Disaster Dads

Episode 45- Smart Phone Kids Aug 15, 2018

Well, hello. It's nice that you've been thinking of us. Yes. We know...we've been thinking of you too. What have we been doing? That's hard to say...when's the last time we talked? Yeah. I can't remember either. But it's ok. You are the kind of friends we can just start chatting with again like no time has gone by.

Oh...we also decided to talk about smart phone education for you kids and when should you start it. Specifically, if you don't have a landline, make sure your kids know how to use a smart phone to call someone.

Here are the articles we referenced:

Toddler uses FaceTime to save Dad

K id calls 911 for Grandma

Episode 44- Alternate Appliance Plans Jun 29, 2018

Hey Disaster Dad family!

This summer is full of travel (work and family), so we are having a haphazard recording schedule with the Dads. We appreciate your patience and hope you stick with us.

This week we had plans to discuss the importance of alternate plans, but then Disaster Joe went on a rant about appliances. Luckily, he highlighted the need to have alternate plans for appliance shopping as well.

Make sure to give the #SummerOfDad a go and let us know what's going on.

Episode 43- Flashes of Summer Past Jun 12, 2018

The Disaster Dads are here to chat about the summer activities of their youth. And the woes of Refrigerator Joe.

Episode 42- Joe Speaks May 08, 2018

Hello Disaster Dad Nation! We missed you and I'm sure you missed us. The Dads have been galavanting from one kid party to another. Also, Disaster Erik didn't plan well and took all the recording equipment with him. So we are ramping back into the podcasting you know and love. That said, enjoy our rants and rattles and we look forward to catching back up with you!

**Episode 41- Fire Camp for Girls** Apr 10, 2018
You read that right! This week, the Dads had the great privilege to chat with two of Arlington County Fire Department's amazing Officers; Captain Sarah and Lieutenant Cheryl. We heard about Camp Heat, a great summer camp that the ACFD puts on for girls ages 15-18 and with 7 daughters in the Disaster Dad family, we wanted to chat about it. I mean, how couldn't we....a free summer camp that involves fire? A no brainer.

We really appreciated the time that Sarah and Cheryl took out of their evening to discuss the camp and that they put up with our shenanigans. If your household has a young girl that may be interested in the fire service....you can't go wrong with a fun summer camp.

Notes from the chat
Camp Heat: https://fire.arlingtonva.us/girls-fire-camp/
ACFD: https://fire.arlingtonva.us/

Episode 40- Get SMART Mar 13, 2018

This episode, the Dads were thrilled, and honored, to chat with Sarah from the Vienna Chapter of Moms Demand Action. Sarah is an instructor for the Be SMART program and she shared the history of the program, who the target audience is (spoiler alert: It's for everyone!), and how you can get involved if you want to. Whether you grew up around guns or have never handled a firearm, the Be SMART program is a great way to prime a conversation about gun safety. Also, they have Melissa Joan Hart as a spokesperson...what more do you need to get involved!?!

Episode 39- Get Your Shots Feb 27, 2018

First: If you haven't gotten a flu shot...GET ONE!

Second: Disaster Dan was awesomer than usual and had the brilliant that we should ask a smart person about the flu and how it impacts our kids (and the rest of us). So, we got to chat with Dr. Crystal Sparling, MD, MPH, FAAP. She's a pediatrician at Scissortail Pediatrics in Blanchard, OK. She's awesome and was very patient with the questions that Disaster Joe had. Listen to the episode, ask your pediatrician questions, and GET YOUR FLU SHOT.

Notes from the chat

Scissortail Pediatrics

CDC Flu

Episode 38- Snow Daze Feb 13, 2018

The Dads get together to check-in on how Kindergarten is going and what sage words of advice can be shared. That predictably devolved into a well reasoned argument against random snow(less) day's for schools. Enjoy!

