The Readiness Lab

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Channel • 5 Shows

Social Sciences

Social Sciences

Updated weekly
Society & Culture

Society & Culture

Updated weekly
Society & Culture

Society & Culture

Updated weekly
Education

Education

Every two months
Self-Improvement

Self-Improvement

Updated fortnightly

06/12/2024

From Rapper to Radio Guy

In this episode, Zack and Jeff Perkins discuss Jeff's unique journey from aspiring rapper to emergency management professional. They explore the challenges of dispatching, the importance of building relationships in emergency management, and the critical role of technology and interoperability in public safety. Jeff shares insights on his experiences with FirstNet and LTE and how it has transformed communication during emergencies. The conversation highlights the lessons learned from major events and the future of interoperability in emergency management. Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn and check out his podcast The EOC Podcast: Emergency Operations Conversations Major Endorsements: Emergency Management for Dynamic Populations (DyPop): Hot Mess Express: An emergency management leadership course focusing on response tactics during terrorist attacks. Hot Mess Express includes an immersive exercise during an intentional train derailment scenario. Register for DyPop here: www.thereadinesslab.com/shop/p/dynamic L3Harris Technologies' BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by professionals for professionals: www.dobermanemg.com/impulse Doberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.com

06/12/2024

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1h 10m
16/01/2024

DTP Season 5, Ep 182 JetBlue’s Innovative Approach to Business Continuity - Interview with Penny Neferis

Listen, Watch, & Support DTP: www.thereadinesslab.com/dtp-links Boost the Signal with a $5 monthly donation! Become a TRL Insider Member with a ton of extra content! #emergencymanagement #disastertough #leadership #emergencyservices --- “Don’t let a good crisis go to waste.” While the origin of this quote continues to be debated, leadership at JetBlue Airlines took this advice and “flew” with it during the early years of the company. During the tumultuous aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, JetBlue was a two-year-old company, trying to make a name for itself in the competitive airline industry. While the task of remaining in business seemed daunting for even the most established carriers, the upstart JetBlue was one of the only airlines that remained profitable in the months after. Penny Neferis remembers that time well. As JetBlue’s Director of Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery, and Emergency Response, and one of its longest-tenured employees, Penny has seen the company “take off” from the ground up. In this episode of the Disaster Tough Podcast, she talks about how the lessons learned in the aftermath of 9/11 helped lay the foundation for the success story that JetBlue is today. She also discusses how “taking care of your own” is key to business continuity in times of emergency, and talks more about how the industry as a whole continues to evolve its readiness protocols. Major Endorsements: L3Harris's BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com Propper Apparel: From the outdoors to the EOC, wear Propper. www.propper.com Paladin by Acela: Move into recovery with mobile MCI refrigerated morgues: www.paladinprepare.com Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by professionals for professionals: www.dobermanemg.com/impulse Doberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.com The Readiness Lab Podcast Network: Disaster Tough Podcast is part of The Readiness Lab Podcast Network For sponsorship requests: contact@thereadinesslab.com or visit our website: www.thereadinesslab.com

