What You Need To Know About Emergency Management, From Preparation to Recovery

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How do we truly prepare for disasters, and what does recovery look like when catastrophe strikes?

In this episode, renowned disasterologist Samantha Montano, Ph.D., takes us into the world of emergency management, offering practical advice on what communities and individuals can do. She also outlines the steps someone impacted by events like Hurricanes Helene and Milton can take to receive state and federal support and help them navigate the recovery process. 

As the author of Disasterology: Dispatches from the Frontlines of the Climate Crisis, named one of the best books of 2021 by USA Today, and Assistant Professor of Emergency Management at Massachusetts Maritime Academy, she shares what needs to be done to better prepare for and recover from crises. 

She sheds light on the deeper, often hidden, factors that make certain communities more vulnerable during crises. From the unequal distribution of resources to the lingering effects of discriminatory practices like redlining, she points to the long-standing systemic issues that exacerbate disaster impacts.

With a growing array of challenges, including cyber threats and rapidly intensifying natural disasters, she emphasizes the need for more specialized staff, improved local government coordination, and increased funding to ensure effective disaster response. She also argues for stronger local leadership and better preparation strategies to protect the most vulnerable communities and individuals. 

Drawing on her early work in post-Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and her academic research, Samantha discusses why it's crucial to professionalize and grow the field of emergency management.

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