"We Thought We'd Be Fine": Surviving Hurricane Katrina | Wes Gabb

Writing the End of the World

What does military service teach you about leadership, survival, and the decisions people make when the world falls apart? In this episode of After the Fall, I sit down with U.S. Army Reserve veteran and author Eric Smith, creator of The Last Regiment series. Eric shares how his military background influences his post-apocalyptic fiction, from realistic tactics and crisis leadership to the human cost of conflict and the resilience of ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances. We discuss why post-apocalyptic stories continue to resonate with readers, how military experience shapes authentic storytelling, and the challenges of building a readership as an independent author in today's crowded publishing landscape. Whether you're a fan of military thrillers, post-apocalyptic fiction, preparedness, or the writing craft itself, this conversation offers a fascinating look at what it means to write believable stories about the end of the world. Topics discussed: *  Military experience and realistic storytelling  *  Leadership during crisis and collapse  *  The human side of war and survival  *  Why readers love post-apocalyptic fiction  *  Independent publishing and audience building  *  The inspiration behind The Last Regiment Guest: Eric Smith, author of The Last Regiment series Connect with Eric: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLastRegimentSeries [https://www.youtube.com/@TheLastRegimentSeries] I would probably title the episode: Writing the End of the World with Eric Smith | Military Experience, Leadership, and Post-Apocalyptic Fiction

Preparedness Starts With Training

What does real preparedness actually look like when things go wrong? In this episode of After the Fall, I sit down with firefighter, EMS responder, rescue instructor, and TacMed1 founder Jon Bajek to talk about the reality behind emergency response, survival, and training. With nearly two decades of experience responding to fires, rescues, medical emergencies, and high-stress incidents, Jon breaks down the difference between preparedness fantasy and real-world capability. We discuss why mindset matters more than gear, the psychological realities of trauma, communication under stress, medical readiness, and what ordinary people can do right now to become more capable in a crisis. This is one of the most practical preparedness conversations we’ve had on the show. Topics include: • Real preparedness vs “prepper entertainment” • Why training matters more than equipment • The first minutes of chaos during emergencies • Mental resilience and decision-making under stress • Medical preparedness for families • Why community matters more than lone-wolf survival Subscribe for more conversations on post-apocalyptic fiction, preparedness, survival mindset, and resilience. #Preparedness #Survival #EmergencyPreparedness #Prepping #FirstResponder #AfterTheFall #TacMed1 #PreparednessTraining #SurvivalMindset #EmergencyResponse

The Last Generation That Knew How to Survive

Before “prepping” became a trend, survival was simply part of everyday life. In this episode of After the Fall, John Michael Layne sits down for a conversation about growing up in rural West Virginia during the Great Depression and the practical skills that once defined ordinary American life. Hunting wasn’t recreation. Gardening wasn’t a hobby. Families preserved food, repaired what they owned, and learned to survive without depending on fragile modern systems. The conversation explores the knowledge previous generations possessed, why so much of it has disappeared, and what modern preparedness can still learn from the people who lived through genuinely hard times. From food preservation and hunting to self-sufficiency, resilience, and the fragility of modern convenience, this episode is a reminder that many of the skills we now call “prepping” were once simply called life. Website: johnmichaellayne.com

"We Thought We'd Be Fine": Surviving Hurricane Katrina | Wes Gabb

What does real collapse actually look like? In 2005, Hurricane Katrina turned New Orleans into something unrecognizable. Power failed. Communication broke down. And for a period of time, people were left to figure things out on their own. In this episode of After the Fall, John Michael Layne sits down with Wes Gabb—a New Orleans native who lived through Hurricane Katrina as a teenager. Wes shares what it was like as the storm approached, the chaos of evacuating under pressure, and the moment it became clear that things were not going back to normal anytime soon. From gridlocked highways to complete communication breakdown, this conversation reveals how quickly systems can fail—and how unprepared most people are for that reality. But this isn’t just a story about Katrina. It’s a conversation about mindset—how people respond when expectations collide with reality, and what separates those who adapt from those who don’t. In this episode: *  The illusion of safety before the storm  *  What evacuating Katrina actually looked like  *  How quickly communication systems failed  *  The gap between expectation and reality  *  Lessons in preparation, adaptability, and resilience  Connect with Wes Gabb: 🌐 hollywoodcreationswv.com About the Show: After the Fall explores apocalyptic fiction, real-world disasters, and the mindset required to survive when systems break down.

The Shackleton Mindset: How to Stay Calm When Everything Falls Apart

When things go wrong, most people don’t rise to the occasion—they fall to the level of their mindset. In this episode, I break down what I call The Shackleton Mindset—a way of thinking built on clarity, responsibility, discipline, and calm under pressure. Drawing from the real-world leadership of Ernest Shackleton and connecting it to modern life, we walk through the mental framework that actually determines how people respond when systems fail, uncertainty rises, and pressure hits. This isn’t about gear, tactics, or worst-case scenarios. It’s about how you think, how you act, and who you become when it matters most. We’ll cover: *  Why mindset matters more than preparation alone  *  The difference between responsibility and victimhood  *  How people actually behaved during real disruptions like COVID  *  Why calm is a trained skill—not a personality trait  *  How to think clearly when others panic  *  And how to build a mindset that holds when everything else breaks  Because when everything falls apart, your mindset isn’t tested—it’s revealed. If you’ve ever wondered how you would respond when things go wrong, this episode gives you the framework to answer that question—before it’s too late.