16/01/2024

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36 min
11 FEB

A Political Disaster: DHS vs FEMA – Cameron Hamilton Returns to DPT as Co-host

Learn more about Next Level Emergency Management at www.thereadinesslab.com/dtp-links Major Endorsements Impulse Bleeding Control Kits by Professionals for Professionals https://www.impulsekits.com Doberman Emergency Management Subject matter experts in assessments, planning, and training https://www.dobermanemg.com The Readiness Lab Trailblazing disaster readiness through podcasts, outreach, marketing, and interactive events https://www.thereadinesslab.com For Sponsorship Requests 314-400-8848 Ext 2 Email contact@thereadinesslab.com Podcast Summary: In this episode of Disaster Tough, John Scardena sits down with former FEMA leader Cameron Hamilton for a candid, insider conversation about the growing tension between the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA—and how that conflict is shaping disaster response in real time. Hamilton reflects on leading FEMA during a politically volatile period and ultimately being removed by leadership at the Department of Homeland Security. Rather than framing the moment as personal grievance, he uses it to explain a deeper institutional problem: when messaging, authority, and strategy are misaligned at the top, disaster response becomes collateral damage. The discussion breaks down how inconsistent talking points between DHS, FEMA, and the White House create confusion, erode workforce morale, and weaken public trust. Hamilton shares firsthand stories—including a powerful moment in a FEMA call center—illustrating the human cost of political rhetoric on frontline employees who are simply trying to help disaster survivors. John and Cameron also explore: - Why modern crisis communications often fail in government - The danger of reform-by-headline without operational understanding - How leadership ego and interagency friction quietly undermine response - Why incentives and performance culture matter more than broad bureaucratic attacks - The importance of anticipating second- and third-order effects before speaking publicly This episode does not argue that FEMA is broken. It argues that FEMA is being placed in a structurally difficult position by leadership conflict above the agency. The result is a political disaster layered on top of real disasters—one that affects responders, survivors, and public confidence alike. The conversation closes by setting up the next episode in the series: if this is the problem, what would real reform actually look like?

11 Feb

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37 min
04/03/2025

The Secret Nuclear Bunker at The Greenbrier Resort

I toured a former Cold War era secret government bunker under The Greenbrier Resort. Formerly known as Project Greek Island, this bunker was meant for members of Congress to wait out nuclear war, before emerging to legislate whatever remained. Let's talk about the bunker, its development and features, and the dedicated team who secretly kept the bunker ready to use for over 30 years until it was exposed by journalist Ted Gup in an article cleverly titled "The Last Resort." Please visit our sponsors! L3Harris Technologies' BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by professionals for professionals: www.dobermanemg.com/impulse Doberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.com The Readiness Lab Podcast Network Prepaerdness Works is part of The Readiness Lab Podcast Network For sponsorship requests: contact@thereadinesslab.com or visit our website: www.thereadinesslab.com Please visit our sponsors! L3Harris Technologies' BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com Visit The Readiness Lab and learn about our Next Level Emergency Management training! https://www.thereadinesslab.com/ Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by professionals for professionals: www.dobermanemg.com/impulse Doberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.com Check out how you can use digital twins in your training, exercising, and planning using RSET https://rset.com/ For sponsorship requests, check out our Sponsorship Portfolio here or email us at contact@thereadinesslab.com

04/03/2025

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41 min
29 JAN

Minneapolis, Snowstorms, and ICE: A Nation on Edge

Looking for more content www.thereadinesslab.com/dtp-links In this episode, we take listeners to the eye of two converging storms shaping national headlines: a major winter snowstorm sweeping across the United States and a political crisis unfolding in Minneapolis around federal immigration enforcement. Across the country, a powerful winter storm has brought heavy snow, ice, extreme cold, and deadly conditions to millions of Americans, with blizzard conditions, power outages, and dangerous travel reported from the Plains to the Northeast. At the same time, Minneapolis has become ground zero in a heated debate over federal immigration policy and law enforcement tactics. The city has seen federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations under Operation Metro Surge, which have included the fatal shooting of Minneapolis resident Alex Pretti and earlier fatal use of force in the city. Listeners will hear analysis of how these dual crises — the literal storm and the political storm — intersect and what they mean for civic leadership, public safety, and the national conversation on disaster management. Whether you’re a resident of Minneapolis, a crisis leader, or someone trying to make sense of fast-moving national events in 2026, this episode connects the dots between weather chaos and political turbulence.

