Disaster Zone (The Readiness Lab)

The United States’ blood supply has reach a dangerously low level of inventory. It has come via the impact of COVID and recent winter weather that has impacted much of the nation. In this short podcast we hear from Craig Cooper, an American Red Cross Spokesperson who explains the crisis and also how people can identify locations where they can go and give blood. It is a very safe and painless procedure. Blood cannot be stored for any length of time, thus it is another example of our “just in time” system. Blood in all its components is lifesaving. Consider becoming a donor today!

The Blue Cell is a by-design crisis and consequence management consulting firm with a primary focus on education and training for government at all levels, non governmental agencies and private sector entities engaged in incident and emergency management activities.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

This podcast is a bit of reminiscing with Diane Newman. She was at different times my Operations Program Manager and my Deputy Director at the King County Office of Emergency Manager. At one point, I actually worked for her! In this podcast we discuss various aspects of our personal journeys in emergency management and along the way share what worked and what didn’t work when it came to trying to forge a cohesive local emergency management program. It wasn’t all sunshine and roses, but we did make a collective difference in our individual capacities.

This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

The disaster recovery process for Presidentially declared disasters here in the United States is hugely complex. It is no easy task to enter into and to accomplish. Jerry Quinn is an expert in assisting public agencies work their way through the disaster recovery maze. In this podcast we look at the process in general, where the pitfalls are, and then suggestions for getting the most recovery funding from the federal government. While being able to retain those funds when the eventual audit comes—which is sometimes years later.

This episode is sponsored by Unearth. Unearth’s emergency response software connects field responders and the command center, equipping teams with mobile tools for rapid damage assessments, real-time incident tracking, and seamless information sharing. Empower field teams where their work actually happens - reducing response times, optimizing resource management, and simplifying reporting with a dynamic, map-based field operations platform.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

What does leadership look like in the 21st Century? To find out, I went to Steve Metruck, the Executive Director for the Port of Seattle. The port has both maritime and airport operations with billions of dollars in capital investments being made. Steve had a very successful United States Coast Guard career, retiring as a two star admiral. In a series of responses to a number of questions he reflects on what makes for a good leader. What does a high performing organization look like, how to hire good people and what to do when you find yourself working for a boss who is perhaps not a good leader? You will find his responses straight forward and reflective of what a great leader is thinking about today. You are sure to learn something new about being a better leader.

This episode is sponsored by two key Disaster Zone partners:

The Blue Cell is a by-design crisis and consequence management consulting firm with a primary focus on education and training for government at all levels, non governmental agencies and private sector entities engaged in incident and emergency management activities.

Bent Ear Solutions offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Every disaster imaginable produces some form of disaster debris. Disasters like hurricanes, earthquakes and a tsunami can be mega producers of debris. Even the typical flood has people ripping out carpets and other household items from their homes and piling them on the curb. It becomes government’s job to haul them away. Chris Walker with MERITS provides very practical suggestions for people and agencies to use in dealing with disaster debris. Merit’s solution’s also include verified identity and digital credentialing which are discussed. 

This podcast is sponsored by T-Mobile for Government, providing innovative connectivity solutions that help government better serve citizens by enabling agencies to work more intelligently, efficiently, and securely. Their mobile device management solutions help safeguard sensitive data and their network is ideal for unlocking game-changing loT technology.  T-Mobile provides 24x7x365 support, so they are ready to help you when communications are critical. T-Mobile is America’s largest, fastest, and most reliable 5G network.
Capable device required for 5G; coverage not available in some areas. Some uses may require certain plan or feature; see T-Mobile.com. Fastest: Based on median, overall combined 5G speeds according to analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data 5G download speeds for Q1 2022. Ookla trademarks used under license and reprinted with permission. Most Reliable: According to an audit report conducted by independent third party umlaut containing crowdsourced data for user experience including task completion collected from November 2021 to May 2022. Full details can be found on: www.umlaut.com/en/benchmarking/USA. umlaut containing crowdsourced data for user experience including task completion collected from November 2021 to May 2022. Full details can be found on: www.umlaut.com/en/benchmarking/USA.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

One significant natural hazard risk that the West Coast of the United States has comes from tsunamis. The guest for this podcast is Elyssa Tappero, Outer Coast Tsunami Program Coordinator for the Washington State Emergency Management Division. In this program we review what the difference sources of tsunami waves are, and what their potential impact can be here in the Pacific Northwest. We also delve into what individuals and organizations can to be warned of an oncoming tsunami and what mitigation measures are being used to reduce the destructive impacts of these waves. This is the website mentioned in the podcast: mil.wa.gov/alerts.

Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Supply chains have been in the news for the last two years. Their vulnerability has been highlighted in many different ways during the COVID-19 Pandemic. In this podcast we learn about cybersecurity and dependencies that exist between elements of our various supply chains.  Our guest, Missy Gillette, a Senior Associate with Booz Allen Hamilton has the expertise and experience to share best practices with the Disaster Zone audience. The time to take action is now, before you and your organization become the next cybersecurity hack.

This episode is sponsored by Unearth. Unearth’s emergency response software connects field responders and the command center, equipping teams with mobile tools for rapid damage assessments, real-time incident tracking, and seamless information sharing. Empower field teams where their work actually happens - reducing response times, optimizing resource management, and simplifying reporting with a dynamic, map-based field operations platform.



Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

With every advance on the technological front, we are getting closer and closer to having real-time situational awareness when disasters strike. This is happening via a variety of means. One of which is the seismic monitoring of buildings for what seismic (G forces) they have been exposed to. Knowing that, along with the age of the building, the construction methods and soils that they sit on, you can project the amount of damages that might have occurred to the structure. This topic and earthquakes in general are the subject of this podcast that is an interview with Taka Yokoyama, Director of Operations for Safehub.

