Disaster Lessons from Hurricane Sandy, NYPD Special Ops, and John Wick

In this episode of the Utility Emergency Response Podcast, we sit down with George Sischler, a retired NYPD detective with 20 years of service, including special operations, maritime rescue, tactical medicine, and CBRN work. George now works in preparedness and training, and he brings a rare mix of first responder, instructor, and real-world disaster experience to this conversation. We talk about one of the most important lessons in emergency management: communication is usually the first thing to fail, and once it does, problems start stacking fast. George shares why backup communications, ham radio, redundancy, and exercising plans matter so much for utilities, hospitals, businesses, and families. George also walks through his experience during Hurricane Sandy, when New York City was overwhelmed, radio comms failed, responders improvised with borrowed equipment, and basic needs like fuel, food, and movement became major challenges. His takeaway is blunt: even strong organizations can get hit harder than expected, and critical infrastructure failure changes everything. We also cover personal preparedness, water purification, training under stress, situational awareness, and the importance of starting somewhere instead of waiting for the perfect plan. And yes, we even get into George's Hollywood work, including how he ended up training Keanu Reeves for John Wick. If you work in utilities, public safety, emergency management, or just want to be more prepared at home, this episode is packed with practical lessons. Topics in this episode: Why communication fails first in disasters Hurricane Sandy lessons learned Backup comms, ham radio, and redundancy Personal and family preparedness Water purification and emergency supplies Training, exercises, and raising standards Situational awareness in everyday life Critical infrastructure threats George's NYPD and Hollywood background About the hosts: Isaac Alatorre is co-host of the Utility Emergency Response Podcast and founder of Portable Pipeline Systems, bringing hands-on experience in utility support, emergency response, and resilience. Jim Wollbrinck is co-host of the podcast and a seasoned emergency management professional with deep experience in preparedness, infrastructure resilience, and crisis response. Website: Portable Pipeline Systems: http://www.portablepipelinesystem.com/ Here are shorter individual bios too: Isaac Alatorre: Isaac Alatorre is co-host of the Utility Emergency Response Podcast and founder of Portable Pipeline Systems, with hands-on experience supporting utilities, emergency response, and resilience operations. Jim Wollbrinck: Jim Wollbrinck is co-host of the Utility Emergency Response Podcast and an experienced emergency management professional focused on preparedness, infrastructure resilience, and crisis response.