Advertise on podcast: DisasterClass Podcast | Your Masterclass in Disaster Preparedness.

What if your emergency plan looks impressive—but has never really been tested? Alicia Johnson calls them “painted rocks”: plans, programs, and preparedness efforts that look complete on the surface but may not have the capability behind them to perform when they're actually needed. In this episode of DisasterClass, Wesley Long sits down with Alicia Johnson, founder of Two Lynchpin Road, for a conversation about what separates a completed emergency plan from genuine organizational readiness. They explore why hidden dependencies can derail response, why emergency managers tend to “fight the last war,” and why lessons learned from previous disasters should become tools—not rigid playbooks for the next incident. They also dig into one of Alicia's most important principles: “Findings aren't failures.” A realistic exercise should expose weaknesses while the consequences are still an after-action item—not during the actual emergency. The conversation then turns to something that doesn't always appear on an emergency plan at all: trust. Why do people ignore evacuation orders? The answer may have less to do with people refusing to listen and more to do with transportation, language access, previous experiences, accessibility, confidence in public officials, or whether the destination can actually meet their needs. And ultimately, emergency planners have to confront a fundamental problem with many planning assumptions: “There is no average person.” IN THIS EPISODE • Why a polished emergency plan can create a false sense of readiness • What Alicia means by “painted rocks” • How hidden infrastructure creates cascading failures • Why we tend to prepare for the last disaster • How lessons learned should become tools rather than scripts • Why “findings aren't failures” • How realistic exercises reveal actual capability • Why trust functions as part of emergency-response infrastructure • Why “they wouldn't listen” may hide the real problem • Transportation, language, accessibility, and evacuation barriers • And why emergency plans must account for real people rather than a hypothetical “average person” GUEST Alicia Johnson Founder, Two Lynchpin Road Alicia Johnson is an emergency management and disaster resilience professional with two decades of experience in the field. Her background includes preparedness, disaster response, resilience, exercises, and work with government agencies and communities. Learn more about Alicia and Two Lynchpin Road: twolynchpinroad.com SPONSORS STOP THE BLEED® Coalition A bleeding emergency can happen anywhere—and the person standing nearby may be the only one able to help. In just one hour, you can learn three simple steps that could save a life. Find a class near you, access bleeding-control resources, and learn how you can get involved at: StopTheBleedCoalition.org Instinct Ready Emergency Management Instinct Ready educates, prepares, and equips individuals, communities, and organizations for emergencies and disasters through quality training, comprehensive planning, and premium preparedness products. Save 10% on your order with promo code DISASTERCLASS. Visit: InstinctReady.com Call: (845) 244-6360 CHAPTERS 00:00 — STOP THE BLEED 00:27 — Cold Open 01:49 — Having a Plan vs. Actually Being Ready 02:54 — Are Your Emergency Plans Just “Painted Rocks”? 05:16 — The Hidden Infrastructure That Gets You 08:11 — Why We Fight the Last War 13:30 — “Findings Aren't Failures” 18:49 — Stress the System Before the Emergency Does 20:03 — Trust Is Part of the Infrastructure 22:25 — “They Wouldn't Listen” — But Why? 27:03 — Planning for Access and Functional Needs 29:15 — There Is No Average Person

On September 11, 2001, thousands of Morgan Stanley employees escaped from the World Trade Center. Their response was supported by years of planning, recurring evacuation drills, and determined leadership from security director Rick Rescorla. In this special 25th-anniversary episode, Jason Perez examines what Rescorla and Morgan Stanley did before the emergency, why training mattered during the roughly 16 minutes between the attacks on the North and South Towers, and what today’s organizations can learn from their experience. The episode also carefully separates the popular heroic narrative from the complete preparedness lesson. Rick Rescorla’s leadership mattered enormously, but survival inside the South Tower was influenced by many factors—including individual decisions, building conditions, evacuation routes, emergency response actions, timing, and chance. Preparedness cannot control every variable or guarantee survival. It can help people recognize danger, overcome hesitation, and act when an opportunity appears. Learn more about Instinct Ready Emergency Management and the Organizational Readiness Snapshot at https://instinctready.com. Content note: This episode discusses the September 11 attacks and loss of life. 🔗 SPONSORS & PARTNERS STOP THE BLEED® Coalition A bleeding emergency can happen anywhere—and the person standing nearby may be the only one able to help. In just one hour, you can learn three simple steps that could save a life. Find a class near you, access bleeding-control resources, and learn how you can get involved at:https://www.stopthebleedcoalition.org Instinct Ready Emergency Management Instinct Ready educates, prepares, and equips individuals, communities, and organizations for emergencies and disasters through quality training, comprehensive planning, and premium preparedness products. Visit: https://www.instinctready.com Call: (845) 244-6360 00:00 How preparation helped thousands survive 01:05 Remembering September 11, 25 years later 02:38 Who was Rick Rescorla? 04:00 The warning provided by the 1993 bombing 05:00 Preparedness is not predicting the future 05:55 Building Morgan Stanley’s evacuation system 06:42 Why employees complain about drills 08:21 Why people hesitate during emergencies 09:32 The morning of September 11 10:12 Sixteen critical minutes 11:23 Leadership amid conflicting instructions 12:21 Morgan Stanley begins evacuating 13:21 Rescorla leads people through the stairwells 14:40 The South Tower is struck 15:49 The complete story behind the survival numbers 17:26 Rescorla’s final actions 18:22 His legacy began years before 9/11 20:09 Five lessons for today’s organizations 22:34 Could your employees execute the plan? 23:56 The Organizational Readiness Snapshot 24:51 Preserving what September 11 taught us 26:50 Closing

When Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in 2005, more than half of Procter & Gamble's coffee production was concentrated in the region. P&G had hurricane plans. It had shutdown procedures. It had generators, crisis teams, backup systems, and decades of experience preparing for storms. And then Katrina exceeded the plan. Communications collapsed. Employees were scattered across multiple states. Roads became inaccessible. Utilities disappeared. Some shutdown procedures weren't completed. It ultimately took P&G 21 days just to account for every employee. Yet on September 20, 2005—22 days after Katrina made Louisiana landfall—a Folgers production line in New Orleans was running again. In this episode of DisasterClass, Jason Perez breaks down what P&G did before, during, and after Katrina—and why this case is about much more than coffee. We explore business continuity, organizational resilience, employee recovery, critical dependencies, alternate production, emergency decision triggers, and one of the most important lessons in preparedness: Preparedness doesn't give you certainty. It gives you options. Learn more about DisasterClass and Instinct Ready Emergency Management at InstinctReady.com. Topics: Hurricane Katrina, Folgers, Procter & Gamble, business continuity, disaster recovery, emergency management, organizational resilience, preparedness, supply-chain resilience and community recovery. 🔗 SPONSORS & PARTNERS 🩸 STOP THE BLEED® Coalition Uncontrolled bleeding is a leading cause of preventable death after injury. But in just one hour, you can learn three simple steps to save a life. The STOP THE BLEED® Coalition is a nonprofit organization formed to support and scale the national STOP THE BLEED® campaign, helping bring bleeding control training and tools to communities across the country. Find a class near you and learn how you can get involved. 🌐 Visit: https://StopTheBleedCoalition.org 🚨 INSTINCT READY  DisasterClass is proudly brought to you by Instinct Ready, dedicated to educating, preparing, and equipping communities for emergencies and disasters through quality training, comprehensive planning, and premium products. 🎟 Get 10% off your order with code: DISASTERCLASS 📞 Call: (845) 244-6360 🌐 Visit: https://www.instinctready.com 00:00 The Strategic Coffee Reserve 01:24 Why Folgers Was Vulnerable 02:50 A Plan Is Not a Preparedness Program 03:29 Katrina Enters the Gulf 04:23 Preparedness Triggers 05:36 When Katrina Exceeded the Plan 06:54 P&G Loses Track of Its Employees 07:50 21 Days to Account for Everyone 08:52 The Coffee Sludge Problem 10:47 Getting Back Into the Plant 12:14 Replacing the Infrastructure 13:43 The Fire Protection Problem 15:09 The Facility Is Not the Mission 16:50 Employees Were Disaster Survivors Too 18:10 Helping Employees Recover 19:15 “Of Course P&G Could Do This” 20:44 Preparedness Scales 21:19 Businesses Don't Recover Alone 22:16 215,000 Jobs Lost 23:34 22 Days After Katrina 24:14 Why Folgers Could Reopen 25:32 Perfect Preparedness Doesn't Exist 26:12 Preparedness Buys Options 26:59 The Strategic Coffee Reserve Returns 28:15 The Final Lesson 28:35 Outro