This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

The Incident Command System (ICS) can be complex in itself to any novice learning about it for the first time. What can make it even more challenging is when disciplines and jurisdictions begin trying to operate as a Unified Command. The concept of unified command is not well understood and what appears clear cut decision making can be countered by others as being inappropriate. Unified Command and how ICS interfaces with the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is also discussed in this podcast. Todd Manns, Founder of The Blue Cell a virtual Incident Command System and consequence management training company, is the guest. 

The Blue Cell is a by-design crisis and consequence management consulting firm with a primary focus on education and training for government at all levels, non governmental agencies and private sector entities engaged in incident and emergency management activities.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

In our 21st Century workplace and personal lives, technology has dominated, and thus cybersecurity has become an ever more important consideration. For each and every organization, be it public or private, along with cybersecurity comes the need to protect the privacy of people and organizations. In this podcast Ginger Armbruster, Chief Privacy Officer for the City of Seattle shares some best practices concerning integrating privacy protections into work that organizations are doing on cybersecurity. The website mentioned in the podcast is Seattle Open Data.

This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

When emergencies and disasters strike, we all depend on 911 Centers to be functional. Disasters range from earthquakes, cyberattacks and wildfires to local power outages, an ice storm or a white powder delivered to your door. Today 911 Centers are tech heavy places and getting even more technical as they try to keep up with consumer technology trends. In this podcast we explore the technical side of 911 Centers and how they are meeting the challenges brought on by the 21st Century. Bill Schrier, a Public Safety Advisor with many years of experience in government information technology walks us through how 911 Centers function and 911 system plans for the future.

Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.This podcast is sponsored by T-Mobile for Government, providing innovative connectivity solutions that help government better serve citizens by enabling agencies to work more intelligently, efficiently, and securely. Their mobile device management solutions help safeguard sensitive data and their network is ideal for unlocking game-changing loT technology.  T-Mobile provides 24x7x365 support, so they are ready to help you when communications are critical. T-Mobile is America’s largest, fastest, and most reliable 5G network.
Capable device required for 5G; coverage not available in some areas. Some uses may require certain plan or feature; see T-Mobile.com. Fastest: Based on median, overall combined 5G speeds according to analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data 5G download speeds for Q1 2022. Ookla trademarks used under license and reprinted with permission. Most Reliable: According to an audit report conducted by independent third party umlaut containing crowdsourced data for user experience including task completion collected from November 2021 to May 2022. Full details can be found on: www.umlaut.com/en/benchmarking/USA. umlaut containing crowdsourced data for user experience including task completion collected from November 2021 to May 2022. Full details can be found on: Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Who’s responsibility is it to develop the next generation of emergency managers? I think that all of us must be contributing to that effort. In this podcast, Pete Gaynor, the immediate past Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator shares his ideas on Next Generation Emergency Managers The link will take you to his recent opinion piece in Emergency Management MagazineGaynor calls for more of a structured system of “education” and not training throughout the working life of an emergency manager. In the second half of the podcast, we go through a list of ten skills that emergency managers need and why he thinks these are important. We also discussed the value of “failing” during one’s career.

This podcast is sponsored by T-Mobile for Government, providing innovative connectivity solutions that help government better serve citizens by enabling agencies to work more intelligently, efficiently, and securely. Their mobile device management solutions help safeguard sensitive data and their network is ideal for unlocking game-changing loT technology.  T-Mobile provides 24x7x365 support, so they are ready to help you when communications are critical. T-Mobile is America’s largest, fastest, and most reliable 5G network.
Capable device required for 5G; coverage not available in some areas. Some uses may require certain plan or feature; see T-Mobile.com. Fastest: Based on median, overall combined 5G speeds according to analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data 5G download speeds for Q1 2022. Ookla trademarks used under license and reprinted with permission. Most Reliable: According to an audit report conducted by independent third party umlaut containing crowdsourced data for user experience including task completion collected from November 2021 to May 2022. Full details can be found on: www.umlaut.com/en/benchmarking/USA. umlaut containing crowdsourced data for user experience including task completion collected from November 2021 to May 2022. Full details can be found on: Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Keith Krach is the former chairman and CEO of DocuSign. He has been recognized for his work in B2B Commerce and Digital Transaction Management. He has held leadership positions with Angie’s List and General Motors. Formerly he was Chairman of the board of Trustees for Purdue University. Lastly, he served as the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment in the last presidential administration. In this podcast we have a wide ranging discussion about a variety of technologies, to include how the competition with China and their business practices, along with their unethical approach to the treatment of their own citizens needs to be taken into account as we move forward. Today he is continuing to advance freedom and defend against authoritarianism through the KRACH INSTITUTE FOR TECH DIPLOMACY.

This episode is sponsored by Unearth. Unearth’s emergency response software connects field responders and the command center, equipping teams with mobile tools for rapid damage assessments, real-time incident tracking, and seamless information sharing. Empower field teams where their work actually happens - reducing response times, optimizing resource management, and simplifying reporting with a dynamic, map-based field operations platform.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region 10 has a new Regional Administrator, Willie Nunn. Nunn had previously been a Federal Coordination Officer (FCO) for a number of years. In this podcast we explore how his past experiences, personal and professional have shaped his approach to his new position. We also delve into what makes FEMA Region 10 unique in its own way, from the people, hazards and approaches to emergency management. Logistics for instance, will be a huge challenge following a subduction earthquake that impacts all the states in his territory.

The Blue Cell is a by-design crisis and consequence management consulting firm with a primary focus on education and training for government at all levels, non governmental agencies and private sector entities engaged in incident and emergency management activities.Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Morgan Wright is the Chief Security Advisor at SentinelOne and an internationally recognized expert on cybersecurity strategy, cyber terrorism, and advanced technology. His landmark testimony before Congress on Healthcare.gov changed how the government collected personally identifiable information. He has made hundreds of appearances on national news, radio, and print. In this podcast Morgan highlights how Russia is playing the long game when it comes to cybersecurity. He also contrasts their goals with those of China. This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Ever since the terrorist attacks of 9/11 there has been a much stronger relationship between law enforcement and emergency management. In this podcast we explore that relationship with Paul Pastor, the former Pierce County, Washington State Sheriff. It is a wide-ranging discussion of challenges being faced by both professions. One of the topics covered included how we need to become prepared for much longer duration events, like that which we have endured with the COVID pandemic. We also covered climate change, the political climate, and how we need to work towards more transparency.

