Crisis Lab

Latest Episodes:

Bonus Episode: Innovating for Resilience: A Panel on Food and Water Security Jun 23, 2023

Show notes

In this podcast episode, experts Prof. William Chen, Dr. Roman Tandlich, and Dr. Ashok Swain discussed the challenges of water and food security, exploring the political, technological and educational solutions needed to tackle the problem.

Show Highlights

[00:33:24] The potential of indigenous knowledge in water management and food production, fostering collaboration between communities and scientists.

[00:36:57] Revolutionary water treatment innovations impacting food security and the urgent need for efficient water usage.

[00:40:45] Effective solutions to combat water and food scarcity through public education, technology transfer, and collaborative research.

[00:48:18] Balancing economic demands with universal access to water, recognizing it as a basic human right.

Overall, the experts stressed the need for a comprehensive, collaborative approach to water and food security, involving education, political will, technological developments, and a focus on the importance of water as a basic human right.

Connect with our experts on LinkedIn

Navigating the Information Maze with Chris Kremidas-Courtney Jun 09, 2023

Show notes

In this podcast episode, Kyle King interviews Chris Kremidas-Courtney, a globally recognized thought leader, on how to navigate the information maze on crisis and emergency management. The interview covers the importance of taking disinformation seriously, the difficulties of quantifying its impacts, and the need for clear communication and community engagement.

Kremidas-Courtney also emphasizes the importance of transparency and including the most critical people in the response process to gain citizen satisfaction with political decisions.

They also discuss the value of delivering a response to debunk disinformation and avoiding repeating disinformation narratives.

The podcast concludes by highlighting the role of information first responders in actively communicating with the public and combating disinformation.

Show Highlights

[20:10] How disinformation can disrupt disaster response efforts?

[20:44] What makes believable disinformation difficult to debunk?

[21:12] Revealing the secret: Who holds the key to citizen satisfaction with political decisions?

[22:01] Navigating the disinformation maze: what's the best approach to debunking disinformation without promoting false narratives?

[25:31] The missing link: What strategies are effective in countering the rapid spread of disinformation?

[29:02] Behind closed doors: What challenges hinder quantifying the impacts of disinformation?

[29:36] The untold power: How does the future of communication shape the fight against disinformation?

[31:02] What can information first responders do to combat disinformation?

Connect with Chris

How to Prepare Your Business for Any Disaster with Erika Andresen May 05, 2023

Show notes

Host Kyle King sits down with business continuity expert Erika Andresen, founder of EaaS Consulting, who shares her insights on the intersection between emergency management and business continuity. She emphasizes the need for proactive measures to minimize suffering and enable communities to thrive even in the face of crisis.

Throughout the interview, Erika discusses her career path, the importance of business continuity programs and community response in disaster management, and the merging of public and private sectors in resilience efforts. Her book, "How Not to Kill Your Business: Grow Your Business in Any Environment, Navigate Volatility, and Successfully Recover When Things Go Wrong" provides entrepreneurs with strategies to deal with volatility and uncertainty in the face of crises and disasters.

Show Highlights

[00:02:20] How Erika transitioned from military service and law to founding her own business continuity consulting company

[00:07:15] What Erika wants everyone to understand about business continuity and how her book helps entrepreneurs deal with volatility

[00:10:15] Where Erika found the perfect marriage between emergency management and business continuity, and what makes the relationship work

[00:14:39] What Erika believes the government lacks when responding to disasters, and why resilience entails everyone taking responsibility

[00:20:45] What Erika thinks should take priority when getting started on business continuity programs

[00:23:32] Erika describes how the merging of private and public sectors has become extremely beneficial to resilience and economic security

Connect with Erika

- LinkedIn

- Website

Check out Erika’s book “How Not to Kill Your Business: Grow Your Business in Any Environment, Navigate Volatility, and Successfully Recover When Things Go Wrong”

- Amazon

Resilience to Relocation: Navigating Climate-Induced Migration with Sara Belligoni Apr 21, 2023

Show notes

In this latest episode of the CCEM Podcast, Sara Belligoni, a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Rutgers University, discusses the impact of climate change on coastal communities and the challenges faced by climate migrants. She also talks about the need for interdisciplinary collaboration and practical solutions to address the complex issues surrounding climate change.

Show Highlights:

[00:02:55] How climate change affects migration, and how emergency management planning reduces its likelihood

[00:04:12] The impacts of climate-induced migration on communities, and what Sara thinks is the kind of planning necessary to avoid failing both the people and the community

[00:09:32] Why Sara believes providing a welcoming and safe environment is crucial for the integration of migrant populations, and the kind of planning is necessary to achieve this

[00:13:26] How geopolitical considerations complicate international migrations due to climate change, and how domestic migrations are viewed differently

[00:16:34] How international organizations can shape a country’s approach to climate change and migrations, and why Sara thinks local problems require different solutions

[00:20:25] The unique challenges coastal communities face in adapting to climate change, and how they become more resilient to natural disasters and sea level rise

[00:24:21] How climate change is causing massive migrations and displacement of vulnerable populations, and why there is currently no clear framework for climate refugees

