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Crisis Lab

Where expertise meets influence. Gain senior-level insights in policy, strategy & resilience.

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14:11

What Sweden's Transformation Tells Us About Gray Zone...

Crisis Lab ·

2025/11/28

In this episode of the Crisis Lab Podcast, host Kyle King examines Sweden's transformation from traditional emergency management to integrated security governance.What it reveals: the gray zone reality facing emergency management professionals across Europe. Throughout 2025, coordinated Russian operations across Baltic civilian infrastructure exposed fundamental flaws in crisis management systems built for discrete events. Sweden's response offers not a blueprint to copy, but a mirror. It

13:07

How Adversarial Stress Testing Reveals the Gray Zone

Crisis Lab ·

2025/11/07

In this episode of the Crisis Lab Podcast, host Kyle King examines how gray zone operations are fundamentally reshaping civilian crisis management across Europe. Kyle walks through Russian drone incursions over Poland, GPS jamming affecting hundreds of thousands of flights, and shadow fleet operations cutting undersea cables to demonstrate why traditional emergency management frameworks can't handle sustained, multi-domain pressure designed to exhaust coordination capacity.Through

13:50

The Burden of Criticism: How External Pressure is...

Crisis Lab ·

2025/10/24

In this episode of the Crisis Lab Podcast, host Kyle King takes a hard look at the internal fractures forming within the emergency management community. Kyle reflects on how recent disasters and public criticism have brought long-standing issues to the surface. This episode challenges the profession to face uncomfortable truths about authority, messaging, and its evolving role in the face of growing demands.With examples drawn from major events like Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and

28:01

Inside IAEM 2025 and the Evolving Role of Emergency...

Crisis Lab ·

2025/10/10

In this episode of the Crisis Lab Podcast, host Kyle King sits down with emergency preparedness leader Toni Hauser to examine how the future of emergency management is being shaped by shifting influence, community leadership, and professional development. With debates underway about decentralizing FEMA, the discussion highlights why local voices matter and how change in the field often starts from the ground up.Drawing from her role as co-vice chair of the IAEM 2025 Conference Committee

17:42

The Professional Development Paradox: Why Senior...

Crisis Lab ·

2025/09/29

In this episode of the Crisis Lab Podcast, host Kyle King breaks down the professional development paradox in emergency management.As challenges grow more complex and interdependent, senior leaders are often stuck between outdated training models and increasing demands. Many find that after 15 years, professional growth slows, leaving them intellectually stranded. Kyle highlights the false choice between tactical training and generic leadership courses, and argues for a third path:

25:48

Maritime Transport System (MTS) Recovery and...

Crisis Lab ·

2025/08/15

In this episode of the Crisis Lab Podcast, host Kyle King sits down with maritime operations expert James Merten to explore how global trade depends on a fragile and often invisible system: ocean shipping. From cargo delays and cyberattacks to major port shutdowns, disruptions in this sector have far-reaching effects—touching everything from factory supply chains to your local grocery store.James draws from his experience with the U.S. Coast Guard and academic research in port resilience

12:34

The Velocity of Crisis: The Speed Gap That's Killing...

Crisis Lab ·

2025/08/08

In this episode of the Crisis Lab Podcast, host Kyle King introduces the “velocity of crisis”—a powerful yet overlooked concept in emergency management. As disasters escalate faster and ripple through interconnected systems, our current response models are falling behind. Kyle explores how predictive analytics, anticipatory positioning, and automation can help us stay ahead. Featuring real-world examples like the 2021 European floods and innovations like California’s Alert program, this

11:01

The Resilience Paradox: Why We Expect More From...

Crisis Lab ·

2025/07/25

In this episode of the Crisis Lab Podcast, Kyle King unpacks the “Resilience Paradox”—why we expect people to be self-reliant during emergencies while tolerating fragile infrastructure. Triggered by the mass blackout across Spain and Portugal, Kyle examines the deeper disconnect between how cities are planned and how they perform under stress. He makes the case for embedding resilience into the design of power, water, and communication systems—so communities can function even when external

16:54

Are We Measuring Against the Wrong Thing?

Crisis Lab ·

2025/07/14

In this episode of the Crisis Lab Podcast, Kyle King challenges the core assumptions of American emergency management.He contrasts FEMA’s focus on efficiency with Europe’s emphasis on survival, revealing why traditional measures like response time and coordination no longer reflect the realities of modern disasters. Drawing on examples such as the Texas floods, Hurricane Maria, and the Texas winter storm, Kyle explains why it's time to measure how long communities can function without help,

18:51

Suffocating Under Relief: How Emergency Management...

Crisis Lab ·

2025/07/04

In this episode of the Crisis Lab Podcast, Kyle King shows how growing disaster aid has weakened emergency management. He traces FEMA’s move from a coordination role to a relief fund handler, points out the costs of grant-driven processes, and makes the case for rebuilding from first principles.Tune in for a close look at institutional hurdles, a proposal to separate relief and response, and a roadmap to restore true surge capacity—so communities are ready long before the next disaster

11:41

The Courage to Say 'We Don’t Have the Answers': First...