This episode is sponsored by Unearth. Unearth’s emergency response software connects field responders and the command center, equipping teams with mobile tools for rapid damage assessments, real-time incident tracking, and seamless information sharing. Empower field teams where their work actually happens - reducing response times, optimizing resource management, and simplifying reporting with a dynamic, map-based field operations platform.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Planning is one of the major tasks that all emergency managers undertake. We have all manner of plans that need to be written, from general all-hazard plans to those that encompass special hazards like dams, pandemics, HAZMAT, school shootings, and on and on. In this podcast we hear from Brad Milliken who’s day-job is serving as an Emergency Management Specialist at the White House Operations Center. He lays out a case for doing planning differently. In addition to the podcast, you can read his article on the same topic in Emergency Management Magazine, Ditch the Plan and Write a Playbook.

The Blue Cell is a by-design crisis and consequence management consulting firm with a primary focus on education and training for government at all levels, non governmental agencies and private sector entities engaged in incident and emergency management activities.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

When asked, emergency managers will unfailingly say that the first critical infrastructure that needs to be restored after a disaster is communications. In this podcast I interview two T-Mobile subject matter experts, Rodney Cooper and Casey Muilenburg who, along with others, are responsible for the T-Mobile Emergency Response Team (ERT). We discuss all the components that make up an ERT, both equipment and personnel. T-Mobile now has a robust ERT capability that can be deployed for both planned events and for the wide range of disasters that communities might experience. Listening to this podcast will give you a good basis for understanding their capabilities and how to request their assistance.

This podcast is sponsored by T-Mobile for Government, providing innovative connectivity solutions that help government better serve citizens by enabling agencies to work more intelligently, efficiently, and securely. Their mobile device management solutions help safeguard sensitive data and their network is ideal for unlocking game-changing loT technology.  T-Mobile provides 24x7x365 support, so they are ready to help you when communications are critical. T-Mobile is America’s largest, fastest, and most reliable 5G network.
Capable device required for 5G; coverage not available in some areas. Some uses may require certain plan or feature; see T-Mobile.com. Fastest: Based on median, overall combined 5G speeds according to analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data 5G download speeds for Q1 2022. Ookla trademarks used under license and reprinted with permission. Most Reliable: According to an audit report conducted by independent third party umlaut containing crowdsourced data for user experience including task completion collected from November 2021 to May 2022. Full details can be found on: www.umlaut.com/en/benchmarking/USA. umlaut containing crowdsourced data for user experience including task completion collected from November 2021 to May 2022. Full details can be found on: www.umlaut.com/en/benchmarking/USA.
Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

One of the innovations coming out of the response to the COVID Pandemic is the use of Microsoft Teams as a platform for managing a remote response to the event. MS Teams can combine with the power of Esri ArcGIS to provide the mapping function which was a winning combination for some jurisdictions and companies. Chris Mcintosh, Bent Ear Solutions is my guest, along with Carrie Tropasso, Director of Technology for Bent Ear Solutions and Sheena Connelly, Emergency Management Preparedness and Logistics for EverSource Energy Together in this podcast we explore the advantages of using existing technologies already being used within an organization to optimize their ability to manage a disaster response and recovery. I was impressed with the ability of the software to capture all the documentation that is needed.

This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

One of the things that the COVID Pandemic has highlighted is the growing shortage of healthcare workers. This is especially true in rural areas of the United States.  Erin J. McLaughlin  An employment attorney discusses the causes and impacts of this labor shortage and what is being done to address it. See a previous Disaster Zone Blog post directly related to this subject about an initiative by the National Governor’s Association (NGA) to work in concert with one another, Health Worker Shortage.

Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Melanie Spring has over 18 years of experience in engineering, operations, continuous improvement, organizational change management, and business transformation, primarily in power and utilities.  Having just moved to consulting, her focus is now on helping organizations grow and transform by adopting improved business processes and finding new ways of working, enabled by technology investments.  In her time at a large public utility, Melanie held a number of storm positions in addition to her day-to-day responsibilities, including leading damage assessment, crew management, restoration strategy, and resource logistics.  Melanie served as the Louisiana Incident Response Logistics Chief for her utility for several years, including the historic 2020 Atlantic Hurricane season in which five storms made landfall in Louisiana.

This episode is sponsored by Unearth. Unearth’s emergency response software connects field responders and the command center, equipping teams with mobile tools for rapid damage assessments, real-time incident tracking, and seamless information sharing. Empower field teams where their work actually happens - reducing response times, optimizing resource management, and simplifying reporting with a dynamic, map-based field operations platform.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

One of the aspects of our environment that impacts us on a daily basis is the weather. When it comes to disasters, the weather can be the cause of the disaster and even if it isn’t, weather conditions are something we need to always concern ourselves with. In this podcast the guest is Reid Wolcott, Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the National Weather Service (NWS) Seattle In the podcast we have a wide-ranging discussion about how the NWS is organized and the weather products that they provide. In the second half we discuss the issuance of warnings, changes come to warning terminology and all the different electronic means used to issue warnings.

This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Dr. Jeff Stern is the Superintendent of the Emergency Management Institute (EMI), located at Emmitsburg Maryland. EMI is the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) center for the development and delivery of emergency management instructional curriculum that is delivered both in-person and remotely via technology. In this podcast we discuss the history of EMI and how it and the curriculum is constantly changing, just as our national threats have evolved over the years. Dr. Stern discusses the development of emergency management as a profession and how the training and education of the current and future workforce are his top priorities.
 