Grinds My Gears Jan 30, 2018

The Dads have a candid discussion about cars and the safety features you can find on them. Some Dads are happy about the tech, others are not. *Spoiler Alert for every episode: Disaster Rob has issues with anything new*

Episode 36- Dusting off from the Holidaze Jan 16, 2018

The Dads are back and happy to have survived the holiday spirit that enveloped and consumed our little ones. Only 343 days until Xmas. (sorry...I'm sooo sorry)

Listen to us chat about our time off and the little ballistic missile issue in Hawaii. Enjoy!

**Episode 35- Lampoon Deductible** Dec 05, 2017
This episode, the Dads review the second greatest Christmas movie on the market and look at it from the perspective of insurance and what Clark's bonus check really would have gone to. We were happy to welcome Disaster Joe back and appreciated his input. We also issue the #BlessingChallenge and we'd love to hear your stories and how your blessing went over.

Attack of the *Deranged* Mutant *Killer Monster Snow Goon*

The Before

The After

Episode 34- The Turkey Trot Nov 21, 2017

We don't talk about Disaster Erik's wattle, but we do chat about our holiday plans and the decision to fly or not fly with little ones. Also, all the sympathy to Disaster Erik's family...for having to travel with him. The Dads also gain elightenment from Disaster Joe and feel like they've been missing something for far too long.

Episode 33- News and Reports Nov 07, 2017

Or report and news. Either way is a valid answer. This episode, Disaster Erik forgot to organize a theme, so he spitballed and asked everyone to bring a book report. Disaster Robin got a pass because he could talk #Astros and that was ok. We chat about the life skills learned from Calvin and Hobbes, how the man who designed awesome trains also worked on Sky Lab, and the benefit of a "go home" back. Listen and enjoy. Also, validate our existence by giving us your favorite rating.

Notes from the chat

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2012/05/10/how-to-build-a-get-home-bag-book-giveaway/

https://kotaku.com/calvin-and-hobbes-showed-the-trouble-with-organized-spo-1820093556

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Loewy

Episode 32- It's a Marathon, not a Sprint Oct 24, 2017

In this episode, the Dads have grand plans to discuss the Great Shakeout and use Disaster Erik's recent quinquennial physical as a reminder to take your health seriously. In typical Disaster Dad fashion, we were easily derailed and ended up talking about our days working the Marine Corps Marathon and when we should let our kids watch the formative movies of our youth. Worth listening to until the end. The very end.

Episode 31- Beards and Knowledge Oct 10, 2017

Following the domestic terrorist attack in Las Vegas, the Dads have grand plans to discuss how to talk to our kids about these attacks, but we easily (predictably?) go off on a tangent. We still have a great conversation, just not about what we planned to discuss. We round out the chat with an armchair review of the recent #Army10Miler and how it became the #ArmyFunRun. We were missing Disaster Joe, but that meant we were 100% beard strong.

Notes from the chat

http://www.redcross.org/news/article/Red-Cross-and-Disney-Team-Up-to-Prepare-Kids-for-Disasters

https://www.ready.gov/kids

https://www.sesamestreet.org/toolkits/ready

https://www.ready.gov/kids/educators

Episode 30- You Plan, I Plan, We All Plan For Disaster Sep 26, 2017

WELCOME TO SEASON 2! That's right, you survived season one because you excellent preparedness skills, get ready for season two...the Toddler Years! We've been walking, asking "What's this?", and generally annoying our older siblings...time to take it to the next level!

We welcome the newest member to the Disaster Dads, Robin! He's always been here, but now it's official. This way Joe can talk even less. BUT, not until after this episode that he put together for an after action report on National Preparedness Month. Grab your favorite lovey, this episode is good!

Let's Talk About Harvey Sep 12, 2017

This episode, The Dads are honored to be joined by two very special guests. Friend of The Dads, and really one of The Dads, Robin returns to the family table and was able to bring a VERY special friend with him, Michael Walter, the Public Information Officer for the Houston Office of Emergency Management. They shared what it was like for them during Hurricane Harvey and how their personal emergency plans played out while their professional plans were in overdrive. The Dads were grateful to have the opportunity for this chat and wish Robin and Michael, as well of the rest of Houston, a speedy recovery. Visit HoustonRecovers.org to find out what you can do to help.

