Disaster Tough Podcast

The Readiness Lab
  • 4.9 (83)
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The Disaster Tough Podcast is for emergency managers, by emergency managers. We share stories, lessons learned, and tips to help you make informed decisions. Our host, John Scardena is a former Federal Emergency Response Official with Type 1 response experience. He now leads Doberman Emergency Management, from which this is being recorded. Our guests are also field experts who provide their insights in our conversation based podcast. Discussions with emergency managers revolve around the entire disaster life-cycle. We provide solutions based on training and backed by data. We share experiences of emergency response and identify the lessons learned through our own version of after action reporting. This is conversation mode activated. We are known for flipping from serious to humor without warning. Try to keep up in our weekly podcasts! About Doberman Emergency Management. We provide customized plans, mitigates hazards, delivers training, and supplies emergency products to meet the unique needs of clients. We identify and solve the Nation’s most complex incidents. That’s our job.

  1. 6D AGO

    Erin Scardena: Business Partner, Designer and Emergency “Momager”

    Check out more DTP content here: www.thereadinesslab.com/dtplinks In this special Mother’s Day edition of the Disaster Tough Podcast, host John Scardena welcomes his wife, business partner, and creative force behind the brand, Erin Scardena, for an authentic conversation on leadership, marriage, communication, and entrepreneurship. Dubbed the unofficial Emergency “Momager” episode, the discussion explores the realities of building a business while raising a family, balancing creativity with operations, and learning how different people process decisions under pressure. Erin shares insights from her professional background in graphic design and higher education, including work with major clients and her current role teaching typography and design principles, while also revealing how strong communication and trust have shaped both their marriage and their business success. The episode delivers practical leadership lessons for entrepreneurs, emergency managers, and professionals navigating high-performance environments at work and home. John and Erin discuss managing creative control, giving constructive feedback, and understanding different communication styles and emotional intelligence in both business and family life. Their candid reflections on working together, raising children, and supporting one another through career growth create a relatable and inspiring conversation about resilience beyond disaster response. The episode highlights how strong teams are built through trust, humility, communication, and shared purpose, whether in emergency management, entrepreneurship, or marriage. #DisasterTough #Momager #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #FamilyBusiness #Communication #MarriageAndLeadership #CreativeLeadership #EmergencyManagement #Resilience #SmallBusiness #WorkingParents

    16 min

  2. MAY 14

    So What? Now What? Change & Big News at FEMA

    In this episode of Disaster Tough Podcast, John Scardena breaks down the latest FEMA developments, including the FEMA Review Council recommendations and @Cameron Hamilton’s nomination for Senate confirmation. More importantly, this episode focuses on what emergency managers, crisis leaders, and public safety professionals should actually do when major news occurs. Rather than getting consumed by rumors, predictive analysis, or “what if” thinking, this episode challenges leaders to focus on operational readiness, credibility, adaptability, and mission execution. John introduces practical leadership concepts like the “So What? Now What?” mindset and the “Washing Machine” framework: Keep, Stop, Enhance, or Start.

    15 min

  3. APR 28

    Major General Kelly, US Army Corps of Engineers- Leadership, Resilience, and National Readiness

    Check out more of our content here: www.thereadinesslab.com/dtp-links In this latest episode of the Disaster Tough Podcast, host John Scardena welcomes back Major General Jason Kelly of the United States Army Corps of Engineers for a deep dive into leadership, resilience, and national readiness heading into the 2026 disaster season. The conversation centers on executive decision-making under pressure, including Kelly’s three-question framework for leaders: creating organizational value, stewarding talent, and sustaining long-term performance. Through real-world examples like the Potomac River sewage crisis and Winter Storm response operations, Kelly emphasizes agility, risk assessment, and the importance of acting decisively even amid uncertainty. The episode highlights how trust, relationships, and mission-first thinking enable effective coordination across federal, state, and local partners in high-stakes emergency management environments. Looking ahead, the discussion explores flood forecasting, infrastructure resilience, and evolving national risk conditions, with cautious optimism for a “normal to below normal” flood season tempered by the reality that even one major event can strain systems. Kelly underscores the Army Corps’ rollout of Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork,” for the Army’s Civil Works program, reinforcing a culture of action over bureaucracy and the critical role of partnerships in delivering outcomes. From personal insights on burnout and sustainability to strategic perspectives on national resilience, this episode offers actionable leadership lessons for emergency managers, policymakers, and infrastructure professionals alike. #DisasterTough #EmergencyManagement #Leadership #Resilience #USACE #Infrastructure #DisasterResponse #RiskManagement #PublicSafety #HurricaneSeason #FloodRisk #NationalSecurity

    52 min

  4. APR 23

    Stop Guessing. Start Forecasting.

