Disaster Queen

The Great Galveston Hurricane - September 8, 1900

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 05:00:31 GMT

Join Jenny, the Disaster Queen, as she takes a deep dive into a 15-foot storm surge that devastated turn-of-the-century Galveston, Texas. This posh boomtown took a huge hit and never saw it coming, even though one man probably should have. The Galveston hurricane is still the worst natural disaster in the history of the United States 123 years later and saw over 1/6 of the city's population go to their graves. We will talk about the how, the why, and what was learned and put in place to protect Galveston from hurricanes forever.

Here are the resources I used to research this episode:

book: Isaac's Storm by Erik Larson

book: Storm of the Century by Al Roker

documentary: Isaac's Storm

articles:

https://www.galvestonmonthly.com/whoswho/isaac-cline.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Cline

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Jonestown Massacre PART TWO w/ Becky Dell - November 18, 1978

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 05:00:48 GMT

Join Jenny, the Disaster Queen and her BFF Becky Dell as they discuss the terrible ending of Jim Jones' socialist dream with the mass "murder-suicide" (the Disaster Queen calls it straight up murder) of over 900 of Jones' followers as well as Congressman Leo Ryan and several members of the media on November 18, 1978. Before the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, it was the largest loss of civilian American life in a single event. Learn about what happened, the events that led to the END, and what the world learned from this heinous tragedy.

Here are the sources I used to research this episode:

Book: The Road to Jonestown by Jeff Guinn

Documentary series : Jonestown: Terror in the Jungle (based on Guinn's book)

Documentary: Jonestown: The Women Behind the Massacre (currently on Hulu)

https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/timeline-of-jonestown

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Jones

Book: Seductive Poison by Deborah Layton

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The Jonestown Massacre PART ONE with Becky Dell - November 18, 1978

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 05:00:36 GMT

Join Jenny, the Disaster Queen, and her special guest and BFF Becky Dell, as they discuss the November 18, 1978 deaths of 918 Americans in the jungles of Guyana. This is our first two-part story because it's just too big to cover in one episode! Learn all about cult leader Jim Jones, how he attracted a following to his "church," and the many abuses of power he used to get them to follow him to the jungle of Guyana to a settlement called Jonestown.

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Season 1 BONUS: My personal memories of Challenger, 9/11 and more

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 05:00:37 GMT

In this BONUS episode wrapping up season one of the Disaster Queen podcast, join Jenny, the Disaster Queen as she remembers where she was and what she was thinking during the biggest disasters of her life, including the space shuttle Challenger explosion, the Oklahoma City bombing, the 9/11 terror attacks, and more.

Some favorite documentaries I recommend:

9/11: One Day in America

9/11: Four Flights

Challenger: Final Flight

American Experience: Oklahoma City

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Eastern Kentucky Flood with Lori Houghton - July 27, 2022

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 04:00:00 GMT

When 600 times the normal amount of rain fell on Eastern Kentucky in late July 2022, there was nowhere for its residents to run, and no time: a devastating flash flood came in the middle of the night and washed homes and lives away in mere minutes. Disaster Queen Jenny Rapson talks with lifelong friend Lori Houghton about this tragic natural disaster that occurred in a beautiful yet hard place to live, where they both have familial roots. 45 people and 9,000 homes were lost in this devastating modern-day disaster.

Here are the resources I used to research this episode:

https://dailyyonder.com/east-kentucky-flood/

https://spectrumnews1.com/ky/louisville/news/2023/07/27/surviving-the-floods-rebuilding-eastern-kentucky#:~:text=Between%20July%2026%2DJuly%2030,their%20lives%20in%20the%20storm.

https://www.weather.gov/jkl/July2022Flooding

https://dailyyonder.com/isom-iga-the-grocery-store-that-love-rebuilt/2023/04/14/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/03/22/kentucky-flooding-disasters-housing/

https://dailyyonder.com/rural-kentucky-floods-lack-of-forecasting-broadband/2023/03/23/

https://www.kentucky.com/news/state/kentucky/article263953661.html

https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/06/us/kentucky-flooding-survivor-stories/index.html

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jul/30/kentucky-rescue-victims-flooding

https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/29/us/kentucky-floods-teenager-roof-rescue/index.html

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/kentucky-flood-survivors-say-was-no-time-escape-deluge-rcna41152

https://www.kentucky.com/news/state/kentucky/article277457683.html

https://www.wkyt.com/2022/08/15/story-guitar-recovered-after-eky-flooding-receives-national-attention/

Documentary: East Kentucky Flood

Donate to help survivors of the Eastern Kentucky Flood

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The Munich Olympics Massacre - September 5, 1972

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 04:00:15 GMT

On this episode, Jenny, the Disaster Queen discusses the devastating terror attack by the Palestinian group Black September on a group of Israeli athletes and coaches that ended in disaster and tragedy at the 1972 Olympic games in Munich, West Germany. What was supposed to be an event of brotherhood and sportsmanship was violated by terror and murder.