Get on iTunes

Get on GooglePlay

Notes from the chat

https://houstonrecovers.org/

Episode 28- Watts Up with Generators Aug 29, 2017

4/5s of the Dads gather to finally do the long threatened generators episode! This week the Dads take a first look at all the toys you need ... I mean, some tips when you're thinking about using a generator. Topics include how to estimate your power needs, where to put the generator, and how to get the power from the generator to your appliances.

Notes from the chat

http://powerequipment.honda.com/generators/generator-wattage-estimation-guide

https://www.lowes.com/projects/pdfs/portable-generator-wattage-chart.pdf

https://www.amazon.com/P3-P4400-Electricity-Usage-Monitor/dp/B00009MDBU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1503884173&sr=8-2&keywords=kill-a-watt

Episode 27- They Grow Up So Fast Aug 15, 2017

We have the gang back together again! Travel hasn't stopped, but it's pretty nice to have the full Disaster team in one place to celebrate our Podiversary! We can't believe how fast we grew up, or at least appeared to grow up. But we need to talk about the kids. Always the kids. So for that, we chat about when they go to school and the process/steps/issues associated with that. Enjoy the banter and listen to us babble on about many things unrelated to school. And Happy #DisasterDadDay

Notes from the chat

Situational Awareness

Episode 26- Disaster GrandBob Aug 01, 2017

This week 4/5 of the Disaster Dads are on travel and of those, only one has access to the internet. Guys....Summer travel is hard. But, we are extremely lucky that Disaster Rob was able to sweet talk Disaster GrandBob to join us! Our pre-taping chat went down a road of family travel in the 80's versus family travel now. And GrandBob was part of the Disaster Rob Disney Delight earlier this year, so he is our SME on comparative travel! This was a fun episode and excited to share with the Disaster Dad family! Enjoy!

Bonus Episode- Joe has Monkey Virus Jul 18, 2017

The Dads have been traveling- some for work, some for fun- and have been caught up in the nuances of life. That means, we weren't able to tape a full episode this week. We only had a short time together and Ebola Joe wasn't making it easier. Enjoy and have fun. More to come next week. Bonus Bonus....you don't get to hear us review Sharknado.

Notes from the chat

27 Contacts

Episode 24- Travel Planning at Home or on the Road (aka- Disaster Dads After Dark) Jul 04, 2017

The Dads (well, 3 of the 5) got online to chat about keeping the household from falling off the rails when the spouse travels or handling the kids when you are traveling solo. We also go WAY off topic and chat about movies and how our kids talk to us. Off topic, but on target for fun!

Episode 23- Don't Touch the Face or Tail Jun 20, 2017

The Dads enjoy Fathers (Father's?) Day by going on a certified #DisasterDadRant. Well, not really a rant, but we've had a lot on our minds and decided to talk about it. Podcast therapy. Or something like that. Join us as we chat about the Grenfell Tower fire and the active shooter incident at the GOP baseball practice in Alexandria, VA. We try to bring it up a bit with a recap of our excellent day of Fatherly recognition.

Notes from the chat

Grenfell Tower

Alexandria Active Shooter at Simpson Park

Episode 22- Hunter of Hurricanes Jun 06, 2017

This week the Dads hear from Rob on his parenting adventure as he took his oldest to visit the Hurricane Hunters. We have a hurricane season to start preparing for, so why not chat about the planes, tech, and pilots that get us the info we need to stay safe. Bonus plug- if you live in a hurricane zone, get your stuff together and be prepared.

NOAA Aircraft Operations

NOAA Hurricane Hunters

US Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters

2017 Hurricane Season Predictions

Episode 21- Torpedo in the Water! May 23, 2017

This week's episode focuses on water in places where there shouldn't be water - at home or at work. The Dads chat about how to stay safe, how to prepare for the worst, and how to use a grommeted tarp, DD Nation!