In this episode of DisasterClass, Jason Martin—Pappy—speaks with Brad Newbury and Kiera Newbury about The Saved Effect: True Stories of Lives Reclaimed by People Who Were Willing to Act. Brad and Kiera share the stories behind people who survived because someone stepped forward—first responders, bystanders, family members, and ordinary people who chose to act in the moment. But the episode is really about what came after: 25 more years, 27 more years, daughters walked down the aisle, grandchildren raised, goodbyes made possible, and futures that continued because someone did not stand back.  This conversation explores:
 • Why bystander action matters before EMS arrives
 • What CPR can feel like in a real emergency
 • Why training helps people act through fear
 • The emotional weight emergency responders carry
 • Why saved lives create ripple effects across families and communities
 • Practical steps you can take before seconds matter FEATURED GUESTS & LINKS Brad Newbury, MPA, NRP is the President and CEO of the National Medical Education & Training Center (NMETC), a fire captain, paramedic, educator, and author of The Saved Effect: True Stories of Lives Reclaimed by People Who Were Willing to Act and The First Responder Advantage. With more than 40 years of experience in firefighting and prehospital medicine, Brad has dedicated his career to helping others become ready — and willing — to act when it matters most. Kiera Newbury, BA, NREMT is an emergency medical professional, Nationally Registered EMT, and emerging author of The Saved Effect. With a background in psychology, emergency medical training, and storytelling, Kiera brings a deeply human perspective to CPR readiness, emergency preparedness, healthcare education, and the lives changed when ordinary people choose to act. 📘 Pre-order The Saved Effect: https://thesavedeffect.com Pre-order by August 18, 2026 to receive the available pre-order bonuses listed on the book website. Connect with Brad Newbury: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brad.newbury/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradnewbury/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-newbury Connect with Kiera Newbury: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiera-newbury/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kieranewbury/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kiera.newbury.1 Follow The Saved Effect: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thesavedeffect Website: https://thesavedeffect.com Chapters:
 0:00 Cold open: 25 more years after resuscitation
 0:31 Pappy introduces the episode
 1:04 Every emergency begins before responders arrive
 1:33 Brad and Kiera Newbury and The Saved Effect
 2:12 Brad’s path from engineering to EMS
 3:05 Kiera wanted to become an EMT at eight
 4:15 Frank’s story: 25 more years
 5:50 John’s story and the power of bystander CPR
 7:20 What a saved life contains
 7:56 Kiera’s first time performing CPR
 9:30 Training helps people act through fear
 10:01 Why Brad and Kiera wrote the book
 11:37 Where the title The Saved Effect came from
 12:40 Brad’s father and the gift of more time
 14:15 What responders rarely get to see afterward
 15:20 Weddings, grandchildren, and moments that mattered
 16:00 Why emergency workers need to reconnect with their “why”
 17:25 Recording the audiobook and revisiting old calls
 18:27 Before help arrives: ordinary people act first
 19:15 Practical steps: CPR, AEDs, and family readiness
 20:05 What Brad and Kiera hope people carry forward
 20:36 Closing reflection: the effect keeps moving
 21:14 Book and preparedness CTA
 22:17 Credits EPISODE SPONSORS & RESOURCES Instinct Ready DisasterClass is brought to you by Instinct Ready, an emergency management and preparedness company helping organizations and communities prepare for emergencies and disasters before they happen. Instinct Ready supports emergency planning, hazard vulnerability assessments, training and exercises, First Aid/CPR/STOP THE BLEED training, disaster and bleeding control kits, 3D mapping and floor plans, CERT program consulting, and practical preparedness solutions for schools, healthcare, senior care, government, public safety, businesses, and community organizations. Learn more: https://www.instinctready.com STOP THE BLEED® Coalition STOP THE BLEED® empowers ordinary people to recognize life-threatening bleeding and take action until professional help arrives. Through official bleeding-control training, participants learn basic actions that can help control severe bleeding in an emergency. Learn more, find a course, or explore STOP THE BLEED® resources: https://www.stopthebleedcoalition.org Disclaimer: This episode is for public education and preparedness awareness. It is not a substitute for medical training, professional emergency instruction, or local emergency response guidance. In an emergency, call 911 and follow dispatcher instructions. #DisasterClass #CPR #AED #Preparedness #EMS #FirstResponders #BystanderCPR #EmergencyPreparedness #TheSavedEffect

When disaster strikes, emergency leaders need to answer three urgent questions: What happened? Where did it happen? And how severe is it? In this episode of DisasterClass, Jason Perez and Jason “Pappy” Martin speak with David Tobias, Chief Product Officer at Nearmap, about how high-resolution aerial imagery, property intelligence, and artificial intelligence can support emergency preparedness, disaster response, and recovery. David explains why the first 72 hours matter, how outdated information can create outdated assumptions, and why technology only becomes operational when organizations have the people, access, authority, workflows, and training needed to act under pressure. The conversation explores how aerial intelligence can help emergency leaders determine what changed, identify where damage is concentrated, evaluate access routes, prioritize limited resources, and establish a clearer operating picture following an incident. The episode also examines organizational data silos, explainable artificial intelligence, human judgment, realistic exercises, and why emergency capabilities must be established before the disaster begins. IN THIS EPISODE • The three questions that drive disaster resource allocation • Why current aerial imagery matters before and after an incident • How development and infrastructure changes alter community risk • Flood maps, changing conditions, and false certainty • Post-disaster damage assessment following the Palisades fire • Organizational silos and the shared operating picture • Explainable AI and the “glass box” • Why AI should support—not replace—human judgment • Why realistic exercises create operational muscle memory • Why preparedness must happen before the pressure CHAPTERS 00:00 The first resource-allocation question 01:05 What changed? 01:32 Meet David Tobias of Nearmap 02:11 Disaster response begins with incomplete information 05:30 Why the first 72 hours matter 07:48 Seeing how a community has changed 09:57 Flood maps and false certainty 12:05 The Palisades fire: From imagery to human impact 15:45 The organizational silo problem 18:02 Readiness is a system 19:05 Explainable AI and the “glass box” 21:23 AI should support human judgment 24:03 Why you cannot wait for the disaster 26:11 The preparedness takeaway 27:26 What Nearmap does 29:09 Final lessons and organizational readiness ABOUT OUR GUEST David Tobias is the Chief Product Officer at Nearmap. Nearmap provides aerial imagery, location intelligence, and property-level information that can help organizations understand changes in the built environment and support planning, response, recovery, and risk-related decisions. Learn more about Nearmap:https://www.nearmap.com Explore Nearmap Disaster Insights:https://www.nearmap.com/products/disaster-insights HOW READY IS YOUR ORGANIZATION? Emergency readiness is not simply having a plan, technology platform, or policy on paper. Readiness depends on whether people understand their roles, information can move across departments, leaders have the authority to act, and systems have been tested before an emergency occurs. The Instinct Ready Organizational Readiness Snapshot helps organizations identify gaps, priorities, and practical next steps across emergency planning, training, communication, coordination, decision-making, and emergency-management capability. Learn more:https://www.instinctready.com/organizational-readiness-snapshot SPONSORS AND PARTNERS STOP THE BLEED® COALITION Severe bleeding can become life-threatening quickly, but ordinary people can learn practical actions that may help before professional responders arrive. The STOP THE BLEED® Coalition supports bleeding-control education, training, resources, and community preparedness. Find training and resources:https://www.stopthebleedcoalition.org INSTINCT READY DisasterClass is brought to you by Instinct Ready Emergency Management. Instinct Ready helps people, organizations, and communities prepare for emergencies through professional emergency-management consulting, practical training, organizational-readiness services, and preparedness products. Use code DISASTERCLASS for 10% off eligible preparedness-product purchases. https://www.instinctready.com (845) 244-6360 ABOUT DISASTERCLASS DisasterClass makes preparedness practical through expert interviews, real-world lessons, and emergency-management insight. The show explores what works, what fails, and what people and organizations can do now to become more capable, prepared, and resilient. Thanks for listening! Please remember to follow the show, leave us a review, and share this episode with someone else who should hear it. To learn more about our services, visit InstinctReady.com. DisasterClass is brought to you by Instinct Ready Emergency Management and is directed, edited, and produced by Jason Perez. Copyright 2026 Instinct Ready Incorporated. All rights reserved.