The Blue Cell is a by-design crisis and consequence management consulting firm with a primary focus on education and training for government at all levels, non governmental agencies and private sector entities engaged in incident and emergency management activities.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Oregon Emergency Management is undergoing a major transition from being a division of the Oregon National Guard to now being a Department of Emergency Management reporting directly to the Governor of Oregon. Andrew Phelps, Director of Oregon’s Office of Emergency Management is the guest for this podcast.  In it he details some of the key factors that made that transition happen and how the move will impact their ability to more effectively provide emergency management services. It should be noted that they have doubled the size of their workforce! This change in organizational placement happened on July 1, 2022. For a brief summary of that move see this Disaster Zone Blog Post: Oregon Emergency Management Moves Under the Governor We also discuss the relationship between Andrew Phelps and Mike Harryman, the Oregon State Resilience Officer. To learn more about that position see a previous Disaster Zone Podcast, Oregon State Resilience Officer where he was interviewed.

This episode is sponsored by Unearth. Unearth’s emergency response software connects field responders and the command center, equipping teams with mobile tools for rapid damage assessments, real-time incident tracking, and seamless information sharing. Empower field teams where their work actually happens - reducing response times, optimizing resource management, and simplifying reporting with a dynamic, map-based field operations platform.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

It is unfortunate that mass shootings continue to occur and that schools remain a target for unhinged gunmen. In this podcast Meg Cuttino is the guest. She was a former law enforcement officer and School Resource Officer (SRO), until she became the emergency management coordinator for the University of South Carolina’s regional campuses. Today she is an emergency management consultant with Hagerty Consulting. In this podcast we discuss what has changed about responding to school shootings since the 1999 Columbine High School Shooting and what can be done to prevent school shootings from physical security at schools to having more school counselors. The terrible tragedy that happened at Uvalde Texas is also discussed. 

Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Social media is a relatively new communications tool. However, today it dominates many aspects for how people communicate in their personal lives and is of increasing importance in business and government. In this podcast we will be exploring how social media is being used, or not used, by emergency managers, before, during and after a disaster. My guest today is Dr. Claire Connolly Knox with the University of Central Florida where she is an Associate Professor of Public Administration. As part of our discussions, we’ll be learning about the challenges and opportunities for emergency management to use social media. Here is link to an article on a study she worked on relating to disasters and social media When Hurricanes Strike, Social Media Can Save Lives  And, since I mentioned it when the topic of Hurricane Katrina came up, here is a link to the Washington Post Op-ed I had published at the time the levees failed in New Orleans, Destroying FEMA.

This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Climate change is bringing heat, drought, and wildfires as significant hazards across the globe. In this podcast, Dr. Paula Scalingi, Executive Director of the Institute for Innovating Security and Resilience is interviewed about the increasing risks of climate fueled wildfires and their impact. Additionally, in the second half of the podcast we discuss how government and other organizations can work together to reduce the impacts of wildfires. There are several references mentioned during the podcast. One is Firewise which gives great tips for protecting individual homes. And, when someone does suffer a fire loss, there is The Red Guide to Recovery that is a great resource for individuals and families who have lost property from a wildfire. 

The Blue Cell is a by-design crisis and consequence management consulting firm with a primary focus on education and training for government at all levels, non governmental agencies and private sector entities engaged in incident and emergency management activities.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, there was Hurricane Andrew which made landfall in Dade County Florida on August 24, 1991—30 years ago. The hurricane caused catastrophic damages. In this podcast, Kate Hale, the then County Emergency Management Director shares that experience with us. This all happened a year after I started in emergency management. It was a huge event that impacted emergency management for years afterward. Listen and learn from a professional emergency manager who lived through that experience, sleeping on chairs at the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for weeks. She has tips all of us can use when it comes our turn to face the maelstrom of disaster. Hear what she has to say about disaster recovery and also being improvisational in the midst of a disaster.

This episode is sponsored by Unearth. Unearth’s emergency response software connects field responders and the command center, equipping teams with mobile tools for rapid damage assessments, real-time incident tracking, and seamless information sharing. Empower field teams where their work actually happens - reducing response times, optimizing resource management, and simplifying reporting with a dynamic, map-based field operations platform.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Maryscott (Scotty) Greenwood is the CEO of the Canadian American Business Council  Greenwood also leads Crestview Strategy US where she serves as Partner and the Managing Director.  She is a former American diplomat to Canada and a frequent media commentator and public speaker. She also has her own   CANUSA STREET PODCAST In this podcast we explore how the political system in Canada is vastly different from that of the United States. In the second half of the program we look at what makes the US and Canadian relationship so unique and the many economic connections that can still be expanded upon even more in the future. During the podcast she mentions the website https://travellikeits2019.ca/ which is a way to advance the reopening of the border by getting the NEXUS program back up and fully functional.

This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

The Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) is very unique in that it is multi-national, public-private and bi-partisan in how it is organized and operates on a day-to-day basis. One organizational element of PNWER is its Center for Regional Disaster Resilience (CRDR) [Note: the Disaster Zone Podcast Host, Eric Holdeman is the Director]. In this podcast Matt Morrison, the Executive Director of PNWER is interviewed about how PNWER is organized and then we transition to talking about public private partnerships, critical infrastructures and how to keep those relationships functional. During the podcast we also touched on the Regional Consortium Coordinating Council (RC3) and how it functions at the national level.

This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

In 2021 almost one in three Americans experienced a weather related disaster. The aftermath of these disasters disproportionately devastate marginalized communities, and government aid programs like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reportedly favor white, rich people most. However, making public interest lawyers available to at-risk communities can help folks become prepared to respond to disasters before they occur and assist them in the aftermath. In this podcast disaster resilience and preparation specialist Linda Anderson Stanley, Senior Program Manager at Equal Justice Works, shares how public interest lawyers are contributing to disaster preparedness and recovery efforts in communities across the country.You can find more information about their fellowship program at  Equal Justice Works (EJW) which has worked to build a pipeline of public interest lawyers, including through its Disaster Resilience Program which mobilizes Fellows in disaster prone areas to work with legal aid organizations to make vital legal services accessible and responsive to the unique needs of individual communities.


Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Aviation technology is making huge strides toward a future with unmanned drones and electric aircraft that will move people and goods via air transportation. Besides being able to use the skies more efficiently and with sustainability in mind, these new technologies from drones and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) will provide a wealth of new capabilities. JR Hammond the Executive Director of CAAM, the Canadian Advanced Air Mobility Consortium is the guest for this podcast. CAAM is a Federal Not for Profit organization that acts as the catalyst for the new Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) industry in Canada. Advanced Air Mobility is defined as unlocking Zero-Emission (Electric & Hydrogen) Aircraft to operate in Canada both as flying vehicles and larger commercial airplanes. AAM operations focus on moving people, goods and services in both piloted and remotely piloted aircraft on intra-urban and inter-regional routes.

Merit is a first-of-its-kind, all-hazards, digital credentialing platform that equips emergency responders with innovative tools to securely manage their personnel on-site, no matter the situation. Merit's platform is relied on in mission-critical situations such as the Surfside building collapse and at secure Health and Human Service facilities and is trusted by a growing network of thousands of partners.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

The City of Tacoma Office of Emergency Management is led by Tieka Adeogun. Tieka, having been an emergency management intern herself in several different positions, hired two staff, Arianna Topbjerg and Caleb Collins as interns using them to help accomplish the various missions of her office and the emergency management program. We learn from this director why and how she uses interns and the benefits of internships to the agency and to the interns themselves. We also hear from the two interns about their experiences in getting hired and the advantages that come from serving as an intern. 

Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

The frailty of the world-wide supply chain was revealed during the COVID pandemic. In this podcast we explore some of the causes of supply chain failures and then move to review what some solutions can be used by companies and organizations. The guest for this podcast is Scott Friedman a supply chain expert who has military and senior level federal experience in logistics and supply chains. Today he is a Senior Visiting Fellow at the Krach Institute  He has a wealth of information and perspective that he shares in the podcast.

The Blue Cell is a by-design crisis and consequence management consulting firm with a primary focus on education and training for government at all levels, non governmental agencies and private sector entities engaged in incident and emergency management activities.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has started an internal and external process to examine how the agency performed in response to the COVID Pandemic. In this podcast the guest is Julie Swann, who is the department head and A. Doug Allison Distinguished Professor of the Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. Professor Swann has conducted research, outreach and education to improve how health and humanitarian systems operate worldwide. Together we examine the many challenges that the pandemic created for the CDC and look at how they and state and local public health systems can move forward to improve their future pandemic response.

This episode is sponsored by Unearth. Unearth’s emergency response software connects field responders and the command center, equipping teams with mobile tools for rapid damage assessments, real-time incident tracking, and seamless information sharing. Empower field teams where their work actually happens - reducing response times, optimizing resource management, and simplifying reporting with a dynamic, map-based field operations platform.

Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Earthquake risks exist in most places in the United States and around the world. While some areas have much higher risk factors, constructing buildings to meet the seismic requirements for where you live and work should be a given. Building codes can play a major role in guiding the construction of facilities. Understanding what it means to have a building “built to code” is important to the owner, landlord and those who work in the facility. In this podcast we look at seismic risks and then what it might take to construct more earthquake resilient structures. Kenny O’Neill, a Senior Structural Engineer with Reid Middleton is the expert guest who shares information and best practices on seismic structural issues. Merit is a first-of-its-kind, all-hazards, digital credentialing platform that equips emergency responders with innovative tools to securely manage their personnel on-site, no matter the situation. Merit's platform is relied on in mission-critical situations such as the Surfside building collapse and at secure Health and Human Service facilities and is trusted by a growing network of thousands of partners.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Almost everything we read about climate change has to do with the environmental impacts of a warming climate and then the physical impacts to infrastructure. In this podcast we focus on the human impacts of a warming climate and increasing temperatures on humans from a behavioral perspective. My guest is Steve Crimando, the founder and principal of Behavioral Science Applications LLC, and the director of the Homeland Security Human Factors Institute. He is an internationally known consultant and educator focused on the human element in security, emergency management, and business continuity. This is a very informative podcast on the impacts of heat on people, to include how heat impacts the development of children. 

This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

With the advent of climate change impacts now becoming very evident via the size and frequency of disasters, it is the insurance industry that is taking notice. They cannot depend on what losses have been for decades to project into the future about what their losses might be for the properties they insure. In this podcast we learn about how 3D technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI), using high resolution arial mapping, can help insurance companies price their insurance properly, and understand what the status is of individual homes and business based on their physical setting. Guy Attar, Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer for GeoX is the guest. He explains their processes that include and how large and even small insurance companies can take advantage of their services to provide detailed information on individual properties. Larger re-insurance companies can also benefit from their technology services. Additionally, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has taken advantage of GeoX services for post-disaster damage assessment. Merit is a first-of-its-kind, all-hazards, digital credentialing platform that equips emergency responders with innovative tools to securely manage their personnel on-site, no matter the situation. Merit's platform is relied on in mission-critical situations such as the Surfside building collapse and at secure Health and Human Service facilities and is trusted by a growing network of thousands of partners.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Managing a natural disaster, data breach, or crisis requires having a strategy in place—before the emergency strikes. A proactive approach with leaders who are knowledgeable, confident, and prepared for the spotlight is essential. After all, the reputation of your organization and your stakeholders are on the line. Susan Young is an award-winning story + speaker coach. She was an on-air radio news reporter and anchor for 10 years. She managed the Governor’s Office of Radio and Television in New Jersey for Gov. Christine Todd Whitman. Additionally, she I served as a PR Director for a statewide nonprofit. Susan provides leaders with critical communication, storytelling, and brand management strategies to ensure organizations are prepared and responsive.  The Blue Cell is a by-design crisis and consequence management consulting firm with a primary focus on education and training for government at all levels, non governmental agencies and private sector entities engaged in incident and emergency management activities.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Daniel Kilburn is “America’s Save Your Life Coach.” He helps families open communications, create resiliency, and develop leadership by preparing for inevitable emergencies and natural disasters so they can protect themselves and live a life without fear.

