How ToolBank USA Helps Improve Recovery and Community Preparedness

ToolBank USA’s Chief Program Officer, Trey Bearden, joined Jennifer Gray Thompson, CEO of After the Fire, for one of their latest How To Disaster Podcast. Trey helped explain how ToolBank USA helps improve recovery and community preparedness during times of disasters and beyond. “It’s not just what happens in the immediate response…but also how we span the entire spectrum to be able to provide those necessary resources because it does take a long time to rebuild.” -Trey Bearden

Episode Description:

Many people lost not just their homes and belongings during a disaster, but also the ability to continue working. On top of dealing with their own loss, many families find it difficult to afford the additional costs of repairs and rebuilding. Often times people just don’t have the necessary tools to do some of the most basic tasks.

Tune in to learn more about ToolBank USA, the work they do, what services they offer, how your community can benefit from this organization’s resources, and what we can do to become better equipped and better prepared as individuals and as a community.

BREAKDOWN:

0:01 – After the Fire (ATF) Podcast Introduction

0:35 – Trey Bearden, ToolBank USA’s Chief Program Officer

2:05 – ToolBank USA Overview

3:30 – How to become a ToolBank Member Agency and begin borrowing our tools

3:40 – Savings to our Member Agencies by utilizing ToolBank tools

4:40 – ToolBank Disaster Services (TDS) Overview

6:25 – ToolBank Network History / TDS History

12:10 – TDS Long-Term Disaster Recovery

15:35 – The trouble with a crowded disaster response effort

16:15 – How to fill the gap by not replicating efforts during disaster response

19:10 – TDS Hurricane Michael Long-Term Response

20:10 – Collaboration during response

23:05 – Hurricane Ida / Pandemic Response Protocol / How things changed

24:50 – Game changing TDS Camper for deployments

26:15 – BREAK – Fannie Mae Disaster Relief Information

26:50 – TDS Camper discussion continues / Becoming self-sustaining without burdening the impacted community

28:25 – Rapid response effort for Hurricane Ida / Debris clearing and PPE distribution

30:10 – ATF Dixie Fires Response

33:10 – Strategies for a successful deployment and doing what we know we can do well

35:10 – It never hurts to ask…people want to help but often don’t know how

36:35 – Humanity – We are helping people at their most vulnerable times after a natural disaster strikes

38:00 – ATF + TDS – Fire response overview / recap

40:50 – Finding stickiness in an impacted community

41:30 – What is needed after a fire

42:10 – Long-term rebuilding after a fire and options for collaboration

43:10 – Uninsured areas of the country and how vital volunteers are to their rebuilding efforts

44:25 – Learning about fire response and where ToolBank fits

46:05 – ToolBank Hub with trailers for wildfire response efforts

47:55 – The need for sheds after a fire for securing personal tools needed for rebuilding

48:50 – Trey’s personal story for disaster response involvement

51:20 – How we restore HOPE

54:00 – Doing work that is profound

54:45 – Setting the tone for service-based organizations during disaster response

56:00 – Building back takes time, resources, and funding for long-term recovery / Media attention

58:45 – ATF Capacity Campaign

1:00:20 – Self-care for those responding to natural disasters

1:05:40 – Where to find ToolBank USA

1:08:15 – Wrap-up / Final Words

1:08:22 – ATF PSA

1:08:40 – Fannie Mae Disaster Relief Information