part of the U.S military, as a firefighter and as a paramedic. He now leads emergency management operations for an organization in California and talks about the lessons learned he has gained throughout a very distinguished career. His responses include Hurricane Katrina, Wildfires, and of course, War.