[00:27:13] The impacts of climate change on communities beyond direct physical effects, and why they should be considered when discussing emergency management and community well-being

[00:32:38] What Sara thinks is the kind of approach needed to address climate change, and why there is a need to focus on practical steps and incremental changes

Connect with Sara

- LinkedIn

- Sara’s website

Bonus Episode: Climate Security and Community Resilience: Exploring the Nexus Apr 14, 2023

Show notes

This bonus podcast episode features a conversation focused on the impacts of climate change on communities around the world. Guest experts Patrick Marchman, Paul Turner, Sara Belligoni, and host Kyle King discuss the challenges associated with sustainable technology and engineering, the importance of understanding what makes communities resilient, and the need for outside-the-box thinking to address climate change. They also give insights on the challenges related to climate migration, legal frameworks to protect climate refugees, and the impacts of mass migration on political tensions and national security concerns.

Show Highlights

[00:04:41] Challenges of climate change, managed retreat, economic realignments, vulnerability of ports and airports, and supply chain resilience. (Patrick Marchman)

[00:10:52] Climate security, migration, and changing identities. (Paul Turner)

[00:14:49] Legal frameworks to protect climate refugees and implementing adaptation measures at the local level. (Sara Belligoni)

[00:21:34] Challenges of natural hazards and climate change in emergency management, migration effects on tax bases and response capability, and mitigation and prevention. (Kyle King)

[00:22:44] Challenges of revising infrastructure in the face of climate change. (Kyle King and Patrick Marchman)

[00:26:21] Challenges of addressing climate migration, lack of legal mechanisms and resource requirements, and stressors on host communities. (Kyle King and Paul Turner)

[00:32:46] Challenges of reconciling slow migration with large-scale catastrophic humanitarian migration and need for a better framework to address these movements. (Kyle King and Sara Belligoni)

[00:37:12] Impacts of mass migration and displacement on political tensions and national security concerns related to climate migration in Southeast Asia and the Caribbean. (Sara Belligoni)

[00:40:59] Impacts of climate change on communities around the world, challenges faced by Pacific Island nations and traditional farmer-herder dynamics. (Paul Turner)

[00:44:48] Challenges of reintegration after the loss of a nation state due to climate change, potential for conflict, and the role of technology and engineering. (Kyle King)

[00:47:11] Importance of sustainable design, production, and disposal of renewable and alternative sources of energy to mitigate climate change. (Sara Belligoni)

[00:50:07] Challenges associated with solar panel supply chains, geopolitical and security issues, and need for outside-the-box thinking. (Paul Turner)

[00:53:01] Importance of sustainable technology and understanding what makes communities resilient in addressing climate change. (Discussion)

Connect with our experts on LinkedIn

How Systems Thinking Can Improve Emergency Management with Mr. C.J. Unis Mar 10, 2023

Show notes

In this latest episode of the CCEM Podcast, Systems Engineer CJ Unis argues that emergency managers often face complex and interconnected problems that are difficult to plan for. During a crisis, emergency managers must consider a range of factors, such as the availability of resources, the needs of different communities, and the impact of policy decisions on their response efforts.

These factors are all interconnected and can have a significant impact on the success or failure of emergency response efforts. CJ highlights the importance of systems thinking and looking at emergency management through a systems lens. But what is systems thinking?

Listen to the episode and learn about the critical foundational pillars of systems thinking and the advice CJ has for crisis and emergency management professionals.

Show Highlights:

[00:02:56] How CJ defines systems thinking and the five pillars of effectively framing a problem

[00:04:14] Key takeaways from CJ’s Master’s thesis and what the academia overlooked in it

[00:07:25] How CJ deconstructs a highly integrated and interconnected system to solve a problem

[00:10:49] What CJ sees as the bottleneck of innovation and implementation

[00:13:39] How a rapid adoption of technology can lead to a knowledge gap and unintended consequences

[00:17:07] What CJ believes as the future of systems thinking in crisis and emergency management

[00:19:41] How emergency managers can integrate systems thinking at a community level

[00:21:40] How CJ thinks systems thinking could benefit emergency management and first response

[00:22:51] What CJ did using systems thinking that massively improved problem-solving efficiency

Connect with CJ on LinkedIn

Challenges in Sustainable Urban and Transport Planning with Dana Hoffman Feb 03, 2023

Show notes

Is sustainable transport merely a fancy phrase to describe an elusive future without traffic? City and transportation planning professional Dana Hoffman tells us otherwise, as she helps enable more sustainable modes of transport in Denver. Integrating sustainability into urban life is challenging but the trade-off is highly beneficial: having pedestrian-centric roads, safer bike lanes, and more resilient infrastructure. Moving the needle on progress and innovation will take time but Dana offers insights into what we can do to drive solutions in action.

Dana Hoffman’s work is centered on sustainable transportation, infrastructure planning, hazard and climate change mitigation, and adaptation strategies. Dana has 11 years of experience working with local governments on long-range plans to achieve a more sustainably developed future. She is focused on climate impact and making our cities more livable, equitable, and environmentally resilient through smart land use and transportation plans and policies.