Episode 20- Swim Sideways May 09, 2017

With 71% of the planet covered in water (science), learning to swim is an important skill for children of all ages. Even if you aren't near an ocean, there is always an opportunity to go chasing waterfalls and not sticking to the lakes and rivers you are used to. From what you can teach in the bathtub to lessons at the pool, The Dads discuss ways to make sure everyone has a chance to enjoy some liquid fun.

From Disaster Dad Dan: Dive in with the dads while we get our feet wet on water safety. Don't get caught in a rip tide this summer without thinking through water safety with the kiddos. Treading water on a topic this important and you may find yourself in the deep end of the pool without a life jacket ... I'll let myself out.

Notes from the chat

The American Red Cross has some great info:
http://www.redcross.org/get-help/prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/water-safety
SafeKids.Org:
https://www.safekids.org/watersafety?gclid=CJPWx77K4dMCFV62wAodYYsPCA
The U.S. Coast Guard Search and Rescue page:
https://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg534/Contact_CG.asp
Pro tip; Email is not the preferred method for contacting the Coast Guard for emergencies at this time. You're not ordering a pizza, folks. Sober up.

Episode 19- Drunk on Disney Magic Apr 25, 2017

The Dads get to hear from Disaster Rob on how his trip to the magical kingdom went. He gives an overview of the planning and execution of a fun family excursion. Join us as we discuss the fun of kid vacations and see if you can hear Disaster Frank celebrating a Caps victory in the background.

Episode 18- Twister or RIP Bill Paxton Apr 10, 2017

The Dads reach back to the late 20th Century to review the classic disaster flick with AWESOME graphics....Twister! The Dads have always wanted to watch this flick, but we really wanted to honor the life and times of a great, Bill Paxton. You were never a Pullman to us and thanks for the great films.

Also, we talk about disaster prep. Sort of. Enjoy!

Notes from the chat

Get the movie

Watch the trailer

Prepare yourself

Episode 17- All We Know About Tornadoes Mar 28, 2017

This week, the Dads are a little light because of travel, babies and day jobs. But, that won't stop them from talking about Tornadoes and sharing what they know. Spoiler alert: it's not as much as you'd think. But the Dads had fun and hope you'll join us.

Notes from the chat

http://www.ustornadoes.com/2017/03/01/spring-2017-seasonal-tornado-outlook/

http://www.vaemergency.gov/news-local/statewide-drills/

https://weather.com/storms/tornado/news/us-tornado-reports-2017-highest-since-2012

Episode 16- New Disaster Welcomed by the Dads Mar 14, 2017

In this episode, the Dads congratulate Disaster Joe on the new addition to his family. One was fun, two is....a second baby. The Dads catch up on the Oscars and give their picks for best overall confusing look. They finish up with Disaster Erik lamenting his impending death and all around Debbie Downer attitude.

Notes from the chat

How the Oscars showed how easy it is to create a disaster

Ronery, I'm so Ronery

Nope...this is it: Middle Aged Loneliness

Tactical Baby Carrier

The Super Episode Feb 28, 2017

In this episode the Dads bring back special guest Robin to discuss his role in the emergency management planning for the Super Bowl. Topics include the interagency coordination process, the in depth preparation undertaken by hospitals, fire, police and federal agencies, and Patriots fan Dan's martini consumption during the second half.

Episode 14- The Accidental Tourist Feb 14, 2017

The Accidental Tourist - Situational awareness. Knowing the geography. Having a plan. All of this becomes more difficult when you're traveling, especially when you don't know the language. The Dads bring in an expert to talk about all of this: their buddy Jae. He's a former firefighter buddy. He doesn't have kids but he is a security officer with the UN mission in Kabul, Afghanistan. Which may be as challenging as traveling with a two year old. Tough call.

Notes from the chat

State Department Travel Info

UN ETB Bags

Grey Man

Episode 13- Disasters of 1998 Feb 01, 2017

The Dads review one of the most impactful disaster movies of 1998, Deep Impact! That's right, every now and then, the Dads are going to toss in a totally scientific and accurate review of the best disaster movies out there. We listen to President Freeman and wonder if they were hoping to make a TV series on all the random story lines in this movie. Enjoy!