Here are the resources I used to research this episode:

https://www.britannica.com/event/Munich-Massacre

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Fatah

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Black-September-political-organization-Palestine

https://apnews.com/article/sports-israel-sports-middle-east-munich-2020-tokyo-olympics-8387c0cdbb280e9064eae2c3a1c9d191

https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/revisited/20220911-the-munich-olympics-massacre-five-decades-on

One Day in September - documentary

https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/munich-massacre.htm

https://www.npr.org/2022/09/04/1116641214/munich-olympics-massacre-hostage-terrorism-israel-germany

https://www.history.com/topics/1970s/munich-massacre-olympics

https://blog.juedisches-museum-muenchen.de/munichmassacre72-anton-fliegerbauer/

https://blog.juedisches-museum-muenchen.de/munichmassacre72-moshe-weinberg/

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Apollo 1 - January 27, 1967

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 04:00:05 GMT

Join Jenny, the Disaster Queen as she discusses the Apollo 1 disaster, which resulted in the death of three astronauts on the ground -- NOT in space. We'll learn about how and why NASA was blindsided by this disaster, about the brave men who died in this tragic accident, and how NASA took steps to ensure that this kind of failure during a routine test would never happen again.

Here are the resources I used to research this episode:

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/55-years-ago-the-apollo-1-fire-and-its-aftermath

Documentary: Mission Control

Documentary: Apollo: Missions to the Moon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_choose_to_go_to_the_Moon#:~:text=%22We%20choose%20to%20go%20to,on%20the%20Moon%20before%201970.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Race

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_White_(astronaut)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_B._Chaffee

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Michigan Italian Hall Disaster w/ Emily Berry - December 24, 1913

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 04:00:39 GMT

On Christmas Eve 1913, a Christmas party for the children of striking copper miners ends in disaster when someone yells "FIRE" and a stampede to get out of the building ensues. Join us as we learn about the lives of these (mostly immigrant) copper miners, their struggles, and the Christmas Eve tragedy that marked Michigan's Upper Peninsula forever. Join Jenny and her special guest, her cousin and co-blogger Emily Berry, as they break down this unthinkable disaster.

Here are the resources I used to research this episode:

https://www.mlive.com/news/2017/12/1913_italian_hall_disaster_was.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calumet,_Michigan

https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/calumet-italian-hall-disaster/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064494317941

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yjFP1IajQg - Steve Lehto on the Italian Hall Doors

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Clemenc

List of names of the victims: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02rTcmsRCTsAmmWfk8sS66ByTQqa6ntUF5aMZveCRQ4TvLEEVwiATkzysxdi6p9B6ml&id=291845417514549

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Whakaari White Island Volcano Eruption - December 9, 2019

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 04:00:21 GMT

On this episode of the Disaster Queen Podcast, we will go with a tour group of mostly cruise ship passengers as they visit the majestic Whaakari volcano near Whakatane, New Zealand. Known in English as White Island, this gorgeous active volcano is the definition of adventure tourism, and the main source of industry for the town of Whakatane. But it all goes horriby wrong on December 9, 2019 when Whakaari suddenly erupts with no warning - and with 47 people still on it.

Here are the resources I used to research this episode:

https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a42295664/whakaari-volcano-victims-survivors/

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/15/white-island-volcano-what-we-know-about-the-victims

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-09/white-island-volcano-eruption-anniversary-new-zealand-22-dead/12962748

https://www.outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/news-analysis/whakaari-white-island-new-zealand-volcano-eruption-2019/

Documentary:The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari

Documentary: Real Stories: The 2019 White Island Eruption

Documentary: 60 Minutes Australia: The White Island Disaster

The Disaster Queen Podcast is a production of Disaster Queen Productions LLC.

It is produced, researched and written by Jenny Rapson, the Disaster Queen.

The Disaster Queen Pod Squad:

Audio engineering: Robert Rapson

Editing: Josh Rapson

Original theme music: Robert Rapson

Original podcast artwork: Ken Clark

Website Design: Hello Chicky Design

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Great Dayton, Ohio Flood - March 25, 1913

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 04:00:53 GMT

On this episode we will discuss my great hometown disaster, the Great Dayton Flood of 1913, which took place in Dayton, Ohio and actually devastated many parts of southern Ohio. The levees at the Great Miami River broke on March 25,1913, places tens of thousands of lives in danger, destroying homes and businesses, and taking hundreds of lives. I grew up learning about this disaster as a kid so it's been the main disaster in my life, and I've seen many of the buildings in our downtown that survived it. Come along for the ride as we talk about who survived, who didn't, highlight the heroes in the community, and talk about how this disaster led to a successful plan of flood prevention for this area.