    In this episode of the Disaster Tough Podcast, John Scardena breaks down one of the most misunderstood concepts in emergency management: forecasting. Moving beyond weather models and into real-world application, he outlines three critical truths every emergency manager needs to understand. First, forecasting is not a decision—it’s decision support. Second, risk is more than probability; it’s the combination of likelihood and consequence. And third, effective forecasting creates time—the most valuable resource in any disaster lifecycle. Through practical examples like evacuation planning and hazard vulnerability assessments, this episode challenges professionals to stop waiting for certainty and start using forecasts to posture resources, reduce impact, and lead with confidence.

    10 min

  5. APR 9

    War in Iran: Using ASCOPE, the Planning P, and Three-Block War to Navigate Complex Disasters

    In this episode of Disaster Tough, John Scardena explores how emergency management principles apply to modern conflict and large-scale disasters, using the war in Iran as a case study. The discussion focuses on integrating military concepts like the three-block war with core emergency management frameworks such as ASCOPE and the Planning P.Listeners will learn how to assess complex environments, prioritize recovery efforts, and coordinate across agencies when critical infrastructure is disrupted. The episode challenges traditional thinking, emphasizing that emergency management must evolve beyond documentation into real operational planning, intelligence integration, and adaptive decision-making.Whether you're in emergency management, military operations, or public safety, this episode provides actionable insights on bridging strategy, operations, and humanitarian response in high-stakes environments.

    13 min

  6. MAR 19

    Overcoming Pushback: A Guide To Motivation

    This episode explores what truly motivates high-performing individuals and leaders, particularly in emergency management and government environments. Moving beyond the common excuse of being “too busy,” the discussion reframes time through the lens of return on investment (ROI)—distinguishing between what is costly but worthwhileversus what feels expensive and not worth the effort. Three core motivators emerge: Gratitude – A sense of appreciation for opportunities, people, and purpose drives individuals to say yes to meaningful work and contribute at a higher level.Proof – The desire to prove oneself—to supporters or skeptics—can be a powerful catalyst for growth and performance.Duty – A personal standard of honor and accountability ensures commitments are fulfilled, regardless of difficulty.The episode argues that the most effective leaders and organizations cultivate these motivators internally—by recognizing contributions, challenging their teams, and holding individuals accountable. It also calls for organizations like FEMA to look beyond structural reforms and focus on internal motivation and culture as key drivers of long-term effectiveness.

    22 min

  7. JAN 29

    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.

    11 min

  8. JAN 22

    January 10, 2020: Leadership, Resilience, and Building a Mission-Driven Life | John Scardena

    looking for more DTP content and swag? www.thereadinesslab.com/dtp-links January 10, 2020: Leadership, Resilience, and Building a Mission-Driven Life January 10, 2020, is a defining date—not just for this podcast, but for leadership, resilience, and what it truly means to commit to a mission. In this reflective episode of the Disaster Tough Podcast, host John Scardena looks back on the day he left a stable corporate career to go all-in on building Doberman Emergency Management. This conversation is not about COVID, headlines, or hindsight—it’s about decision-making under uncertainty, values-based leadership, and the personal cost of choosing purpose over comfort. John shares hard-earned lessons from years of entrepreneurship, emergency management, and crisis leadership—drawing parallels between disaster response and navigating business crises. He explains how mission-driven organizations endure, why comparison is corrosive to leadership, and how resilience is built not through ease, but through repeated adversity. The episode centers on three powerful leadership principles: Stop measuring success by comparison and instead focus on whether those around you have what they need.Ignore criticism from people you wouldn’t seek advice from, and be intentional about whose voices shape your decisions.Build resilience deliberately, understanding that mitigation matters—but storms will still come.John also reflects on the poem Invictus by William Ernest Henley, using it as a lens to discuss grit, accountability, and personal responsibility in moments when circumstances feel overwhelming. The episode closes with a reminder that long-term leadership is about endurance, sacrifice, family, and learning to embrace the journey—come what may. This episode is essential listening for: Emergency managers and first respondersEntrepreneurs and executives navigating uncertaintyLeaders building mission-focused organizationsAnyone facing burnout, criticism, or high-stakes decisionsIf you’re building something that matters—and feeling the weight that comes with it—this episode offers perspective, clarity, and hard-won encouragement grounded in real experience, not theory.

    16 min
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4.9
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About

The Disaster Tough Podcast is for emergency managers, by emergency managers. We share stories, lessons learned, and tips to help you make informed decisions. Our host, John Scardena is a former Federal Emergency Response Official with Type 1 response experience. He now leads Doberman Emergency Management, from which this is being recorded. Our guests are also field experts who provide their insights in our conversation based podcast. Discussions with emergency managers revolve around the entire disaster life-cycle. We provide solutions based on training and backed by data. We share experiences of emergency response and identify the lessons learned through our own version of after action reporting. This is conversation mode activated. We are known for flipping from serious to humor without warning. Try to keep up in our weekly podcasts! About Doberman Emergency Management. We provide customized plans, mitigates hazards, delivers training, and supplies emergency products to meet the unique needs of clients. We identify and solve the Nation’s most complex incidents. That’s our job.

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