Episode 12- Large Crowds and Other Randomness Jan 17, 2017

Outdoor preparedness, thinking about large crowds: The Dads discuss how to be prepared for hikes with kids, including how Rob braved the wilderness with the most dangerous animal imaginable - two kids! The dads also give tips on surviving at big events like the presidential inauguration and the million women march. Plus, Frank briefs the Dads on a pleasant return flight from Hawaii where nothing happened ... other than a diabetic emergency and a stroke (in the same row)!

Notes from the chat

What you should expect to find in an airline med bag

Episode 11- A Short Welcome to 2017 Jan 03, 2017

The Dads have been enjoying the holiday bliss and the extra family time. They have also had a few localized disasters tossed their way. This all means that they took a holiday hiatus from "planning" and "prepping" for this episode. Enjoy the short banter and what to expect from the Disaster Dads in 2017.

Episode 10- Safe Winter Wonderland Dec 20, 2016

The weather outside is frightful, but the conversation is so delightful! And since you've got no place to go...might as well listen to the Dads discuss winter weather emergencies and home front preparedness. Listen to Dan and Joe both fall off the recording, Rob discussing the finer points of living room camping, Frank sharing his tips to preparing an outside faucet for winter, and Erik learning the importance of Calcium Chloride.

Bonus, when you join us for emergency preparedness you also get to go down the rabbit hole of excellent movies from the late '80's. Remember, it's not the Christmas until Hans Gruber falls from Nakatomi Tower.

Episode 9- Disaster Gifts Dec 06, 2016

Get yo' gift on! Today's episode has some helpful gift ideas from the Dads, for the Dads in your life. Topics include bear fights, battlefield medicine, the importance of owning multiple Leatherman tools, puppy pads, Christmas trees, and, as always, the importance of grommets.

Notes from the chat

The gift list:

Episode 8- Thanksgiving Safety Nov 22, 2016

Happy Thanksgiving to all and to all a full belly! In this episode the Dads talk about safety with family and friends as you plan to celebrate Thanksgiving. The knives may be dull in the house, but the Dads are sharp as ever! Listen for the Dads to endorse their official side of the Thanksgiving meal. Enjoy and be safe this Thanksgiving!

Show Notes

Bugs Bunny and Kitchen Safety

Episode 7- Election Tangent Nov 08, 2016

Happy Election Day, Disaster Dad Nation! Thanks to some scheduling SNAFUs and a 7 game World Series, the Dads (minus Frank) gather via Skype to talk about the biggest disaster in the news: the election. Topics include Dan ranting about national polls vs electoral college, Joe's distrust of polls in general, and Disaster Dad's official endorsement against informal vote "monitoring."

Listen to Episodes

Episode 6- Space Weather Oct 25, 2016

Set your phasers to FUN! The dads get their geek on with two special guests to talk about how space weather could impact the electrical grid. Other topics include the use of aluminum foil as personal protective equipment, the technical specs on a No. 2 pencil, and Erik's love of the short lived show "Revolution" and that Star Trek movie where they needed to go get the whale and bring it to the future because aliens. Also, Rob speaks!!!

Notes from the chat

Talk to your kids:

https://www.ready.gov/kids/know-the-facts/space-weather

http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/spaceweather/en/

The Science:

http://www.noaa.gov/resource-collections/space-weather

http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/

The Academics:

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mike_Hapgood/publication/248350425_Towards_a_scientific_understanding_of_the_risk_from_extreme_space_weather/links/00b7d52da8f06ef9f2000000.pdf

Special Guests

We were lucky to be joined by two special guests who were classmates of Disaster Dad Erik at Georgetown.

Denny- An Emergency Operations Program Manager at a nuclear power plan, is responsible for dealing with the fire/EMS/security issues associated with the plant along with any radiological incidents or plant failure. In this role, Denny is concerned about extraterrestrial weather and the impact it can have on the power grid and distribution of electricity.

