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After a disaster, the world moves on, but communities don’t. In this episode of the Wildfires, Floods and Chaos Communications Podcast, host Tim Conrad talks with Deb Borsos, one of BC’s most respected recovery specialists, about what really happens after the emergency ends.

Deb shares decades of hard‑earned wisdom from wildfire zones, flood‑stricken towns, and remote communities in both Canada and Australia. She explains why communication failures can derail recovery, why communities need honesty instead of polished messaging, and how local leadership consistently outperforms outside contractors.

From daily unfiltered updates during wildfires to the rise of community‑led recovery movements like DisasterWise in Australia, Deb offers practical, grounded insights for anyone working in emergency management, communications, or local government.

If you want to truly understand recovery, this is the episode.

When disasters strike, response gets the spotlight, but recovery is where the real work begins. In this episode, host Tim Conrad sits down with Deb Borsos, one of British Columbia’s most respected recovery operations specialists, to talk about what actually happens after the cameras leave and the responders go home.

Deb brings decades of experience from rural BC to Australia’s remote communities. She shares candid insights on communication failures, community‑led recovery, the dangers of over‑promising, and why transparency matters more than polished messaging.

This conversation is a masterclass for emergency managers, communicators, elected officials, and anyone who cares about what happens after disaster headlines fade.

Resources offered by Deb:

Books - When the Dust Settles, Suzy Easthope; A Paradise Built in Hell, Rebecca Solnit

What You’ll Learn

• Why communications is the weakest link in recovery — and how to fix it
• How recovery begins during response, not after
• Why communities need truth, not protection
• The importance of local leadership vs. outside contractors
• How Australia’s rural communities are redefining community‑led recovery
• Why “build back better” often misses the mark
• The power of timely, honest, unfiltered updates
• How small communities can lead without being incorporated
• Why responders must remember: you are a guest in someone else’s community

Visit www.communicationspodcast.com for more detailed show info including photos and videos.