Preparedness should make you more capable — not more paranoid. In this episode of the DisasterClass Podcast, Jason Perez and Pappy sit down with Jim Cobb, a nationally recognized authority on disaster readiness and the Editor in Chief of Backwoods Survival Guide magazine. Jim has spent roughly 40 years involved in preparedness, survival, self-reliance, and disaster readiness. He has written numerous books and hundreds of articles, and he brings a grounded, practical perspective to a topic that is often overwhelmed by fear, gear, and online misinformation. This conversation focuses on real-world preparedness: what has changed over the last four decades, what has stayed the same, and what families can actually do to become more capable before disruption happens. Jason, Pappy, and Jim discuss financial preparedness, water storage, evacuation planning, beginner mistakes, social media myths, fantasy bug-out plans, community support, OPSEC, soft skills, communication, physical capability, and why small practical actions matter more than endless planning. This is not a fear-based prepping episode. It is a practical conversation about readiness, resilience, and common-sense self-reliance. Guest: Jim Cobb Editor in Chief, Backwoods Survival Guide magazine Author of Prepper’s Long-Term Survival Guide, Prepper’s Home Defense, Countdown to Preparedness, The Urban Prepper’s Guide, and Common Sense Everyday Carry. Guest Links: The Survival Weekly Dispatch: https://jimcobb.substack.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jim.cobb.739/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimcobb_ig/ X: https://x.com/jimcobbprepper 🔗 Sponsors & Partners 🩸 STOP THE BLEED® Coalition Uncontrolled bleeding is a leading cause of preventable death after injury. But in just one hour, you can learn three simple steps to save a life. The STOP THE BLEED® Coalition is a nonprofit organization formed to support and scale the national STOP THE BLEED® campaign, helping bring bleeding control training and tools to communities across the country. Find a class near you and learn how you can get involved. 🌐 Visit: StopTheBleedCoalition.org 🛡️ Instinct Ready DisasterClass is proudly brought to you by Instinct Ready, dedicated to educating, preparing, and equipping communities for emergencies and disasters through quality training, comprehensive planning, and premium products. 🎁 Get 10% off your order with code DISASTERCLASS 📞 Call: (845) 244-6360 🌐 Visit: https://www.instinctready.com

Emergency preparedness has a problem. Not because people do not care. Not because they are lazy. Not because they are ignoring risk on purpose. For many people, preparedness has become overwhelming. Wildfires. Floods. Extreme weather. Mass shootings. Infrastructure failures. Disease outbreaks. Alerts keep coming, but most people are still trying to figure out where to start. In this documentary-style episode of the DisasterClass Podcast, Jason Perez and Jason “Pappy” Martin explore that challenge through a conversation with Ginny from HazAdapt. HazAdapt is designed to make emergency and disaster preparedness more approachable, more usable, and more human-centered. Instead of assuming everyone is already prepared, HazAdapt meets people where they are — often at what Ginny describes as a “just-in-time preparedness level.” This episode explores: • Why “all-hazards preparedness” can overwhelm the public • Why people often default to Google, Facebook, or social media during emergencies • How stress affects decision-making during a crisis • Why emergency guidance needs to be easy to understand under pressure • How HazAdapt acts like a “hazard helper” in your hand • Real-world stories where simple guidance helped people make better emergency decisions • Why preparedness is not just about information — it is about human behavior, trust, and interaction • How communities can make preparedness more social, practical, and empowering Preparedness should not make people feel afraid. It should make people feel capable. Learn more about HazAdapt: HazAdapt.com Featured Guest / Resource: HazAdapt Safety App HazAdapt.com Available through the web, App Store, and Google Play. 🔗 Sponsors & Partners 🩸 STOP THE BLEED® Coalition Uncontrolled bleeding is a leading cause of preventable death after injury. But in just one hour, you can learn three simple steps to save a life. The STOP THE BLEED® Coalition is a nonprofit organization formed to support and scale the national STOP THE BLEED® campaign, helping bring bleeding control training and tools to communities across the country. Find a class near you and learn how you can get involved. 🌐 Visit: StopTheBleedCoalition.org 🛡️ Instinct Ready DisasterClass is proudly brought to you by Instinct Ready, dedicated to educating, preparing, and equipping communities for emergencies and disasters through quality training, comprehensive planning, and premium products. 🎁 Get 10% off your order with code DISASTERCLASS 📞 Call: (845) 244-6360 🌐 Visit: https://www.instinctready.com