Jason- A meteorologist that began his career as a forecaster in the US Air Force, providing terrestrial and space weather support to forces all around the world from Europe to Southeast Asia. Jason now forecasts within the National Weather Service, and serves as an Incident Meteorologist that deploys to disaster incidents anywhere in the country (mainly wildfires) in order to provide on-site weather support to Incident Management Teams. Jason also volunteers at his county's Office of Emergency Management. He recently expanded his knowledge-base in emergency management by completing a master's degree in Georgetown University's Emergency and Disaster Management program.

Episode 5- Run.Hide.Fight- The Active Shooter and What You Can Do Oct 11, 2016

The Dads dive into one of the biggest media topics in the preparedness world: Active Shooters. What are they, how do you prepare, and how do you respond to one near you? What does the term mean? The Dads are joined by special guest Robin, another former firefighter who is an emergency manager for a hospital system in Houston (and Dad -- branding!). The Dads are virtually together again for this one...so please enjoy the background of children chatting until one of the Dads figures out how to use mute.

Notes from the chat

Resources to talk with your kids about emergency situations: http://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources

WaPo Article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/09/26/houston-police-say-several-people-shot-by-active-shooter/?utm_term=.b263b2d6577a

DHS Active Shooter Protocol: https://www.dhs.gov/active-shooter-preparedness

Episode 4- Safety in Schools with a side of Fire Prevention Sep 27, 2016

The Disaster Dads are back to school with a new pod dealing with school preparedness issues and what to do when you hear that a school is in "lockdown." Plus, we have our first interview to get ready for fire prevention week!

Notes from the chat

School Drills: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2016/09/13/parents-need-to-prepare-for-lockdown-drills-too/

Fire Prevention Week: http://www.nfpa.org/public-education/campaigns/fire-prevention-week

Guest Bio

Deputy Chief Drake Springer:

Drake has been a volunteer Firefigher and EMT in the NOVA area for the last 5 years and is the current Deputy Chief of the Falls Church VFD. Originally from Mesa, AZ, he received his Bachelor's degree from Elon University in North Carolina prior to moving to Washington, DC.

During his time in DC, Drake has worked as a Director and Creative Director for a major network news organization and the United States Congress, but now works for a non-profit advocacy group. In his free time, he can be found trying new bourbons as well as continuing on the never-ending quest of sampling every IPA in the country. He and his fiancé reside in the district.

Episode 3- Travel the Preparedness Highway Sep 13, 2016

The Dads round-out the trilogy on preparedness by discussing what to do when you are on the road. It can be as simple as knowing your surroundings and your options. This is true for your commute and for your trip to the land of overpriced mice. National Preparedness Month is a good way to jump start conversations in your home and office, but it should be a yearlong activity.

Notes from the chat

http://www.statter911.com/2016/08/11/update-5-7-unaccounted-30-injured-md-apartment-explosion-fire/

Episode 2- Work Safe, Be Safe Aug 30, 2016

The Dads are back to continue the theme of preparedness. Why? Well, the Dads forget to mention that September is National Preparedness Month, hence the focus on being prepared! This episode the Dads talk about making your second home (sanctuary?) ready for anything beyond the norm. If you work in an office or a job site, knowing what to do when disaster strikes in critical. Also having a plan for your family will help to ease minds during the early stressful moments.

News from the chat:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/aug/16/louisiana-flood-damage-recovery

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/weather/weather-blog/bal-wx-ellicott-city-gets-rainfall-expected-only-once-every-few-hundred-years-20160731-story.html

And just the start of reading on Rick Rescorla: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Rescorla

Episode 1- Prepare to Prepare Aug 12, 2016

The inaugural episode of the Disaster Dads is here! The Dads do a little introduction of themselves and the podcast, discuss some recent news and share how they prepare themselves for the next apocalypse. Or random injury to a kid. Same thing.

This episode is a bit longer than you can expect, but we are getting our podcast legs warmed up.