Here are the resources I used to research this episode:

https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/the-great-dayton-flood-1913-things-know-about-broken-levees-rescue-boats-and-lost-lives/6MzhsTtAysABc4pFACBjpL/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Dayton_Flood

https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/local/one-dayton-flood-twins-dies/vZXLiJWSsB7kt4zAhFdDYI/

https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/100-years-later-dayton-forever-changed-the-great-flood-1913/8hvDbu3xdf3wqHrbS8Y1YM/

https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/great-dayton-flood-fire-followed-waters-second-only-noah/QbTr3sp2jrqwVoY130dPGN/

https://www.history.com/news/great-flood-1913

https://wrightbrothershistory.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-1913-dayton-flood-and-wright-family.html

Books:

Grand Eccentrics by Mark Bernstein

Through Flood, Through Fire by Curt Dalton

A Time of Terror by Allen W. Eckert

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Aberfan Coal Tip Disaster - October 21, 1966

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 04:00:32 GMT

The United Kingdom's worst mining-related disaster took place in Aberfan, Wales on October 21, 1966. 144 people were killed when 297,000 cubic yards of coal waste slid down a hillside and crushed part of a village, and a staggering number of them were children. This is a disaster that definitely has a legacy of making things safer for the rest of us. It's tragic but fascinating, and the lives of the 144 lost in Aberfan deserve to be remembered.

Here are the resources I used to prepare for this episode:

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/aberfan-disaster-mining-landslide

https://www.bgs.ac.uk/case-studies/aberfan-1966-landslide-case-study/

https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/Geoscientist/Archive/October-2016/Tipping-point

https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/Geoscientist/Archive/October-2016/Aberfans-engineering-legacy

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-58874233

https://www.upi.com/Archives/1986/10/25/A-disaster-that-wiped-out-a-villages-children/9667530596800/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-12025405/The-tragic-history-Aberfan-survivors-disaster-killed-144-meet-William-Kate.html

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-42101460

Credits aka the Disaster Queen Pod Squad

The Disaster Queen Podcast is a production of Disaster Queen Productions LLC.

It is produced, researched and written by Jenny Rapson, the Disaster Queen.

Audio engineering: Robert Rapson

Editing: Josh Rapson

Original theme music: Robert Rapson

Original podcast artwork: Ken Clark

Website Design: Hello Chicky Design

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Boston Marathon Bombing - April 15, 2013

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 04:00:40 GMT

On this episode of the Disaster Queen Podcast, Jenny covers the first "act of man" disaster of the podcast - the April 15, 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing. We will learn about this tragedy that cut a bloody swath through Boston's biggest celebration of the year and its perpetrators: who they were, why they did it, and how they were found out and caught. We will also see how their actual capture was its own mini-disaster (and what can be learned from that!) and see the people of Boston come together in a beautiful way. Of course, we will honor the lives of those who died, the bravery of the first responders, and the heroism of those who came through the bombing with horrific bomb blast injuries.

Here are the resources I used to research this episode:

Articles:

https://www.cnn.com/2013/04/16/us/boston-marathon-victims-profiles/index.html

https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2015/03/11/linzi-lu-tsarnaev-trial/

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-explosions-boston-suspect/boston-bomb-suspects-name-was-on-classified-government-watch-lists-idUSBRE93N06720130424

https://apnews.com/article/boston-marathon-bombing-survivors-9a0bcba9158e42efa2149cb7cb8b218e

Television shows:

American Manhunt - Netflix

10 Steps to Disaster - Smithsonian Channel

How it Really Happened with Hill Harper - HLN

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Kansas City Hyatt Skywalk Collapse - July 17, 1981 w/ Mary Carver

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 04:00:51 GMT

On this episode of Disaster Queen, I welcome my long-time friend Mary Carver and tell her the story of a terrible tragedy in her hometown of Kansas City, Missouri. She doesn't love disasters but she does love me, so it works out! Join us as she recoils in horror about the disaster she's managed to not learn about despite living there her whole life! LOL!

On July 17, 1981, tragedy struck a crowded tea dance at the beautiful Kansas City Hyatt Hotel at the swanky Crown Center, built by greeting card giant, Hallmark. As the big band played, frivolity turned into a nightmare as two 64,000 pound glass-and-concrete skywalks tumbled down atop 1,600 partygoers and turned the elegant hotel lobby into a tragic scene of carnage and agony.

Mary's links!