Crisis Lab ·

2025/06/20

In this episode of the Crisis Lab Podcast, host Kyle King challenges us to rethink everything we thought we knew about emergency management. Rather than layering on new frameworks after each disaster, Kyle argues for the courage to admit we don’t have all the answers—and to start over from first principles. He explores how institutional inertia traps us in “adding machine” thinking, why true innovation often comes from outside the field, and how we can design a system where response is

11:40

The Same Old Answers Won't Solve New Problems

Crisis Lab ·

2025/06/06

In this episode of the Crisis Lab Podcast, host Kyle King dives into insights from a House subcommittee hearing on FEMA’s future. He critiques the reliance on outdated institutional models amid today’s accelerating, interconnected crises—what experts label as polycrises and perma-crises.Kyle calls for bold rethinking: integrating cross-domain insights, leveraging first principles thinking, and embracing adaptive, failure-informed learning. Tune in to explore how emergency management must

38:15

Reimagining FEMA's Role in National Emergencies with...

Crisis Lab ·

2025/05/23

In this episode of the Crisis Lab Podcast, host Kyle King interviews Quin Lucie, a legal expert and former FEMA official with deep experience in national security and emergency management. Together, they explore the often-overlooked origins of FEMA. Quin reveals the agency’s roots in wartime mobilization and civil defense, offering a stark contrast to its modern disaster relief role. They examine how historical frameworks could inform today’s response to complex crises—ranging from

5:31

The Most Expensive Report Ever Written (Again)

Crisis Lab ·

2025/05/09

In this episode of the Crisis Lab Podcast, host Kyle King examines the devastating aftermath of the Lahaina Fire through the lens of governance and emergency management. Drawing from the investigative article "The Most Expensive Report Ever Written," the episode explores how institutional decisions shaped the failure of response systems in Maui.King analyzes official reports from the Maui Emergency Management Agency, arguing that treating emergency preparedness as a side function has

32:53

Design Thinking in Integrated Crisis Management with...

Crisis Lab ·

2025/03/14

In this episode of the Crisis Lab Podcast, host Kyle King sits down with Rick Fernandez, an expert in emergency management, humanitarian aid, and international police assistance. Rick brings extensive experience from his work at the U.S. Department of Justice, the New York City Emergency Management Department, and international humanitarian missions.Kyle and Rick explore how human-centered design thinking can enhance planning processes and build stronger community and organizational

31:21

Alert to Action: Infection Prevention in Crisis Mode

Crisis Lab ·

2025/02/28

In this episode of the Crisis Lab Podcast, host Kyle King sits down with Dr. Jim Wilson and Sharon Parrillo, two leading experts in health security and infection prevention.Dr. Wilson, a health security specialist focused on early warning systems for high-risk infectious diseases, and Sharon, a board-certified infection prevention leader with two decades of experience, discuss the challenges of pandemic response, misinformation, and the evolving role of AI in health security. From striking

29:10

Adapt, Survive, Thrive: Building Climate-Resilient...

Crisis Lab ·

2025/02/14

In this episode of the Crisis Lab Podcast, host Kyle King sits down with Nathan Gross, a public health and emergency management expert who has led major crisis responses at the CDC—including the Marburg Virus Disease task force and large-scale pandemic vaccination efforts.With deep expertise in climate resilience, emergency preparedness, and crisis management, Nathan shares insights on how emergency management must evolve to address the growing impact of climate change and public health

14:07

The End of Emergency Management (as we know it)

Crisis Lab ·

2025/01/31

In this first episode of season 4, the Crisis Lab Podcast looks at crisis management and emergency response. Host Kyle King talks about the need for a new emergency management system as disasters become more frequent and severe.From the case study of the Los Angeles fires to the problems in FEMA, this episode explains why our current system is failing and what we can do to build resilience for the future. Listen for insights from emergency planners, intelligence insiders, and strategists

29:53

A Look Back on 2024 with Kyle King

Crisis Lab ·

2024/12/29

In the season finale of the Crisis Lab Podcast, host Kyle King reviews the defining events of 2024, including the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, China's gray zone tactics toward Taiwan, record-breaking climate disasters, and the rise of AI-driven misinformation. This episode explores how these crises are reshaping the world.The discussion also highlights the lab’s achievements, such as launching new courses, podcasts, and events designed to equip leaders with tools for

38:30

Rethinking EM Part 2: Misinformation and the Erosion...

Crisis Lab ·

2024/12/08

In this episode of the Crisis Lab Podcast, host Kyle King continues his insightful discussion with Todd DeVoe, a leading voice in emergency management. This is Part 2 of the two-part series delving into the critical need to rethink strategies in disaster response and community engagement to address modern challenges.Kyle and Todd unpack pressing issues like the rise of misinformation, the erosion of trust in institutions, and how emergency managers can modernize their communication

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