You’ve seen Star Wars. But you’ve probably never looked at it like this. In this special May 4th episode of the DisasterClass Podcast, we break down Star Wars as a case study in emergency management, risk mindset, and real-world preparedness. From the Death Star’s catastrophic design flaw to the Rebel Alliance’s ability to operate under extreme constraints, every major moment in Star Wars reveals critical lessons about how people and organizations succeed—or fail—under pressure. More importantly, we answer the question most people never ask: What does this mean for you? In this episode, you’ll learn:How overconfidence creates hidden riskWhy adaptability matters more than perfect planningWhat continuity failure actually looks likeHow to prepare with limited resourcesWhy your environment defines your riskHow to build a real-world risk mindsetAnd we break it down at three levels:Family / IndividualOrganization / BusinessCommunity / MunicipalWhether you're preparing your household, leading a team, or working in emergency management, these are lessons you can apply immediately. 🔗 Sponsors & Partners 🩸 STOP THE BLEED® Coalition Uncontrolled bleeding is a leading cause of preventable death after injury. But in just one hour, you can learn three simple steps to save a life. 🌐 Visit: StopTheBleedCoalition.org 🛡️ Instinct Ready DisasterClass is proudly brought to you by Instinct Ready, dedicated to educating, preparing, and equipping communities for emergencies and disasters. 🎁 Get 10% off your order with code DISASTERCLASS 📞 Call: (845) 244-6360 🌐 Visit: https://www.instinctready.com 00:00 Cold Open 00:45 Intro – Star Wars Day 01:30 Death Star – Overconfidence Risk 04:00 Luke Skywalker – Adaptive Preparedness 06:45 Order 66 – Continuity Failure 10:00 Ad Break 10:30 Rebel Alliance – Preparedness Under Constraints 13:15 Tatooine – Environmental Risk 16:00 Core Lesson – Risk Mindset 18:30 Wrap-Up

They got the alert. They heard the warning. They had time to leave. And they stayed anyway. In this episode of the DisasterClass Podcast, we break down one of the most dangerous patterns in emergency response: why people ignore warnings—even when the risk is real. From wildfires to hurricanes, tornadoes to floods, history shows that delayed decisions cost lives. But this isn’t about ignorance—it’s about human behavior. We explore real-world disasters like the 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise, California, where delayed evacuation led to devastating consequences. Then we break down the psychology behind it, including normalcy bias, confirmation seeking, and real-world barriers that prevent people from taking action. Most importantly, we show you how to overcome these biases and make faster, better decisions when it matters most. Because warnings don’t save lives—decisions do. 🎯 What You’ll Learn: Why people delay or ignore emergency warningsThe “Warning Failure Loop” and how it worksReal disaster case studies and lessons learnedHow to overcome hesitation in high-risk situationsPractical steps to improve your emergency decision-making 📚 Sources Referenced: CAL FIRE – Camp Fire Incident Report (2019)Butte County Sheriff’s Office Fatality SummaryFEMA – Hurricane Katrina After Action ReportNOAA/NWS – Flood Fatalities DataTexas Division of Emergency Management – Hurricane Rita AAR 🔗 Sponsors & Partners 🩸 STOP THE BLEED® Coalition Uncontrolled bleeding is a leading cause of preventable death after injury. But in just one hour, you can learn three simple steps to save a life. The STOP THE BLEED® Coalition is a nonprofit organization formed to support and scale the national STOP THE BLEED® campaign, helping bring bleeding control training and tools to communities across the country. Find a class near you and learn how you can get involved. 🌐 Visit: StopTheBleedCoalition.org 🛡️ Instinct Ready DisasterClass is proudly brought to you by Instinct Ready, dedicated to educating, preparing, and equipping communities for emergencies and disasters through quality training, comprehensive planning, and premium products. 🎁 Get 10% off your order with code DISASTERCLASS 📞 Call: (845) 244-6360 🌐 Visit: https://www.instinctready.com ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 – Cold Open: “They got the alert…” 00:33 – Camp Fire Case Study (Paradise, CA) 00:51 – Episode Introduction 01:18 – Hosts Introduced (Jason & Pappy) 01:28 – Topic Setup: Emergency Warnings 02:10 – Why Ignoring Warnings Is Common 03:15 – The Warning Failure Loop 05:20 – Normalcy Bias Explained 07:40 – Confirmation Seeking Behavior 09:30 – Confusion & Lack of Clarity 11:15 – Real-World Barriers to Action 13:30 – Disaster Case Examples 16:10 – How to Make Better Decisions 18:00 – Pre-Decision Strategy 20:10 – Removing Barriers 22:15 – Training & Practice 24:10 – Personal Reflection 26:00 – Listener Challenge 27:15 – Key Takeaways 28:30 – Closing Message

