'Prepare for When, Not If': How to Be Ready for Disaster with Lucy Easthope

What would you do if the lights suddenly went out and stayed out not for an hour, but for days? Your phone is down to 5% because you've been on TikTok and who knows where the torch is?

Watching what's been happening in Tibet these last few days has been truly harrowing, and got me reflecting on one of the most powerful conversations I've ever had on this podcast - a conversation with disaster planner Lucy Easthope.

Lucy has spent more than 20 years preparing governments and communities for some of the worst events imaginable — from floods and fires to bombings, plane crashes and major infrastructure failures. Her message is surprisingly simple: we need to prepare for “when”, not “if” disaster happens.

In this conversation, Lucy explains why being prepared doesn't mean living in fear, and how a little planning can actually make us feel more calm and resilient. She shares what families can learn from disaster planning, why Australian communities have developed a stronger culture of preparedness, and why we should be having more honest conversations with our children about risk.

Lucy also challenges one of our most instinctive responses to disaster: sending 'stuff'. After a crisis, our desire to help is powerful, but donated goods can sometimes become more of a hindrance than a help. Lucy explains why cash is often the most useful donation and how organised charities can put resources where they're needed most.

And then there's panic - despite what movies often show, research suggests people caught in disasters frequently behave responsibly and look after one another. Lucy explains what actually causes panic — and why good information and sensible planning can make such a difference.

Be sure to check out my full conversation with Lucy - the link is below.

LINKS

• Listen to the full episode with Lucy here
• Follow Lucy (@whenthedustsettleslucy) on Instagram
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