Discuss About Disasters Suffered/Averted For Communities Protecting

Vin Nelsen, from Vancouver, BC, Canada. I have recent education in Emergency Management, Climate Change Adaptation and Security and want to make my mark on these fields. As the podcast tagline states: "It's all about protecting communities." That's my goal. I have a background in adult education, career counselling, languages and cross-cultural studies.

The podcast is called "Multi-Hazards", which means hazards from nature or directly from humans, whether single or multiple (consecutive or simultaneous). 

It's for anyone interested in protecting their community, that is, regular folks and also specialists in Emergency Management, Climate Change Adaptation and Security. It features people from North America and around the world.

The Multi-Hazards podcast was started out of the COVID-19 pandemic. I finished two years of intensive studies in Emergency Management, Climate Change Adaptation and Security, spending a fortune to get many diplomas and certificates. Then after a couple months, the pandemic began and we were all forced into lockdown. So, few jobs have been available and we can't even do exercises (drills, simulations) or training other than webinars and video calls. Thus, I've decided to be productive and "make hay while the sun shines". I'm determined to become a top guru in Emergency Management, Climate Change Adaptation and Security, pandemic or not. Nothing and no one will get in my way. I will make my mark in the coming decades and this is only a beginning. Communities will need protection against the multitude of hazards coming their way and I will be there to mitigate.

I do listen to a lot of podcasts myself as I exercise outdoors. It's a form of relaxation, meditation and deeper learning. Doug Parsons' "America Adapts" and Suzanne Bernier's "Disaster Heroes" were inspirations and both hosts actually offered me advice over the phone, believe it or not. I thought: "Hey, why not me?" And so I began.

My initial goals & motivations of doing a podcast were to get good content out into the public sphere, especially about Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA), along with issues such as Security (terrorism, cyber security, national security, etc.). There are podcasts about Emergency Management, Climate Change Adaptation and Security, but none I could see that focus on all three fields. I believe in an interdisciplinary approach due to my background and ethos, so my podcast reflects this. I'm also going global, because I want to hear from everyone everywhere and not be stuck in North American navel-gazing and patting ourselves on the back. We have a lot to learn from the world.

The podcast started around May 18, 2020.

It took me about two weeks to release my very first episode. This is because it was a solo run and I had to do several takes. I wanted to get some content out there so that potential guests wouldn't think that the podcast is fake or a scam. I also wanted them to know that I do have a background in these fields and that I know my stuff. From there, things snowballed, thank my Norwegian ancestral gods.

I'm releasing by season. I still don't know how many episodes will be in a season, maybe 20 perhaps. My aim is to do as many as possible while we're still in pandemic lockdown. I also may be deployed to a disaster here in Canada, so I'll be too busy then. This scheduling via seasons works best for me. I'm doing about an average of two per week, it appears. Organising guests, drafting questions, the actual interview, editing the interview, making a Study Guide, episode notes and YouTube cover collage all take a few days, especially when I have other responsibilities.

So far, I'm self-funded. Podcasting is not to costly so far.

What do I gain? First, I'm keeping myself sharp in the fields of Emergency Management, Climate Change Adaptation and Security. Second, I'm networking and learning from some of the top minds in these fields. Third, I'm learning podcasting, which is a science and art unto itself. I'm hoping friendships will come out of it too. I don't know the future, but I hope that I can continue producing these podcasts for a long time to come.

It's confidential how many downloads I'm getting. Let's just say I'm in the beginning stages and I hope to reach more people as time progresses. These fields are somewhat narrow and people would rather listen to mystery, current events or comedy on podcasts, I think. So, I'm not expecting to get half the planet listening. On the other hand, professionals in these fields, students and also anyone interested in working, studying or volunteering in these areas could be interested. Anyone wanting to protect their communities and learn from the best. That's what I have to offer the world.

I'm using LibSyn as my podcast platform. It's pretty decent so far, and not too expensive. I use an AT2020USB+ mike with my laptop. For software, intros and outros, as well as editing, are done with Audacity freeware. I get free music from YouTube. Skype helps me record interviews that I rip to MP3 and import then into Audacity.

LinkedIn is my main source of guests.

I message guests on LinkedIn or email them straight. Those who respond get a reply about my process. I draft questions and have the guests approve them. Then we meet for a Skype audio call at the day and date we agree on.

I market via LinkedIn to all my contacts in the field of Emergency Management, Climate Change Adaptation, Security, etc. I also tweet out each new episode. I try to ensure that the podcast is on all platforms. We have to wait two months before we get on iHeart Radio. I'm always on the lookout for listing sites where I can list on. Haven't figured out the "breakdown of listener acquisition sources" yet. It's only been 5 weeks.

LinkedIn and Twitter seem okay for now, but I'd like to figure out new ways to market without spending money. Facebook groups may be a potential, but as I release episodes every few days, I don't want to spam groups and incur their wrath. Haven't tried Instagram; I foresee it being a waste of time. I'm open to new, useful marketing avenues, without becoming an annoying spammer.

I've learned to focus on quality and also detail. You have to pay attention when you edit and design episode notes, tags and the Study Guides. Ask guest how exactly to pronounce their names. If they're from another country, look up how to say "Welcome!" or "How are you?" in their language.

I spend 2 years of reading about Emergency Management, Climate Change Adaptation, Security, etc. day and night, with over 60+ graduate, undergraduate and professional online courses. So, all this stuff is swimming through my brain. It's not really new to me. And now that I'm not studying, pumping out essays, PowerPoint presentations, group projects, homework, etc., this podcast keeps me sharp and "in the game".

I'm learning as I go. Also, every step I take, whether it's choosing a platform, editing with Audacity, buying a microphone, etc., I research beforehand via YouTube videos, podcasts about podcasting, or websites. I also see what others are doing on their podcasts. Listen to Doug Parsons from the "America Adapts" podcast share "The Fundamentals of Podcasting" here: mediasite.video.ufl.edu. This really helped me. Rachel Corbett's PodSchool is also helpful.

Just do it. Draft up your plans, make a schedule and get going. Next month you may be too busy.

My site is here, along with Study Guides for each episode: multi-hazards.libsyn.com. You can find it by typing "Multi-Hazards podcast" on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, etc. The YouTube channel is youtube.com/channel/UC14YB-XxHAYC5hO9YvLCNXA. Twitter handle is @MultiHazards.