“Don't expect to go through it yourself. People will want to help, ask for it. And then when you get through your disaster, pay it forward.” -Margie Foster

Episode Description:

When catastrophe strikes, it falls to ordinary citizens to come together, support each other, and lead the recovery efforts from the ground up. And in these moments, they also discover inner strength and resilience within themselves and their community. By banding together through difficult times, they can help rebuild and renew their town stronger than before.

Margie Foster, a longtime resident of Glen Ellen, shares her first-hand experience of evacuating from the Tubbs Fire and the emotional toll it took on her tight-knit community. She discusses the frustration of the slow rebuilding process in the first year, the challenges of mitigating fire-damaged land, how she helped coordinate a local rehousing initiative and secure funding to support fire survivors.

Join in as Jennifer and Margie reflect on the importance of “neighbor helping neighbor” in times of crisis and valuable lessons on community preparedness, the emotional toll of disaster, and innovative ways citizens can lead recovery efforts through connectivity and grassroots organization.

Connect with After The Fire USA:

Website: https://afterthefireusa.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebuildNorthBay/

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Highlights:

03:59 Surviving the Devastating Fire

10:22 Disaster Preparedness and Community Response

17:57 Rehousing Initiatives

23:08 Disaster Relief Efforts and Community Resilience

29:09 Rebuilding Challenges

33:04 Recovery and Emergent Leadership