030: Day 3: TALK STORY: IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home Program: The Road to Implementation with Amanda West and Mark Vaughn
Release Date: 10/14/2024
032: Day 3: Closing Remarks with Jennifer Gray Thompson
How to Disaster
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “We are not hopeless against mega-fires. We are not hopeless against the era of climate change. We can do these things together because we are daring to hope and to help each other.” —Jennifer Gray Thompson As we bring this transformative event to a close, we are filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Each and every one of you has played a vital role in making this summit a resounding success. Whether you traveled from near or far, volunteered tirelessly behind the scenes, or tuned in from your homes and...
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031: Day 3: KEYNOTE: Aloha, Hello and Goodbye with Kuʻuleinani Maunupau
How to Disaster
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “Aloha does not mean hello and goodbye. Aloha has a much deeper meaning of love and respect. Hello to the return of our Indigenous kupuna knowledge and goodbye to the profit-making capitalistic colonization types of thinking that put profit over people.” —Ku’uleinani Maunupau Colonization has disrupted the deep connection between the land and its indigenous people in Hawaii. The once-thriving Hawaiian land management practice that fostered a harmonious relationship between the people and the environment, has been...
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030: Day 3: TALK STORY: IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home Program: The Road to Implementation with Amanda West and Mark Vaughn
How to Disaster
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “We're not powerless. We are not powerless against wildfire. We know what we need to do.” —Amanda West “I try not to use the word remove. Just move them. You can have plants. You can have a beautiful landscape. We want that five feet for the fire break.” —Mark Vaughn Wildfires pose a serious threat to homes and communities, but we don't have to be helpless in the face of these disasters. By implementing proven mitigation strategies, homeowners can take proactive steps to protect their properties and create...
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029: Day 3: KEYNOTE: Funding Disaster Recovery Through a CDFI with Emily Nilsen
How to Disaster
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “As the recovery process continues, you have to continue to adapt.” —Emily Nilsen Disaster recovery is a complex challenge, but innovative lenders are stepping up to the plate. Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) like Impact Development Fund are providing flexible financing, coordinating resources, and creating tailored programs to support communities in rebuilding and becoming more resilient. In this talk, we hear from Emily Nilsen, the Chief Program Officer of . Listen in as Emily shares IDF’s...
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028: Day 3: KEYNOTE: Empowering Heirs: Fannie Mae's Program for Retaining Ownership and Returning Home After Disaster with Tim Carpenter
How to Disaster
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “Home ownership is about stability. Homeownership is about building wealth. Homeownership is about families. But if you don't have a clear title, you don't know if that stability is going to be there.” —Tim Carpenter Disaster strikes, but for some, the real battle is just beginning. Millions of homes across the US are caught in a tangled web of heirs property— families without clear title to their generational land. This legal limbo leaves them vulnerable to losing everything. Thus, understanding the challenges of...
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027: Day 3: PANEL: Federal Advocacy: Championing Megafire Communities and Raising Awareness in DC
How to Disaster
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “How you frame your argument is how you get them to listen.” —Jeff Okrepkie “We're willing to help anybody out that is going through this now or in the future.” —Steve Crowder “There's no playbook when it comes to a wildfire… Be ready, because you know this is going to impact you at some point, maybe not directly but you will be.” —Kevin Goss “There is a next step, and we just have to keep moving forward.” —Jenn Kaaoush Disaster can strike anyone, even those sworn to...
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026: Day 3: TALK STORY: State-Level Perspectives: Future-Proofing Recovery Senator Angus McKelvey and Senator Troy Hashimoto
How to Disaster
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: This recovery is slow, it's painful, and it's costly. We need patience, and aloha, and support because we're all in this together.” —Angus McKelvey “We have a lot of challenges moving forward, and it's figuring out the strategy of how we're going to approach it. And once you get that strategy, you have to figure out how do we get it to implementation.” —Troy Hashimoto Disaster recovery is not just about the visible on-the-ground efforts - it also involves complex state-level decisions and...
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025: Day 3: WORKSHOP: Paying It Forward: Creating a Community of Practice for Long-Term Fire Recovery
How to Disaster
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “Trust is so important to building a community of practice. And part of that trust comes from understanding where people are and where they stand.” —Michael McCormick “Once the scene is stabilized and we start to clean things up, and then there comes a point where we start rebuilding things… and that's when the long-term recovery begins.” —Matt McRae “There are simultaneous disasters occurring at the same time everywhere, and you never know what's going to hit you at that time, and you have to be...