Earlier, Daniel interviewed Eric Holdeman about information sharing and his communications strategies which is the subject of this podcast. You can learn more about Daniel’s efforts by checking out Emergency Action Planning and his website at https://www.danielkilburn.com.

Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Supply chains have become incredibly complex. In this podcast we have a supply chain expert sharing his insights on the history of supply chains in general and then how we have ended up with so much complexity, dependencies and interdependencies. Philip Palin is the author of Out of the Whirlwind: Supply and Demand after Hurricane Maria, published by Rowman & Littlefield (2019). Also author of Considering Catastrophe. Principal author of Catastrophe Preparation and Prevention series from McGraw-Hill. Principal author and editor of Strategic Playbook: Regional Catastrophic Preparedness and Supply Chain Resilience. Lead researcher and author of The Role of Groceries in Response to Catastrophes.

This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Public Information Officers (PIO) had their work cut out for them in responding to the COVID pandemic. King County Washington was the first place in the USA that a death from COVID occurred. We explore all the challenges that came with the COVID response to a novel virus where everyone was flying a bit blind at first. The guest interviewed in this podcast is Meredith Li-Vollmer is the risk communication manager at Public Health – Seattle & King County where she has responded to a wide range of public health concerns, including the H1N1 flu pandemic, measles outbreaks, Ebola, and currently COVID-19. She is a clinical assistant professor at the University of Washington’s School of Public Health and has served on numerous national advisory roles for organizations including the National Academies, the National Association of County and City Health Officials, and the Center for Health Security. Meredith is also active in the field of graphic medicine, as a cartoonist and author of Graphic Public Health: A Comics Anthology and Roadmap.

This episode is sponsored by Unearth. Unearth’s emergency response software connects field responders and the command center, equipping teams with mobile tools for rapid damage assessments, real-time incident tracking, and seamless information sharing. Empower field teams where their work actually happens - reducing response times, optimizing resource management, and simplifying reporting with a dynamic, map-based field operations platform.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Communications in disasters has always been an issue—across the board. In this podcast we dive into what makes communications so difficult in a disaster and how having communications options and redundancy is critical. Today’s guest is James Clevenger. He has been in the telecommunications industry for over 20 years, the past 15 of which he has supported both state and federal agencies and their missions. At Hughes, James leads government sales. To learn more about Hughes work to support first responders and communities during disaster scenarios, visit: https://www.hughes.com/what-we-offer/disaster-emergency-communications.

The Blue Cell is a by-design crisis and consequence management consulting firm with a primary focus on education and training for government at all levels, non governmental agencies and private sector entities engaged in incident and emergency management activities.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Wildfires are dramatically impacting state budgets as they deal with wildfire response, the damages from those fires and ways they might mitigate future wildfires. These are the topics we’ll cover in this podcast. Today’s podcast guest is Colin Foard is a manager with Pew’s fiscal federalism initiative, leading the project’s research into state and federal spending on natural disasters and other topics. He also engages stakeholders to improve understanding of the federal-state fiscal relationship and ensure that policymakers have data and evidence to inform their decision-making. 
In this podcast we explore how Wildfires: Burning Through State Budgets which is a report from The Pew Charitable Trusts. For those who listen to this podcast you can also sign up and attend a Webinar on How States Can Better Budget for Wildfires, being held on December 15, 2022.

Merit is a first-of-its-kind, all-hazards, digital credentialing platform that equips emergency responders with innovative tools to securely manage their personnel on-site, no matter the situation. Merit's platform is relied on in mission-critical situations such as the Surfside building collapse and at secure Health and Human Service facilities and is trusted by a growing network of thousands of partners.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

One of emergency management’s major partners in all things concerning disasters, from the preparation phase to the response and recovery is our public information/affairs officers who support what we are trying to do in communicating with the public. It is critical that they have the knowledge and skill to perform their duties in a manner that helps, rather than hinders, our mission of protecting people, property and the environment. That said, one of the best tools out there comes to us via Peter Sandman and his website. A great reference for everyone having anything to do with risk and crisis communications. In this podcast we learn directly from Peter as we hopscotched over a number of disparate topics having to do with disaster communications. I highly recommend this podcast to your listening. This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

This week’s Disaster Zone Podcast is a commentary from Eric Holdeman on the topic of Defunding Emergency Management. The title is there to get your attention and make everyone think about the grant rat race we are in as emergency managers. Whose role is it to fund state and local emergency management programs? Is it the federal government or is it the role of states and local governments? This is the topic that is explored in this commentary. Yes, Eric admits he has chased federal grants with the best of them!
This episode is sponsored by Eric Holdeman and Associates, and keynote speaker Eric Holdeman. Eric is an accomplished public speaker who uses humor and information to both engage and enlighten audiences, both large and small. He has presented in plenary sessions for both national and regional conferences of 500 or more people. The following are topic areas that he can speak to:

Social media
Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Design, Construction and Operation
Future of Emergency Management is Regional
Pandemic Flu
Media is My Friend
Public Education

