Disaster Central: Planning with Purpose with John Romano Part 1

In this eye-opening episode of The Blind Chick, hosts Penn and Moses Street sit down with John Romano—nonprofit leader, former relief worker, and founder of Disaster Central. John shares how his experience as a pilot, motorcyclist, and Hurricane Sandy relief worker shaped his approach to risk mitigation and inspired the creation of the Be Ready app. The conversation explores how the Be Ready app simplifies emergency planning, especially for individuals with disabilities and access needs. Though accessibility features are still evolving, the app already offers powerful tools like cloud-based document storage, community contact sharing, and preparedness prompts for building continuity in crises. John breaks down his "Dare to Prepare" program, built in collaboration with global research partners and Independent Living Centers across Colorado. From Thailand to Estes Park floods, the stories shared reinforce the urgent need for personalized disaster readiness. The episode ends with a hopeful call for community input to shape the next generation of inclusive emergency tech. ⏱️ Chapter Markers 00:00 – Welcome to The Blind Chick 00:28 – Penn and Moses return from Iceland 01:45 – Introducing John Romano 03:20 – Motorcycle, piloting, and risk management 05:10 – Hurricane Sandy and discovering his purpose 07:22 – Founding Disaster Central 08:40 – Including people with disabilities in emergency planning 09:45 – Developing the Be Ready app 11:35 – Climate change and disaster trends 13:00 – The app as an easy button for preparedness 14:15 – Features: Cloud vault, encrypted storage, pets & guide dogs 17:00 – Accessibility and shared household planning 18:25 – Using the app with family and caretakers 20:25 – Uploading documents and offline access 22:50 – Teaching preparedness like fly fishing 24:00 – The “Dare to Prepare” training program 25:30 – Working with SILCs and CILCs in Colorado 27:40 – AI, accessibility, and the future of the app 29:00 – Outro and teaser for next week's deep dive 📱 Follow & Subscribe Listen to more Aftersight Originals: Blindsight – Mental health & resilience Blind Level Tech – Accessible tech and innovation Navigating Life with Vision Loss – Advocacy, safety & daily life 🌐 Aftersight.org | 🎧 Available wherever you get your podcasts