Show Highlights

[00:02:48] How Dana’s work is paving the way for sustainable transportation in Denver

[00:06:28] What Dana says are the challenges in integrating sustainability into urban planning

[00:09:41] What Dana thinks are the necessary changes to achieve traffic-free transportation

[00:12:24] Why Dana believes new technology is not always the answer to advancing sustainable and innovative solutions

[00:17:10] What Dana thinks is the value of engaging a tragedy-stricken community in rebuilding damaged infrastructure

[00:19:52] How Dana defines the gap time in building back better and more sustainable infrastructure

[00:23:27] What Dana thinks will move the needle on implementing institutional changes to build back better

[00:25:18] What Dana sees as the challenges of urban and transportation planning in the next five years

[00:30:08] Where Dana thinks more professionals could join and contribute to the field of sustainable urban and transportation planning

[00:33:40] What Dana believes to be extremely helpful in her learning process

[00:35:25] How Dana frames ideas to cultivate openness in discussing solutions

Connect with Dana on LinkedIn

What We Need to Understand About Disasters with Mr. Ricardo Mena Jan 06, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to the second season of the Crisis. Conflict. Emergency Management Podcast brought to you by Capacity Building International (CBI), where we discuss all aspects of international crisis management and the nexus between crisis, conflict, and emergency management as well as impacts on communities.

In this episode, let's talk about disaster management and risk reduction.

From tsunamis and hurricanes to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the understanding of disaster management and risk reduction has changed. It is no longer just about hazards. International organizations are now taking into account all other aspects of the risk formula to detect early signs of the next health crisis or natural catastrophe to hit the world.

In this conversation with host Kyle King, former Director of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Mr. Ricardo Mena dives deeper into the major changes in disaster risk reduction, the current state of how international organizations fund risk mitigation, where the responsibility of implementing an integrated DRR ultimately falls on, the important tools that can influence nations to mitigate risk, and the role of local emergency managers in preventing what could go wrong in the future.

Show Highlights

[01:18] What has changed in the field of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) over the last few years and where it is going

[06:34] Ricardo explains this is how society should start seeing hazards moving forward

[07:10] The topics Ricardo talked about when he started in DRR vs. the topics he talks about now, 29 years after

[13:40] The five catalysts Ricardo thinks fueled change in the way international organizations approach DRR

[19:26] How investments and funds are allocated in the implementation of DRR programs today

[23:39] Why incorporating climate change scenarios into future planning prevents the creation of new risks

[25:06] Where the responsibility to integrate all aspects of DRR ultimately falls on

[30:37] What Ricardo believes to be the most important tool to influence nations in mitigating risk

[36:08] What could go wrong in DRR today and the issues Ricardo thinks society should keep an eye on

Connect with Ricardo on LinkedIn

Is there a topic you would like to hear about? Or are you a functional expert and want to be featured on our show? We'd love to connect with you! Reach out to us anytime at info@capacitybuildingint.com

Energy Security and the Problem With Renewable Energy with Andy Chastain Dec 22, 2022

Show notes

What is energy security? In this conversation with Ameren Project Manager, Andy Chastain, he shares with us his knowledge of the subject and what exactly it means. With his background and more than a decade of electrical utility experience, Andy helps us answer some questions surrounding green technologies, renewable energy, and how we can integrate renewable energy into the grid systems. It also highlights the importance of having a long-term strategy, changing the messaging, and understanding the people and their needs to have an effective strategy with better results in the process. Episode Highlights[01:40] Renewable energy and Andy's thoughts on what it means to have energy security

[04:45] The usual timeframe when it comes to finishing projects and making significant changes

[07:41] The state of infrastructure and energy infrastructure

[12:09] On meeting guidelines and why it's difficult for grid operators and utilities to meet them

[17:39] The utilities’ response to demand level, including discussions on net metering

[19:24] Long-term strategy and the problem with decentralizing the power grid

[23:59] On why we need to have a long-term grid strategy that focuses on reliability then resiliency, adjusts the messaging, and understands the consumers

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This podcast is brought to you in partnership between Capacity Building International (CBI) and The International Emergency Management Society (TIEMS).

Special Episode: Disaster Tough Podcast – A 2022 Retrospective for Emergency Management Worldwide - Interview by John Scardena Oct 14, 2022

Show notes

Special Episode: Disaster Tough Podcast – A 2022 Retrospective for Emergency Management Worldwide - Interview with Kyle King by John Scardena

This month we are sharing with you an episode of John Scardena's Disaster Tough Podcast with Kyle King as a guest.

In this episode, we take a look back at the various disasters that have happened in 2022, both in the US and abroad. From the war in Ukraine, to the recent damage done by Hurricane Ian, Kyle gives his take on what citizens and Emergency Management experts can learn from the events of this year, and what the focus of both sides should be heading into 2023.

Check out Disaster Tough Podcast and Disaster Tough Podcast Youtube Channel

Is there a topic you would like to hear about? Or are you a functional expert and want to be featured on our show? Reach out to us at info@capacitybuildingint.com and let us know!

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