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Emergency Operations Centers (EOC) are the facilities where governments and other organizations coordinate and manage their response to disasters. They are a critical element in being able to respond quickly and effectively. One aspect of 21st Century EOCs has to do with the integration of various technologies into these centers. In this podcast, my guest is Brendan McCluskey who is the Director of Emergency Management for King County (WA), which is the 12th largest county in the United States by population. He provides his perspective on how to organize an EOC and then we have more of an in-depth conversation about their recent technology upgrades costing over $2M to their King County EOC. If you are looking for a place to tour to see what is being done with EOC technology, this would be one place to have your list of facilities to visit. I’d add that the building is a combined EOC/911 Call Center and it too should be looked at if you operate from such a combined facility. This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Adrienne Williams-Octalien, is the Director of the Office of Disaster Recovery for the U.S. Virgin Islands. Except in her case the job was – and is – arguably more daunting, five years after back-to-back hits by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Both of them were ferocious Category 5 storms that destroyed everything from schools and hospitals to the energy grid and key hotels for the critically important tourism industry. Ms. Williams was tapped by Governor Albert Bryan Jr. just weeks after he took office in 2019 and has since been focused on managing upwards of $10 billion in federal disaster recovery funds for well over a thousand  projects big and small. In the podcast we discuss all the aspects of setting up and running billions of dollars of projects, from staffing to project management.

Merit is a first-of-its-kind, all-hazards, digital credentialing platform that equips emergency responders with innovative tools to securely manage their personnel on-site, no matter the situation. Merit's platform is relied on in mission-critical situations such as the Surfside building collapse and at secure Health and Human Service facilities and is trusted by a growing network of thousands of partners.
Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Can you believe it—we are coming up on the three year anniversary of the COVID Pandemic. In this podcast we explore the challenges that we faced collectively and then in particular for public health and the rest of the emergency management community who responded. The podcast has an excellent guest with intimate experience with the pandemic. Nathan Weed is the Chief of Resiliency and Health Security for the Washington State Department of Health Mr. Weed provides statewide leadership for the ongoing development of public health and medical emergency response capabilities and community resilience and leads emergency response teams.He holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wyoming and a Master of Public Health from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Additionally, he is a certified Incident Command and Crisis Leadership trainer and a graduate of the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, and the Northwest Public Health Leadership Institute at the University of Washington School of Public Health.

Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Not everyone can lead during a crisis. Some think they can, others fear that they will not be up to the task. Sometimes the crisis finds you, whether you are ready or not. In this podcast, Pete Gaynor, the immediate past Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator shares his ideas on Leadership Essentials for Unthinkable Events.  See www.femapete.com for more information. Before becoming FEMA Administrator, he held leadership positions in emergency management in the State of Rhode Island and was initially the Deputy FEMA Administrator.Prior to his experience as an emergency manager, Mr. Gaynor served for 26 years as an enlisted Marine and Infantry Officer in the United States Marine Corps. During his tenure in the Marines, he was assigned as the Executive Officer responsible for the security of Presidential Retreat, Camp David; assigned as the Head of Plans, Policy, & Operations at the Headquarters Marine Corps during the September 11, 2001 attacks; and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.

Merit is a first-of-its-kind, all-hazards, digital credentialing platform that equips emergency responders with innovative tools to securely manage their personnel on-site, no matter the situation. Merit's platform is relied on in mission-critical situations such as the Surfside building collapse and at secure Health and Human Service facilities and is trusted by a growing network of thousands of partners.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

In this podcast we learn about the mission and functions of our nation’s most recently established Federal office. We also achieve a better understanding of the challenges that came with starting from scratch, hiring staff and supporting states and local jurisdictions on the subject areas of cybersecurity and critical infrastructure security. Pat Massey is the guest.

Mr. Massey has served as the Regional Director of the DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Region 10 office in Seattle since 2016.  Region 10 encompasses the states of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Prior to joining CISA, Mr. Massey served for twenty years with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region 10 office, including eight years as the Director, National Preparedness Division.  He also served as the Regional Integration Branch Chief, Technological Hazards Branch Chief, and as a Hazard Mitigation Specialist. Prior to joining FEMA, Mr. Massey served as the Assistant State Hazard Mitigation Officer with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and served as a Planner for a Regional Planning Commission in Illinois. 

Merit is a first-of-its-kind, all-hazards, digital credentialing platform that equips emergency responders with innovative tools to securely manage their personnel on-site, no matter the situation. Merit's platform is relied on in mission-critical situations such as the Surfside building collapse and at secure Health and Human Service facilities and is trusted by a growing network of thousands of partners.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Before you get to the hospital, after calling 911, there is an entire pre-hospital medical system that exists to come to the medical aid of people who are sick or injured. These are the Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and Paramedics who have received specialized training and operate under strict protocols for providing medical aid. In this podcast, we hear from Eric Kuehlthau, a Paramedic with Central Pierce Fire and Rescue District in Pierce County, Washington State. While he provides a more detailed explanation of the Washington State and Pierce County Emergency Medical System (EMS) much of what he shares here is applicable in many ways to communities around the United States, although, there are likely many different variables from one state or community to others. Everyone should get CPR training!

 This episode is sponsored by Eric Holdeman and Associates, and keynote speaker Eric Holdeman. Eric is an accomplished public speaker who uses humor and information to both engage and enlighten audiences, both large and small. He has presented in plenary sessions for both national and regional conferences of 500 or more people. Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

This podcast’s guest is Patrick Hardy who is the founder and CEO of Hytropy Disaster Management™ Patrick is a Certified Emergency Manager®, Certified Risk Manager®, Master Business Continuity Professional®, and a FEMA Master of Exercise®, he has extensive experience working in the public, private, and non-profit sectors in disaster management from micro-businesses to Fortune 500 companies. He has been published in dozens of industry journals and magazines, and been a featured expert on family disaster preparedness on Good Morning America, PA Live!, and NBC and CBS affiliates throughout the US. We will be talking about individual and family disaster preparedness and his new book Design Any Disaster: The Revolutionary Blueprint to Master Your Next Crisis or Emergency (BenBella Books; which is being released on March 7, 2023). 

