The Government Fix for Disaster Response

Disaster response is about far more than what happens when a hurricane makes landfall or wildfires spread. In this episode of The Government Fix, Amanda Renteria speaks with disaster researcher and emergency management expert Dr. Samantha Montano about what it really takes to prepare for disasters.  Drawing from her experience in post-Katrina New Orleans and her book Disasterology, Montano explains why disasters disproportionately impact marginalized communities, how government systems often fail during recovery, and why “returning to normal” isn’t enough. Together, they explore what governments can do now to build resilient systems, invest before disaster strikes, and ensure communities aren’t left behind when the crisis fades from the headlines. ABOUT THE GUEST: Dr. Samantha Montano is an emergency management expert whose career began in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. She has worked on disaster recovery and response for nonprofits, earned her Ph.D. in Emergency Management, and authored Disasterology: Dispatches from the Frontlines of the Climate Crisis. Samantha is an associate professor at Massachusetts Maritime Academy and co-founder of Disaster Researchers for Justice and the Center for Climate Adaptation Research. Her work spans research, policy evaluation, and public engagement, and she is frequently featured in national outlets including The New York Times, The Atlantic, and National Geographic. LEARN MORE ABOUT: Dr. Samantha Montano: https://www.samanthamontano.com Disasterology (book): https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/704030/disasterology-by-samantha-montano/ FEMA & Emergency Management: https://www.fema.gov ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT FIX: The Government Fix is a podcast by Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit for over 15 years. Hosted by CEO Amanda Renteria, we explore what it looks like when government works well for everyone.  Explore all episodes and learn more: codeforamerica.org/thegovernmentfix Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@codeforamerica/podcasts    Transcript available here: https://codeforamerica.org/podcast/the-government-fix-for-disaster-response/ The Government Fix is a podcast from Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit. Learn more about our work at codeforamerica.org.