29 Jan

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11 min
21/10/2025

Andrew Donawa | Pasco County Sheriffs Office

Looking for more DTP Content? Check us out: www.thereadinesslab.com/dtp-links On this episode of the Disaster Tough Podcast, I sit down with Andrew Donawa, Emergency Management Coordinator for the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, to talk about what it really takes to bridge the gap between law enforcement and emergency management. Andrew brings a rare perspective—combining the mindset of a responder with the strategy of an emergency manager—and he’s helping shape how Pasco County handles everything from hurricane response and flood recovery to incident management and public safety coordination. We dig into lessons from Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton, where Pasco County faced record flooding and major operational strain, and how his team worked hand-in-hand with fire, EMS, and outside IMT resources to stabilize the county. Andrew shares how he’s earned trust across a culture that doesn’t always mesh easily with emergency management, walking us through the balance of humility, persistence, and leadership required to build credibility inside a sheriff’s office. We talk about how faith and service guide his leadership, how to drive policy changes that actually stick—like improved responder safety standards and water-rescue PPE—and what it means to lead with integrity when everything is on the line. This episode is packed with real-world takeaways on incident command, resource management, and interagency collaboration, and it’s a must-listen for anyone working in public safety, emergency management, or crisis leadership. From Oklahoma tornado deployments to Pasco County’s hurricane operations, Andrew shows what it looks like when emergency management becomes mission-ready, proactive, and trusted by the people it supports. Major Endorsements Impulse Bleeding Control Kits by Professionals for Professionals https://www.impulsekits.com Doberman Emergency Management Subject matter experts in assessments, planning, and training https://www.dobermanemg.com The Readiness Lab Trailblazing disaster readiness through podcasts, outreach, marketing, and interactive events https://www.thereadinesslab.com For Sponsorship Requests 314-400-8848 Ext 2 Email contact@thereadinesslab.com Emergency Management Leadership | Law Enforcement Integration | Pasco County Sheriff’s Office | Hurricane Response | Flood Recovery | IMT | ICS | Public Safety Collaboration | Faith-Based Leadership | Disaster Response Operations | Crisis Management | First Responder Safety | Disaster Tough Podcast | The Readiness Lab | John Scardena | Andrew Donawa | Doberman Emergency Management | Emergency Operations | Florida Emergency Management | Emergency Manager Interview | Incident Management Team

21/10/2025

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33 min
31/07/2023

Episode 015 - Rick Austin Talks Prepper Camp

Rick Austin, also known as The Survivalist Gardener, shares some insight on what it's like to fully and publicly embrace the prepper title and what he has done to destigmatize preparedness. He also talks about Prepper Camp, the largest outdoor preparedness event in the country, which celebrates its tenth year this September! Find out more about Rick and Prepper Camp here: https://secretgardenofsurvival.com/ https://www.preppercamp.com/ The Readiness Lab Podcast Network: For sponsorship requests: contact@thereadinesslab.com or visit our website: https://www.thereadinesslab.com L3Harris's BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com Contact Nat: Nat - The Preparedness Guy contact@preparednessguy.com http://www.preparednessguy.com Doberman Emergency Management owns and operates the Readiness Lab Podcast Network. Contact us here at: www.dobermanemg.com or email us at: info@dobermanemg.com. Please visit our sponsors! L3Harris Technologies' BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com Visit The Readiness Lab and learn about our Next Level Emergency Management training! https://www.thereadinesslab.com/ Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by professionals for professionals: www.dobermanemg.com/impulse Doberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.com Check out how you can use digital twins in your training, exercising, and planning using RSET https://rset.com/ For sponsorship requests, check out our Sponsorship Portfolio here or email us at contact@thereadinesslab.com

31/07/2023

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56 min
03/09/2024

Risk & Resilience Executive David Mitchell, MBA | Financial Services Industry

Listen, Watch, & Support DTP: www.thereadinesslab.com/dtp-links Boost the Signal with a $5 monthly donation! Become a TRL Insider Member with a ton of extra content! #emergencymanagement #disastertough #leadership #emergencyservices Few things change how we live more than a crisis affecting our financial stability. As a result, many experts are ready and able to give sound investment and money management advice in a time of emergency. But, who is there for the financial experts and institutions when THEIR world is turned upside down by crisis? David Mitchell is one of those emergency management experts who trains and readies the financial experts for such a time. David has worked on the frontlines of risk and resiliency for some of the nation's largest and most well-known financial institutions. From gauging financial volatility, predicting public reaction, and learning about new technology, David is responsible for making sure financial institutions are ready for whatever situation may arise. In this episode of the Disaster Tough Podcast, David discusses the importance of sound leadership in times of crisis, and building a strong team to manage such situations. *Major Endorsements: L3Harris's BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: https://www.l3harris.com/ Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by Professionals for Professionals: https://www.dobermanemg.com/impulse Emergency Management for Dynamic Populations (DyPop): Hot Mess Express: An emergency management leadership course focusing on response tactics during terrorist attacks. Hot Mess Express includes an immersive exercise during an intentional train derailment scenario. Register for DyPop here: https://www.thereadinesslab.com/shop/p/dynamic Doberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.com