What would you do if someone collapsed right in front of you? In this solo episode of the DisasterClass Podcast, Pappy explores a hard truth about emergencies: you do not rise to the occasion—you fall back on your training. When stress hits, good intentions are not enough. In those first critical moments, people often freeze, hesitate, or wait for someone else to act. That is why training matters. It builds competence, confidence, and the ability to respond when every second counts. In this episode, Pappy breaks down why people freeze, how training changes outcomes, and why preparedness is not just about knowledge—it is about action. If you have ever told yourself you should probably learn CPR, first aid, or emergency response skills “someday,” this episode is your reminder that someday should probably be sooner. 🔗 Sponsors & Partners 🩸 STOP THE BLEED® Coalition Uncontrolled bleeding is a leading cause of preventable death after injury. But in just one hour, you can learn three simple steps to save a life. The STOP THE BLEED® Coalition is a nonprofit organization formed to support and scale the national STOP THE BLEED® campaign, helping bring bleeding control training and tools to communities across the country. Find a class near you and learn how you can get involved. 🌐 Visit: StopTheBleedCoalition.org 🛡️ Instinct Ready DisasterClass is proudly brought to you by Instinct Ready, dedicated to educating, preparing, and equipping communities for emergencies and disasters through quality training, comprehensive planning, and premium products. 🎁 Get 10% off your order with code DISASTERCLASS 📞 Call: (845) 244-6360 🌐 Visit: https://www.instinctready.com ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 – The Scenario: Someone Collapses 00:20 – The Critical Question: Do You Know What to Do? 00:32 – The Reality: You Fall Back on Training 00:49 – Title Sequence 01:00 – Episode Introduction  01:30 – Why People Freeze in Emergencies 02:45 – The Bystander Effect Explained 04:10 – Training vs Instinct 05:30 – Confidence Comes from Repetition 06:50 – The Cost of Not Being Prepared 08:10 – What a Few Hours of Training Can Do 09:30 – Closing Thoughts: Action vs Intention 10:15 – Final Takeaway

When someone collapses from cardiac arrest, brain injury begins in 4–6 minutes. In many communities, EMS arrival can take 10 minutes or more. So what exists in that gap? In this episode of the DisasterClass Podcast, we sit down with firefighter-paramedic and AED Empire co-founder Dustin Talacko to discuss the dangerous space between emergency and response — and why access to life-saving equipment can determine whether someone survives. Drawing from thousands of emergency calls, Dustin explains why preparedness is not about panic, but infrastructure. We explore why organizations delay purchasing AEDs, how decision paralysis affects safety planning, and why survival should never depend on luck, location, or privilege. Dustin also shares the story behind AED Empire, a company built to simplify access to automated external defibrillators and bleeding control solutions so organizations can move from good intentions to real preparedness. If you are responsible for the safety of others — in a workplace, school, gym, church, or public venue — this conversation will change how you think about readiness. What You'll Learn • The critical first minutes of cardiac arrest • The gap between collapse and EMS arrival • Why many organizations delay implementing AED programs • How simplifying preparedness improves real-world outcomes • Why access to equipment reduces responder stress • The role of bleeding control in modern safety planning About Dustin Talacko Dustin Talacko is a firefighter-paramedic and co-founder of AED Empire, a national life-saving equipment platform focused on improving access to AEDs and bleeding control resources. His work sits at the intersection of public safety, workplace readiness, and responder mental health. Learn More About Dustin & AED Empire 🌐 https://www.aedempire.com 🔗 Sponsors & Partners 🩸 STOP THE BLEED® Coalition Uncontrolled bleeding is a leading cause of preventable death after injury. But in just one hour, you can learn three simple steps to save a life. The STOP THE BLEED® Coalition is a nonprofit organization formed to support and scale the national STOP THE BLEED® campaign, helping bring bleeding control training and tools to communities across the country. 🌐 Visit: StopTheBleedCoalition.org  🛡️ Instinct Ready DisasterClass is proudly brought to you by Instinct Ready, dedicated to educating, preparing, and equipping communities for emergencies and disasters through quality training, comprehensive planning, and premium products. 🎁 Get 10% off your order with code DISASTERCLASS 📞 Call: (845) 244-6360 🌐 Visit: https://www.instinctready.com 00:00 Cold Open – The Dangerous Assumption About Emergency Response 01:03 Meet Dustin Talacko 02:25 Why Seconds Matter in Cardiac Arrest 03:33 The Reality of EMS Response Times 05:08 The Dangerous Gap Between Collapse and Response 06:57 Why AED Access Still Falls Short 10:29 Why Organizations Delay Preparedness 13:28 The Origin of AED Empire 16:59 From Field Experience to Building a Business 20:26 Simplifying AED Access 24:06 Why Preparedness Shouldn't Depend on Luck 27:28 The Role of Bleeding Control 30:08 Infrastructure vs Panic 33:20 Making Preparedness Simple 36:06 What True Readiness Looks Like

