Laguna Beach’s Emergency Operations Coordinator Brendan Manning drops in to talk about being in the “eye of the storm” during the last month’s Emerald wildfire. Also he shares a bit from his origin story in the Peace Corps and more recently working out of the US Embassy in Ethiopia for the US Forest Service. (Well, Brendan assures us that he was/is NOT a secret agent.) However, all kidding aside, Brendan explains how planning and preparedness “saved the day” and prevented any property damage or loss of life during the Emerald Fire. And we close out the show with some suggestions for personal disaster preparedness including having a go bag at the ready and creating defensible space space around your home to prevent fire damage. Music: The Weight - The Staples Singers, Easy - The Commodores, Landslide (Orchestral Version) - Stevie Nicks, Fire and Rain - James Taylor, These Days - Jackson Browne, Time (Clock of the Heart) - Culture Club