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024: DAY 3! From Flames to Futures: Navigating Wildfire Leadership with Hope and Resilience with Jennifer Gray Thompson
How to Disaster
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “It's not enough just to give, you have to always receive as well with the same grace and gratitude and aloha.” —Jennifer Gray Thompson “Aloha is boundless, and we know that Aloha reaches all shores and all states. Even in the most trying of times together, we are one team.” —Mahina Martin Welcome to the final day of the 2024 Wildfire Leadership Summit. We're so glad you could join us for this last session— it's been an incredible few days filled with insightful discussions, powerful...
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023: Day 2: KEYNOTE: Ohana Means More Than Family: Maui's Response Through the Lens of Cultural Values with Kainoa Horcajo
How to Disaster
2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description: “Indigenous values can shift how we deal with disasters.” —Kainoa Horcajo Disaster recovery isn't just about rebuilding infrastructure— it's about honoring the deep connections between people and place. Principles like reciprocity, collective responsibility, and deep connection to the land can shape a more compassionate and community-centered approach to rebuilding after crises. By honoring these time-tested philosophies, we unlock powerful pathways to healing and resilience. Kainoa Horcajo is a cultural...
info_outline2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
Episode Description:
“We're not powerless. We are not powerless against wildfire. We know what we need to do.” —Amanda West
“I try not to use the word remove. Just move them. You can have plants. You can have a beautiful landscape. We want that five feet for the fire break.” —Mark Vaughn
Wildfires pose a serious threat to homes and communities, but we don't have to be helpless in the face of these disasters. By implementing proven mitigation strategies, homeowners can take proactive steps to protect their properties and create more resilient neighborhoods. It's time to move beyond just rebuilding after the flames and focus on building better from the start.
In this episode, CTEH Senior Advisor Christa Lopez sits down with IBHS Director of Product Services Amanda West and Wildfire Prepared Home Program Manager Mark Vaughn.
Tune in as they share the latest techniques to harden homes and create effective ember defense systems— from the critical importance of a non-combustible zone around the home to the role of building materials in wildfire resistance.
Connect with After The Fire USA:
- Website: https://afterthefireusa.org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AfterTheFireUSA
- X: https://twitter.com/AfterTheFireUSA
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afterthefireusa/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/atf3r
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuTefxZgWUJkDVoZGZQpxgQ
Highlights:
- 00:22 Making Homes More Resilient
- 05:53 The 5 Feet Non-Combustable Zone
- 12:45 Safe Landscaping
- 15:00 Use Non-Combustible Materials
Meet the Moderator:
👩🏻💼 Christa Lopez, Senior Advisor, CTEH
Christa López, PhD, CEM is a dedicated professional in disaster recovery, crisis management, and environmental justice. With a PhD in Public Policy and Administration from Walden University and a Master’s in Emergency and Disaster Management from the American Public University System, Christa has held significant roles at CTEH, Deloitte, and the Texas General Land Office. Her extensive volunteer experience includes serving as a medic, firefighter, and search and rescue team member, all contributing to her mission of improving lives through effective disaster response and recovery.
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christasandelierlopez/
- Connect with CTEH:
- Website: https://cteh.com/
Meet the Panel:
👩🏻💼 Amanda West, Director of Product Services, IBHS
Amanda West is the Director of Product Services at the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). With over 19 years of experience at The Weather Channel, Amanda has honed her skills in project management, strategy development, and client relationship management. She is dedicated to enhancing weather resiliency and wildfire mitigation, leveraging her expertise to strengthen homes and communities against severe weather. Amanda holds a degree in Digital Media from Full Sail University.
👨🏻💼Mark Vaughn, Operations Manager - Wildfire Prepared, IBHS
Mark Vaughn is the Wildfire Prepared Home Program Manager at the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). Prior to joining IBHS, Mark spent 15 years in the insurance industry, primarily insuring commercial properties. He then transitioned to working for Habitat for Humanity, where he ran construction programs and built dozens of homes with hurricane and wildfire resilience in mind. Mark's experience in the insurance and home construction sectors, combined with his expertise in wildfire mitigation, make him well-suited to lead IBHS's Wildfire Prepared Home program, which provides homeowners with actionable steps to protect their homes from the growing threat of wildfires.
Connect with IBHS:
- Website: https://ibhs.org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IBHSorg
- X: https://twitter.com/IBHS_org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ibhs_org/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/institute-for-business-&-home-safety
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IBHS_org