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Henry Mitchell IV, “Master of Disaster,” on Community Preparedness
In this informative interview, Henry Mitchell IV, a professional disaster preparedness and biosecurity expert, discusses the many things we can do in our homes and communities to be better prepared, and to cultivate more livable, resilient lives. Exemplifying the “calm amid any storm” ethos, Henry, a self-described “reformed prepper,” explains how mindfulness, balance, and kindness are key whenever encountering the cascading effects and stresses of unexpected disasters. Emphasizing that “no disaster is a monolith,” he walks us through his “Preparedness Triad,” which includes: (1) community resilience, (2) knowledge and skill sets, and (3) community relationships. In a time of complex systems change and unpredictable vulnerabilities, it behooves all of us to lean in, learn, and delight in some of the unexpected benefits we’ll experience on the preparedness and resilience pathway (new connections and friendships, new learning and knowledge, new skills, more empowerment, autonomy, and sovereignty (which of course coincides with responsibility and helping those who need help).
Through his consulting company, World Aware Emergency Planning (beworldaware.com), Henry provides professional emergency planning services and preparedness gear recommendations to governments, corporations, communities, and families. From providing dental services in post-earthquake Haiti to working incident command at the Marshall Fire in Boulder, Colorado, you can read some of Henry’s “personal preparedness journey” at his new substack: https://henrymitchell4.substack.com/p/my-preparedness-journey.
And, as he tells us, while our “go bags” and supply sets are important (water filtration, food, clothing, sanitary items, generators, fire starters, and safety and first aid equipment, and yes, “dude wipes,” for starters), Henry encourages us to focus first and foremost on community connections and skills-building – indeed, resilience and survivability is not about hunkering down in isolation but is about weaving the webwork of relationships and know-how that create deep, durable resilience and sustainability in any community, including via longer-term efforts like regenerative farming, land stewardship, and food forest cultivation.
About Henry Mitchell IV, “Master of Disaster”
Henry Mitchell is a seasoned Disaster Planner and Emergency Manager with experience spanning the public, private, and nonprofit sectors (in coordination with local law enforcement, state agency, and federal agency partners such as FEMA). He currently serves as the Deputy Director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response for the State of Colorado, where he leads initiatives in disaster preparedness, planning, and response coordination, with a strong focus on human-centered leadership, biosecurity, environmental justice, and effective grant management. Henry has played a key role in some of the most critical emergencies in recent years, including leading local government COVID-19 responses, managing emergency operations centers, and serving on incident command management teams and as EOC manager during major events such as the Marshall Fire near Boulder, Colorado. His approach is defined by a commitment to producing high-quality, functional emergency plans, using trauma-informed principles, and maintaining a calm, steady presence in high-pressure situations. Driven by the belief that emergency management work has a profound and lasting impact on communities, Henry emphasizes thoughtful, inclusive strategies that reflect the lived realities of those affected by disasters. He is Founder and CEO of World Aware Emergency Preparedness LLC, which provides consulting and preparedness products and advising services for governments, communities, institutions, and families. He wrote the essay, “Planning and Preparedness for Community Resilience,” in Aaron William Perry’s newest book, Our Biggest Deal: Pathways to Planetary Prosperity.
Resources & Related Episodes
https://henrymitchell4.substack.com/p/my-preparedness-journey
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Sponsors & Supporters
AndCO Hospitality, Bluestone Life, The Brad & Lindsay Lidge Family Foundation, Clean Content,Climate First Bank, Dobrosphera Kind Media Group, Earth Coast Productions, Gaia.AI, Goodstead Financial, Husch Blackwell, Launch Legal, Patagonia’s Home Planet Fund, Regenerative World Quest, The Riverside Boulder, Shaye Skiff Communications, SoundLight Foundation, Verona Rylander Philanthropies, and Wele Waters.
Podcast Transcript
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