Ep15 High Strangeness - DDC - Discovery Disaster Center - Interview

Enhancing Resilience: The Convergence of Emergency Management and Daily Life

This script combines insights from a podcast titled 'High Strangeness', featuring a conversation between the host Tony and Karen Thomas, the Programs Director for the Disaster Discovery Center (DDC), along with a dedicated discussion on integrating emergency management into everyday life. Emphasizing disaster preparedness from

individual to communal levels, it discusses the psychological aspects of preparedness, practical actions like creating supply kits, and coping strategies for emergencies, including active shooter situations. The dialogue also navigates the importance of community engagement, education, and sharing knowledge on preparedness, examining the potential of non-traditional educational tools like games for learning. Highlighting practical, low-cost preparedness tips and the importance of using trusted information sources, the script advances the idea of disaster readiness through positivity and proactive involvement.

Website: Highstrangenesshow.com

Karen Thomas

Email address- karen@disasterdiscoverycenter.org

Bio: Karen Thomas serves as Programs Director and Board

Treasurer for the Disaster Discovery Center (DDC), a nonprofit working to build

a permanent center for teaching the public about preparing. As their outreach

educator, she has participated in preparedness fairs from Logan to Richfield

using hands-on activities. During her 8 years writing for a software company

specializing in infrastructure management, she learned about emergency

mitigation from a City’s viewpoint. Karen loves teaching and trained numerous

groups like reading tutors, parents, and Boy Scout leaders. She currently

teaches two 4-week series for Canyons Community Education on preparing for

disasters and emotional resilience about the power of our words, gratitude,

forgiveness, and listening to learn. She is also active in her community

preparedness efforts and serves as her area leader. Her volunteer work includes

Festival of Trees, PTAs, Reflections judging, Literacy Volunteers of America,

Motheread (where she worked with teen moms to teach them the importance of

reading to their children), Boy Scouts, and Be Ready Utah. She was blessed to

receive the Governor’s Award in the Humanities, Silver Beaver, and

Influential Women in Scouting Award. She and her husband of 43 years have

three sons and eight grandchildren.

Social media links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/disasterdiscovery/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/disaster_discovery_center_ddc/

Website URL: https://disasterdiscoverycenter.org/