Every day, thousands of Americans board international flights thinking about beaches, business meetings, and bucket lists. Very few think about embassy locations. Very few think about hospital systems. And almost no one thinks about what they would do if they were told to shelter in place in a country that isn’t theirs. Recently, tourists in parts of Mexico were advised to remain inside their hotels due to instability. Flights were delayed. Movement was restricted. Information was fragmented. But this type of disruption isn’t isolated to one country. Across the world — including regions like the Middle East and Iran — travelers have faced sudden airspace closures, government advisories, unrest, and rapidly changing conditions that left tourists relying on embassies and emergency planning instead of itineraries. That’s not a political conversation. That’s a preparedness conversation. In this roundtable discussion, Jason Perez, Pappy, and Anthony Escoto from Disaster Operations Group break down what smart travelers do differently before they leave the country. We discuss: • How the U.S. STEP Program actually works • What embassies can — and cannot — do for you • Documentation redundancy and passport planning • Financial and logistical buffers for travel disruptions • A real experience calling an ambulance overseas • Travel medical and evacuation considerations • Shelter-in-place vs evacuation decision-making • Traveling internationally as a father responsible for a family • Leadership and psychological preparedness abroad  If you travel internationally — for business, vacation, or mission work — this episode will change how you think about preparedness. For Instinct Ready services or Capable Community courses: 📩 [email protected] o learn more about operational preparedness: 🌐 disasteroperationsgroup.com Prepared travel isn’t about expecting disaster. It’s about respecting uncertainty. ⸻ 🔗 Sponsors & Partners 🩸 STOP THE BLEED® Coalition Uncontrolled bleeding is a leading cause of preventable death after injury. But in just one hour, you can learn three simple steps to save a life. The STOP THE BLEED® Coalition is a nonprofit organization formed to support and scale the national STOP THE BLEED® campaign, helping bring bleeding control training and tools to communities across the country. Find a class near you and learn how you can get involved. 🌐 Visit: StopTheBleedCoalition.org 🛡️ Instinct Ready DisasterClass is proudly brought to you by Instinct Ready, dedicated to educating, preparing, and equipping communities for emergencies and disasters through quality training, comprehensive planning, and premium products. 🎁 Get 10% off your order with code DISASTERCLASS 📞 Call: (845) 244-6360 🌐 Visit: https://www.instinctready.com Chapters 00:00:07 – Why Travel Preparedness Matters 00:00:20 – Mexico Shelter-in-Place Context 00:03:45 – How the STEP Program Works 00:05:29 – Evacuation Considerations 00:08:32 – Documentation & Passports 00:12:17 – Traveling Internationally with Family 00:14:09 – Communication Planning While Abroad 00:16:45 – Financial & Money Considerations Overseas 00:18:33 – Travel Insurance & Coverage Discussion 00:24:53 – Calling an Ambulance Overseas (Real Experience) 00:37:09 – Disaster Operations Group Perspective

In Part 1, we asked a difficult question: Why does preparedness fail so many people after disasters? In Part 2, we go deeper. This episode explores what changes when risk becomes visible — not as a checklist, not as a warning, but as something that can actually be understood, measured, and acted on before disaster strikes. As insurance companies, real estate markets, and governments increasingly price risk into everyday life, homeowners and communities are often left reacting to decisions already made without them. So what does visibility really mean? And why does it change recovery outcomes? In this documentary-style episode, DisasterClass hosts Jason Perez and Jason “Pappy” Martin continue their conversation with Ben Gilliland, founder of Future Proof Property Intelligence, to examine: • Why risk is already visible to insurers — but not to homeowners • How small, hidden failure points lead to catastrophic loss • Why preparedness often stops at survival instead of recovery • What it means to understand how things actually fail • How visibility shifts decisions, priorities, and outcomes • Why recovery is becoming harder even after “smaller” disasters This episode is not about fear or forecasting. It’s about agency — and what becomes possible when people can finally see the risks shaping their future. 🎧 This is Part 2 of a two-part documentary series. If you haven’t listened to Part 1 yet, start there to understand why preparedness alone is no longer enough. ⸻ 🔗 Sponsors & Partners 🩸 STOP THE BLEED® Coalition Uncontrolled bleeding is a leading cause of preventable death after injury. But in just one hour, you can learn three simple steps to save a life. The STOP THE BLEED® Coalition is a nonprofit organization formed to support and scale the national STOP THE BLEED® campaign, helping bring bleeding control training and tools to communities across the country. 🌐 Visit: StopTheBleedCoalition.org 🛡️ Instinct Ready DisasterClass is proudly brought to you by Instinct Ready, dedicated to educating, preparing, and equipping communities for emergencies and disasters through quality training, comprehensive planning, and premium products. 🎁 Get 10% off your order with code DISASTERCLASS 📞 Call: (845) 244-6360 🌐 Visit: https://www.instinctready.com Chapters 00:00 – The Question Preparedness Never Answers 00:25 – How Risk Becomes Visible 00:33 – DisasterClass Introduction 00:55 – Why Insurers Don’t Guess 01:35 – Where Preparedness Falls Short 02:30 – Understanding Failure Before It Happens 03:25 – Why Small Failures Lead to Big Loss 04:20 – Risk Is Already Being Priced In 05:30 – Translating Risk for Homeowners 06:30 – What Visibility Changes 07:30 – From Information to Action 08:20 – The Role of Instinct Ready 09:00 – Agency, Recovery, and What Comes Next 10:05 – Final Reflection

