86_Preparedness is broken
Mon Feb 02 2026
Across the country, people are doing what they’ve been told.
They build emergency kits.
They follow alerts.
They evacuate when ordered.
And still — they lose everything.
Not during the disaster.
After it.
In Part 1 of this documentary-style episode, DisasterClass examines a hard truth most preparedness conversations avoid: survival is not the same as recovery.
Homes may survive storms but become unlivable. Insurance claims may be approved but still fall short. Families may do “everything right” and still never fully recover.
To understand why preparedness is failing — and why that failure is accelerating — hosts Jason Perez and Jason “Pappy” Martin speak with Ben Gilliland, a technologist and disaster-resilience expert whose work focuses on what determines whether recovery is even possible after first responders leave.
This episode does not offer quick tips or checklists.
Instead, it asks a deeper question:
Is the way we define preparedness still working?
🎧 This is Part 1 of a two-part documentary series.
Part 2 explores how risk becomes visible — and what changes when people can finally see it. ⸻
🔗 Sponsors & Partners
🩸 STOP THE BLEED® Coalition
Uncontrolled bleeding is a leading cause of preventable death after injury. But in just one hour, you can learn three simple steps to save a life. The STOP THE BLEED® Coalition is a nonprofit organization formed to support and scale the national STOP THE BLEED® campaign, helping bring bleeding control training and tools to communities across the country.
🌐 Visit: StopTheBleedCoalition.org
🛡️ Instinct Ready
DisasterClass is proudly brought to you by Instinct Ready, dedicated to educating, preparing, and equipping communities for emergencies and disasters through quality training, comprehensive planning, and premium products. 🎁 Get 10% off your order with code DISASTERCLASS 📞 Call: (845) 244-6360 🌐 Visit: https://www.instinctready.com
Chapters
00:00 – The Problem No One Talks About
00:32 – Is Preparedness Still Working?
00:40 – Why This Episode Is Different
01:05 – DisasterClass Introduction
01:27 – Why Preparedness Is Failing
01:36 – Introducing Ben Gilliland
02:01 – Survival vs. Recovery
03:10 – Where Preparedness Stops
04:15 – The Hidden Cost After Disasters
05:35 – Why Recovery Is Getting Harder
06:45 – What Preparedness Misses
07:45 – The Question That Changes Everything
08:34 – Final Reflection & What Comes Next
More
Across the country, people are doing what they’ve been told. They build emergency kits. They follow alerts. They evacuate when ordered. And still — they lose everything. Not during the disaster. After it. In Part 1 of this documentary-style episode, DisasterClass examines a hard truth most preparedness conversations avoid: survival is not the same as recovery. Homes may survive storms but become unlivable. Insurance claims may be approved but still fall short. Families may do “everything right” and still never fully recover. To understand why preparedness is failing — and why that failure is accelerating — hosts Jason Perez and Jason “Pappy” Martin speak with Ben Gilliland, a technologist and disaster-resilience expert whose work focuses on what determines whether recovery is even possible after first responders leave. This episode does not offer quick tips or checklists. Instead, it asks a deeper question: Is the way we define preparedness still working? 🎧 This is Part 1 of a two-part documentary series. Part 2 explores how risk becomes visible — and what changes when people can finally see it. ⸻ 🔗 Sponsors & Partners 🩸 STOP THE BLEED® Coalition Uncontrolled bleeding is a leading cause of preventable death after injury. But in just one hour, you can learn three simple steps to save a life. The STOP THE BLEED® Coalition is a nonprofit organization formed to support and scale the national STOP THE BLEED® campaign, helping bring bleeding control training and tools to communities across the country. 🌐 Visit: StopTheBleedCoalition.org 🛡️ Instinct Ready DisasterClass is proudly brought to you by Instinct Ready, dedicated to educating, preparing, and equipping communities for emergencies and disasters through quality training, comprehensive planning, and premium products. 🎁 Get 10% off your order with code DISASTERCLASS 📞 Call: (845) 244-6360 🌐 Visit: https://www.instinctready.com Chapters 00:00 – The Problem No One Talks About 00:32 – Is Preparedness Still Working? 00:40 – Why This Episode Is Different 01:05 – DisasterClass Introduction 01:27 – Why Preparedness Is Failing 01:36 – Introducing Ben Gilliland 02:01 – Survival vs. Recovery 03:10 – Where Preparedness Stops 04:15 – The Hidden Cost After Disasters 05:35 – Why Recovery Is Getting Harder 06:45 – What Preparedness Misses 07:45 – The Question That Changes Everything 08:34 – Final Reflection & What Comes Next