As part of our new interview series for Future Local Lab, LGIU’s Head of Content, Freya Millard, sat down with Professor Lucy Easthope, a leading authority in emergency planning and disaster recovery. For over two decades, she has been at the forefront of the profession and involved in the biggest world-shaping disasters, from 9/11 to Covid-19, and many more that fall under and off the radar – but not for Lucy and her comrades in the hidden world of emergency planning.

In this thought-provoking discussion, Lucy shares her invaluable advice and expertise in helping local government and their communities recover and rebuild after disaster. We dig into the misconceptions of local emergency planning, the pertinent issues that infiltrate the sector, and the practicalities of how local government can work to improve citizen preparedness and resilience in the face of adversity, both now and in the future.

02:00 – The role of emergency planners

04:30 – Misconceptions and realities of local emergency planning

10:45 – The concept of secondary disasters and bad help

15:02 – Community preparedness and public involvement

23:16 – The value of planning and protecting the plan

25:57 – The cost of gender bias in emergency planning

31:49 – Tackling cultural incompetency in emergency response

35:22 – Walking the slow road of recovery

41:16 – Learning to live alongside risk and disaster

46:50 – Rebuilding the fabric of our society post-pandemic

53:07 – Reflections and key advice

Exclusive to LGIU members, join us for our upcoming Ask the Expert event with Lucy Easthope (Wednesday, 9th April, 10am BST). Here is your chance to ask Lucy your very own questions. Book your place.