Across the country, people are doing what they’ve been told. They build emergency kits. They follow alerts. They evacuate when ordered. And still — they lose everything. Not during the disaster. After it. In Part 1 of this documentary-style episode, DisasterClass examines a hard truth most preparedness conversations avoid: survival is not the same as recovery. Homes may survive storms but become unlivable. Insurance claims may be approved but still fall short. Families may do “everything right” and still never fully recover. To understand why preparedness is failing — and why that failure is accelerating — hosts Jason Perez and Jason “Pappy” Martin speak with Ben Gilliland, a technologist and disaster-resilience expert whose work focuses on what determines whether recovery is even possible after first responders leave. This episode does not offer quick tips or checklists.  Instead, it asks a deeper question: Is the way we define preparedness still working? 🎧 This is Part 1 of a two-part documentary series. Part 2 explores how risk becomes visible — and what changes when people can finally see it. ⸻ 🔗 Sponsors & Partners 🩸 STOP THE BLEED® Coalition Uncontrolled bleeding is a leading cause of preventable death after injury. But in just one hour, you can learn three simple steps to save a life. The STOP THE BLEED® Coalition is a nonprofit organization formed to support and scale the national STOP THE BLEED® campaign, helping bring bleeding control training and tools to communities across the country. 🌐 Visit: StopTheBleedCoalition.org  🛡️ Instinct Ready DisasterClass is proudly brought to you by Instinct Ready, dedicated to educating, preparing, and equipping communities for emergencies and disasters through quality training, comprehensive planning, and premium products. 🎁 Get 10% off your order with code DISASTERCLASS 📞 Call: (845) 244-6360 🌐 Visit: https://www.instinctready.com Chapters 00:00 – The Problem No One Talks About 00:32 – Is Preparedness Still Working? 00:40 – Why This Episode Is Different 01:05 – DisasterClass Introduction 01:27 – Why Preparedness Is Failing 01:36 – Introducing Ben Gilliland 02:01 – Survival vs. Recovery 03:10 – Where Preparedness Stops 04:15 – The Hidden Cost After Disasters 05:35 – Why Recovery Is Getting Harder 06:45 – What Preparedness Misses 07:45 – The Question That Changes Everything 08:34 – Final Reflection & What Comes Next

What should kids actually know how to do during an emergency? In this episode of the DisasterClass Podcast, Jason Perez and Pappy break down emergency preparedness for kids by age, using real-world case studies, child development science, and practical experience to show what children are truly capable of when they’ve been prepared calmly and intentionally. This isn’t about scaring kids — it’s about building familiarity, confidence, and capability. We cover: • What toddlers can realistically do in an emergency • How young children recognize danger and ask for help • Why pre-teens often outperform adults when they have clear procedures • How teens step into leadership roles during real emergencies • Why preparedness reduces panic — and fear-based messaging doesn’t work Throughout the episode, we share real-life examples of children who saved lives, evacuated safely, or made critical decisions during: • Medical emergencies • Fires • Natural disasters • Violent incidents These stories prove one core truth: Children are not liabilities in emergencies. Unprepared children are. ⸻ 🧠 What You’ll Learn in This Episode • How cognitive development affects emergency response at different ages • Why repetition and normalization matter more than one-time instruction • How to assign age-appropriate responsibilities without overwhelming kids • What parents, schools, and child-focused organizations should stop doing • How to build preparedness without creating anxiety  ⸻ 📄 Free Resource: Capable Kids™ Emergency Readiness Checklist We reference the Capable Kids™ Emergency Readiness Checklist throughout this episode. Y ou can download it here: 👉 https://drive.google.com/file/d/17E-Af0-bTbSCQmpbAkojAYWBVWoU16Tu/view?usp=sharing The checklist breaks down: • What kids can do at each age • What adults should practice with them • Emotional preparedness strategies for all ages ⸻ 🛡️ About Instinct Ready & Capable Community Everything discussed in this episode reflects the approach used by Instinct Ready when developing emergency plans and training for: • Families and households • Child care centers and early learning programs • K–12 schools and school districts • Camps, youth programs, and community organizations This same philosophy is also taught in the Capable Community course series, which helps families and communities build preparedness skills step by step — without fear-based messaging or unrealistic expectations. Learn more at 👉 https://www.instinctready.com ⸻ 🎧 About the DisasterClass Podcast The DisasterClass Podcast by Instinct Ready Emergency Management focuses on practical preparedness, real-world decision-making, and capability-building — for everyday people, families, and communities. If this episode was helpful: • 👍 Like the video • 📌 Subscribe for future episodes • 💬 Share it with a parent, teacher, or school leader Prepared kids are calmer kids. Prepared families are more resilient families. 00:00 – What Would Kids Actually Do in an Emergency? 01:10 – Preparedness for Kids: Calm, Not Fear 02:40 – How Kids Think and React Under Stress 04:00 – Toddlers (Ages 2–4): Familiarity and Simple Actions 05:40 – Real Story: 4-Year-Old Calls for Help 07:10 – Ages 5–7: Awareness and Asking for Help 08:40 – Real Story: Young Child Gets Help During Medical Emergency 10:20 – Ages 8–11: Confidence, Responsibility, and Procedures 12:10 – Real Story: Child Recognizes Tsunami Warning Signs 14:00 – Ages 12–14: Decision-Making and Situational Awareness 15:40 – Ages 15–18: Teens as Leaders in Emergencies 17:20 – Emotional Preparedness at Every Age 18:40 – Final Takeaways: Calm, Confident, Capable Kids