In this Grit Daily Startup Podcast episode, the host interviews Chloe Demrovsky, the President and CEO of Disaster Recovery Institute International (DRI). Chloe talks about the importance of building resilient communities to prepare for and recover from disasters, both natural and man-made. She shares insights into the key components of resilience, including risk assessment, emergency planning, and community engagement. She also discusses the role of technology and innovation in enhancing resilience and highlights some of the challenges and opportunities for building more resilient communities in the future.
Chloe Demrovsky is the President and CEO of DRI International, a senior Forbes contributor, has authored numerous articles, appeared on Bloomberg TV, MSNBC, CNBC, Cheddar News, and Fox, and has served as an expert source for The Associated Press, BBC, USA Today, The Financial Times, ABC News, and others. She has presented at dozens of events across five continents and has conducted on-site briefings for government bodies. She is a professor at NYU, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and a Board Director for the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) ARISE, the DRI Foundation, Bard College at Simon’s Rock Board (Vice-Chair), and Plastic Omnium.
Timestamps:
- Introduction of Chloe Demrovsky and her background (01:10)
- What is Disaster Recovery Institute International (DRI), and what does it do? (02:34)
- The importance of building resilient communities (04:01)
- The key components of resilience: risk assessment, emergency planning, and community engagement (06:12)
- The role of technology and innovation in enhancing resilience (09:42)
- Examples of resilient communities and lessons learned from disasters (13:18)
- Challenges and opportunities for building more resilient communities (17:05)
- The importance of public-private partnerships in building resilience (21:15)
- The role of individuals in building resilience (24:09)
- Final thoughts and contact information for Chloe Demrovsky (26:11)
Notable Quotes:
- “Resilience is about building communities that can withstand and recover from shocks and stresses, whether they are natural or man-made.” (04:29)
- “Resilience starts with understanding the risks and vulnerabilities of a community and then developing a plan to address them.” (06:44)
- “Technology and innovation can play a critical role in enhancing resilience, but they are not a silver bullet. We also need to focus on the human element of resilience.” (10:13)
- “Resilience is not just about bouncing back; it’s about bouncing forward and building back better.” (14:38)
- “Building resilience requires a whole-of-society approach that involves everyone from government officials to business leaders to individuals in the community.” (18:20)
