Disasterology

Dispatches from the Frontlines of the Climate Crisis

De: Samantha Montano

Narrado por: Eileen Stevens

Part memoir, part expert analysis, Disasterology is a passionate and personal account of a country in crisis—one unprepared to deal with the disasters of today and those looming in our future.

With temperatures rising and the risk of disasters growing, our world is increasingly vulnerable. Most people see disasters as freak, natural events that are unpredictable and unpreventable. But that simply isn’t the case – disasters are avoidable, but when they do strike, there are strategic ways to manage the fallout.

In Disasterology, Dr. Montano, a disaster researcher, brings readers with her on an eye-opening journey through some of our worst disasters, helping readers make sense of what really happened from a emergency management perspective. She explains why we aren’t doing enough to prevent or prepare for disasters, the critical role of media, and how our approach to recovery was not designed to serve marginalized communities. Now that climate change is contributing to the disruption of ecosystems and worsening disasters, Dr. Montano offers a preview of what will happen to our communities if we don’t take aggressive, immediate action. In a section devoted to the COVID-19 pandemic, what is thus far our generation’s most deadly disaster, she casts light on the many decisions made behind closed doors that failed to protect the public.

A deeply moving and timely narrative that draws on Dr. Montano's first-hand experience in emergency management, Disasterology is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how our country handles disasters, and how we can better face them together.

An important book

In the age of climate change and regular disasters its well worth knowing how to deal with disasters.

Professor Montano has written an authoritative, thought provoking and fascinating introduction to “disasterology.” Important and readable!

Great Book

This is a great book. It explains what happens after disasters occur, and how to be better prepared for them. Worth reading.

Great Book to Start

The author displayed great knowledge and awareness about disasters. Her personal stories helped me connect to events in personal way. I loved the explaination of Climate change and Government damage to mitigation and preparedness..

A scary but hopeful look at emergencies

this was a lovely read. Montano presents a detailed analysis of our current emergency management system, it's failures, its resources and tactics. along with a mix or stories and policies highlighting the threats that we face. it is scary, yet hopeful.

my only issue is her over belief in electoral politics despite showing jn her book their failures

reality check

I search for stuff like this because we need new language to explain, describe, & deal with overlapping disasters that is our NOW.

Proactive measures to mitigate the needless suffering that previous decisions & mindsets have caught us all up in.

We're in the early stage of climate extremes & we're falling apart already. We can't volunteer our way out of this.

Our communities are not built to withstand these overlapping extreme events and this is what the State & Fed gov is supposed to cover.

FEMA has been hamstrung & is suffering from institutional inertia. Homeland Security continues to make us less safe.

Disaster Capitalism is escalating disparity with gov stamp of approval.

I grew up in the 70's in the Bay Area - lots of eco stuff in grade school curriculum & access to open space beyond my tract housing.

Grew up seeing Love Canal on our console tv...Quakes, drought, & the effects of Reaganomics burn thru the middle class.

That life - stable decent home, robust education, a vehicle or two & savings is but dream of a standard of life (on a single salary!) most won't get to if they slip below 650 credit score.

Now I live rural (priced out & worn out) in a small town. Since 2015, we've been hit with bigger & more extreme wildfires & now pandemic that is far from over.

As a disabled native Californian, I live these frustrations & barriers daily that make things harder than they need to be.

It's adapt or die (badly) time.
No one is coming to save us- we need to save ourselves.