Samantha Montano

In this discussion, Samantha Montano, an associate professor at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and author of *Disasterology*, dives into the future of FEMA amid proposals for its reduction. She explores the evolving challenges of disaster management in the U.S., highlighting staffing shortages and funding issues. The conversation also reveals how climate change is intensifying flooding and altering weather patterns, stressing the urgent need for reform in emergency response and better warning systems to address these extreme events.

Samantha Montano, an expert in emergency management, Ralph Hamlett, a seasoned Alderman and flood survivor, and Adrienne Heinz, a clinical psychologist, discuss the rising intensity of disasters fueled by climate change. They unpack the disparities in disaster response and the long recovery journeys many face. The guests highlight the critical need for integrating mental health support into recovery efforts, illuminating personal stories of resilience and the importance of community in navigating the emotional aftermath of catastrophic events.

Floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, tornados, explosions, hurricanes, oil spills, bombings, BAD THINGS: Why do they happen? What can we do to prepare? What is a disaster vs. a catastrophe? Who makes it their life's work to go help? Professional Disasterologist and Emergency Management expert Dr. Samantha Montano sits down to talk about disaster movies, the addiction of helping others, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the floods, looting, doomsday prepping, keeping calm under pressure, climate change, governmental budgets, cathedrals vs. islands, the myths of disasters, looking for the helpers, and how humans tend and befriend each other in times of chaos. Dr. Montano's website: disaster-ology.comFollow Dr. Montano on Twitter @SamLMontanoSponsor links: calm.com/ologies; Trueandco.com/ologies (code: ologies); kiwico.com/ologiesA donation went to: billandersonfund.orgMore links up at alieward.com/ologies/disasterologyBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologiesOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologiesFollow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWardSound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray MorrisTheme song by Nick ThorburnSupport the show: http://Patreon.com/ologies