16. From Fire Survivor to Recovery Leader: Paul Lowenthal on the Lessons Communities Carry Forward

Paul Lowenthal has spent years responding to wildfire from both sides: as a fire service professional and as someone who lost his own home in the 2017 Tubbs Fire.

In this conversation, he and Jennifer Gray Thompson look at what Santa Rosa learned while rebuilding, why experienced recovery leaders matter, and how those lessons have been carried into communities from Maui to Los Angeles.

They also talk about the relationships behind effective mutual aid, the importance of preparing new leaders, and what it means to show up for another community with both technical knowledge and lived experience.

Resources:

• How to Disaster
• Learn more about After the Fire USA
• After the Fire USA Resource Library
• The City of Santa Rosa
• Connect with Jennifer Gray Thompson on LinkedIn

Produced by NOVA