Here are the resources I used to research this episode:

Book: Buried Truths and the Hyatt Skywalks by Richard A. Serrano

https://www.npr.org/2021/07/17/1016603199/one-of-the-deadliest-u-s-accidental-structural-collapses-happened-40-years-ago-t

https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/17/us/kansas-city-skywalk-collapse-40-years/index.html

https://apnews.com/article/5a8e4babccfaee8605bcc39019514aa4

https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/17/us/kansas-city-skywalk-collapse-40-years/index.html

https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-07-17/40-years-later-kansas-citians-mourn-lives-lost-in-the-hyatt-skywalk-collapse

https://www.facebook.com/SkywalkMemorialFoundationInc/

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Operation Eagle Claw / Desert One - April 24-25, 1980

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 04:00:10 GMT

On this episode of the Disaster Queen podcast, we will take a deep dive into the event that President Jimmy Carter says was the worst day of his life: the failed mission to rescue our hostages in Iran, code named Operation Eagle Claw. Not only did the mission fail, but it became a bona fide tragic disaster when eight brave service men died. It was the death knell to Carter's presidency and a huge embarrassment for our country. This disaster took place on April 24-25, 1980, just 3 short weeks before the eruption of Mount St. Helens, which I covered in episode one.

Here are the sources I used to research this episode:

Book: Guests of the Ayatollah

Book: The Outlier: The Unfinished Presidency of Jimmy Carter

Documentary: Desert One

Documentary: Hostages (Max)

Documentary: American Experience: Taken Hostage (PBS)

Articles:

https://coffeeordie.com/operation-eagle-claw-mike-vining/

https://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/iran-mission.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Eagle_Claw

https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Operation_Eagle_Claw

The Disaster Queen Podcast is a production of Disaster Queen Productions LLC.

It is produced, researched and written by Jenny Rapson, the Disaster Queen.

The Disaster Queen Pod Squad:

Audio engineering: Robert Rapson

Editing: Josh Rapson

Original theme music: Robert Rapson

Original podcast artwork: Ken Clark

Website Design: Hello Chicky Design

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Columbia Space Shuttle Disaster - February 1, 2003

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 04:05:36 GMT

On February 1, 2003 the space shuttle Columbia and her seven astronauts began their return to earth after a successful 16-day science mission. Family and friends joyously awaited their arrival at Kennedy Space center, but the shuttle never appeared. Soon, news stations began running shuttle-watcher home video of the shuttle breaking apart in a blaze of light above Texas and Louisiana. NASA officials couldn't believe it: seven more amazing crew members and one shuttle lost almost exactly seventeen years after the Challenger. What could have gone wrong? The investigation would soon show a totally different direct cause, but sadly similar indirect causes to Challenger's demise.

Here are the resources I used to research this episode:

Comm Check: The Final Flight of Shuttle Columbia by Michael Cabbage and William Harwood

Bringing Columbia Home by Michael Leinbach and Jonathan H. Ward

https://www.space.com/19436-columbia-disaster.html#section-searching-for-columbia-debris

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Columbia_disaster

Documentary: NOVA Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster

Documentary: Witness to History - The Loss of Shuttle Columbia

Documentary: Space Shuttle Columbia: Falling Star

The Disaster Queen Podcast is a production of Disaster Queen Productions LLC.

It is produced, researched and written by Jenny Rapson, the Disaster Queen.

The Disaster Queen Pod Squad:

Audio engineering: Robert Rapson

Editing: Josh Rapson

Original theme music: Robert Rapson

Original podcast artwork: Ken Clark

Website Design: Hello Chicky Design

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mount St. Helens Eruption - May 18, 1980

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 04:00:43 GMT

On May 18, 1980 the sleeping giant that was Mount St. Helens awoke and erupted with a force that blew even studied geologists away with its violence. We'll deep dive into the eruption and it's devastating toll, including a massive loss of human life and an unprecedented environmental destruction. Mount St. Helens killed 57, wounded many many more, and destroyed hundreds of homes and thousands of acres of forest. Why didn't authorities do more to protect the people in the surrounding areas when the mountain was giving clear signs that an eruption was imminent? We'll cover all that on more on this first episode of the Disaster Queen Podcast.

To research this podcast, I used the following source materials:

Eruption: The Untold Story of Mount St. Helens by Steve Olson

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-may-15-adna-helensvic15-story.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/05/17/mount-st-helens-people-stayed/27311467/

Documentary: Surviving the Mount St. Helen's Disaster

Documentary: Seconds From Disaster, Mount St. Helen's Eruption

The Disaster Queen Podcast is a production of Disaster Queen Productions LLC.

It is produced, researched and written by Jenny Rapson, the Disaster Queen.

The Disaster Queen Pod Squad:

Audio engineering: Robert Rapson

Editing: Josh Rapson

Original theme music: Robert Rapson

Original podcast artwork: Ken Clark

Website Design: Hello Chicky Design

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Disaster Queen Podcast Trailer

Mon, 15 May 2023 17:37:45 GMT

Get a peek into why the Disaster Queen podcast exists and what you can expect when you listen. Hosted by Jenny Rapson, the Disaster Queen. Show premieres JUNE 1, 2023!!!

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