03/09/2024

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32 min
24/09/2024

EM Specialist Chris Housley | United States Air Force

Listen, Watch, & Support DTP: www.thereadinesslab.com/dtp-links Boost the Signal with a $5 monthly donation! Become a TRL Insider Member with a ton of extra content! #emergencymanagement #disastertough #leadership #emergencyservices A true passion for Emergency Management is best manifested when one has it for the readiness or "front end" side of things instead of ONLY the response side. This week's guest in the Disaster Tough Podcast, Chris Housely explains why this concept is important for Emergency Managers to understand. As an emergency management specialist with the US Air Force, Chris also brings more than a decade of experience working as a first responder and flight medic before transitioning to the world of EM. In this episode, she and host John Scardena talk about how one can be "strategically tactical" in preparing and responding to various disasters, and how the origins of the Emergency Management field trace back to the need for First Responders to have someone looking out for them. They also reminisce about how a chance photo encounter in Baltimore has led to this week's important conversation. *Major Endorsements: L3Harris's BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: https://www.l3harris.com/ Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by Professionals for Professionals: https://www.dobermanemg.com/impulse Emergency Management for Dynamic Populations (DyPop): Hot Mess Express: An emergency management leadership course focusing on response tactics during terrorist attacks. Hot Mess Express includes an immersive exercise during an intentional train derailment scenario. Register for DyPop here: https://www.thereadinesslab.com/shop/p/dynamic Doberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.com

24/09/2024

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28 min
08/02/2024

The Secret to Readiness is Right Nextdoor - Joseph Porcelli

Joseph Porcelli, the Global Public Agency, Life Safety & Disaster Response Lead at Nextdoor, discusses the importance of connecting neighbors and building community resilience. He shares his journey from taking action in his own neighborhood to joining Nextdoor and working with emergency managers across the country. Porcelli emphasizes the value of service and the power of asking for and offering help. He highlights the Storm Crew initiative on Nextdoor and the role it plays in reducing the burden on government and fostering connections between neighbors. Porcelli also discusses the importance of incremental preparedness and the use of polls to engage communities. He encourages emergency managers to utilize Nextdoor's platform for effective communication and outreach. Connect with Joseph: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephporcelli/ Support our podcast! Everything EM Weekly: www.thereadinesslab.com/em-weekly-links Access AI tools and more by signing up for the The Readiness Lab Insider Subscription: https://www.thereadinesslab.com/the-eoc Leading During Crisis is a Masterclass taught by Peter T. Gaynor, who held one of the highest offices in the federal government while leading the nation through numerous disasters: https://courses.femapete.com/a/2147740050/5SZFSgu7 Major Endorsements: L3Harris Technologies' BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com Paladin, an Acela Company: Riding to the final destination with the Cube, a mobile MCI refrigerated morgue: www.paladinprepare.com Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by professionals for professionals: https://lnkd.in/dWWBYJAa Doberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.com

08/02/2024

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38 min

The home for training, podcasts, and conference support in the field of emergency and disaster services.

Website

The Readiness Lab

Top Shows

From Rapper to Radio Guy

DTP Season 5, Ep 182 JetBlue’s Innovative Approach to Business Continuity - Interview with Penny Neferis

A Political Disaster: DHS vs FEMA – Cameron Hamilton Returns to DPT as Co-host

The Secret Nuclear Bunker at The Greenbrier Resort

Minneapolis, Snowstorms, and ICE: A Nation on Edge

Andrew Donawa | Pasco County Sheriffs Office

Episode 015 - Rick Austin Talks Prepper Camp

Risk & Resilience Executive David Mitchell, MBA | Financial Services Industry

EM Specialist Chris Housley | United States Air Force

The Secret to Readiness is Right Nextdoor - Joseph Porcelli

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