This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

In this podcast we explore the connection between climate and the weather and how we are seeing significant changes in the frequency, level of destruction and duration of a wide variety of natural disasters. The podcast guest, Ted Buehner worked for the National Weather Service (NWS) for 40 years. His last position was as the NWS Seattle Warning Coordination Meteorologist, a key customer liaison position, with its partners and customers, such as emergency managers. He continues to serve others in retirement various local committees such as the Chair of the Washington State Emergency Communications Committee, and the Vice-Chair of the Partners in Emergency Preparedness Conference Committee. 

Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

The guest for this podcast is Jim Mullen, a long-time emergency manager who led the Seattle Office of Emergency Management for 12 years before spending eight years as the Washington State Emergency Management Director…and also being selected by his peers to be the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) President, that ended up being a two-year term. In this podcast we discuss a wide range of emergency management topics, from disaster exercises, the need for disaster recovery planning, to where is the best location for the emergency management function in government. Today Jim has a monthly column, Emergency Management, Once Removed  You will notice I didn’t call him an “old goat” but a Greatest OF All Time “GOAT.” 
 Merit is a first-of-its-kind, all-hazards, digital credentialing platform that equips emergency responders with innovative tools to securely manage their personnel on-site, no matter the situation. Merit's platform is relied on in mission-critical situations such as the Surfside building collapse and at secure Health and Human Service facilities and is trusted by a growing network of thousands of partners.


Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Doug Stockham co-founded Emergency Assistance Foundation (EAF) – a 501(c)(3) public non-profit – in 2011 to help companies take care of their team members in need. More than a decade later, EAF administers over 350 disaster and hardship relief funds in partnership with well-known sponsoring organizations on a global scale. In the last three years combined, EAF awarded over $205 million in financial assistance to more than 295,000 individuals and families in need around the world.In this podcast we learn how EAF has been agile and adaptable by harnessing technology, developing scalable platforms and procedures, and constantly evaluating and improving processes. Disasters that have been responded to include devastating hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria in 2017, the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and today’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.
 Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

In this podcast we will be talking about technology in general and more specifically about data, the use of data and how we can mine it and apply it to a variety of purposes, using tools like GIS.  

The podcast guest is Jim Featherstone, He is a native of Washington D.C. and a veteran of the United States Navy, Jim began his public service to the City of Los Angeles in 1986 with the Los Angeles Fire Department. He was later appointed Interim Fire Chief (2013-2014). In 2007, Jim was appointed General Manager of the Los Angeles Emergency Management Department, where he led a successful departmental reorganization and restructuring of Los Angeles’ emergency management protocols and processes. From 2008 to 2018, Jim chaired FEMA’s National Advisory Council. 

Today Jim is a Principal Consultant at Themata Strategic LLC, a crisis management consultant agency. Previously, he was the Executive Director of the Los Angeles Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC), a position he assumed in March 2016 after serving the City of Los Angeles for thirty years. At HSAC, Jim worked to strengthen the greater Los Angeles region’s crisis readiness and resilience by convening and connecting the private, public, and civic sectors through collaborative partnerships and strategic alliances, emerging technology, and research.

This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.



Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

The COVID 19 Pandemic has disrupted much of our society for the last three years. There was an arc to the pandemic. Moving through different phases, from a period of uncertainty to a period of Knowledge and then finally a period of Recovery—which we are still in the midst of. In this podcast we explore how businesses and governments can work in concert with one another to, from an economic standpoint, individually and collectively become better prepared for a future pandemic, understand the steps needed to better respond and recover when the next pandemic comes our way. The person being interviewed is Betz Mayer, a Program Manager at the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) who led the effort to establish a Multi-Sector Guide to Pandemic Economic Resilience There are certainly many aspects of this guide that can help businesses of all types better survive and thrive after any future disaster. 

Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Election security has been in the news since 2020. How secure are elections in the United States and what specifically makes vote by mail a secure way to cast your ballot? To get answers from one state, in this podcast we hear from Kevin McMahan, Assistant Secretary of State for Washington State. He is charged with the executive oversight of the Washington Secretary of State's Elections and Information Security & Response divisions. He has held this oversight responsibility since July 2022 and assumed a significant role by informing and educating local leaders on the benefits of various network security capabilities. You will find that he is knowledgeable of the topic area and articulate in explaining all the tools used to protect the integrity of the elections system, both from a physical security and from a cybersecurity perspective. Merit is a first-of-its-kind, all-hazards, digital credentialing platform that equips emergency responders with innovative tools to securely manage their personnel on-site, no matter the situation. Merit's platform is relied on in mission-critical situations such as the Surfside building collapse and at secure Health and Human Service facilities and is trusted by a growing network of thousands of partners.


Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

The International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) is the largest such organization in the world. It is where people join to meet their counterparts, learn from one another, and make a positive impact in advancing the profession of emergency management. In this podcast, Cathy Clark, the President of IAEM shares a great deal of information on how IAEM is organized, who the membership is comprised of and all the different ways that emergency management professionals of all stripes can become members, including those already working in the profession and others aspiring to become emergency managers. Their Home Page is at this link: https://www.iaem.org/ and if you want to go ahead and sign-up to become a member, go to this page: https://www.iaem.org/join/intro For the record, Eric Holdeman is a member.

This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Disaster debris is a huge challenge for a wide range of disasters. Debris can come in all shapes and sizes to include cars, houses and hazardous materials. They pile up in front of homes and clog waterways following storms and other weather related events. In this podcast the expert guest is Rob Ray, Senior Vice President, for Operations at AshBritt, a national government solutions provider specializing in emergency management and disaster response. Rob has led major US disaster debris operations across the US including, most recently, Corps of Engineer missions for the 2017 CA wildfires; Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Ian; 2022 Kentucky floods. We explore all the different aspects of debris management and how governments and agencies can become better prepared for disasters by having debris contracts in place before a disaster impacts their community.

This episode is sponsored by AshBritt, a national rapid-response emergency management and logistics company. Celebrating its 30th year, AshBritt has led response efforts following 60 federally declared disasters across 30 states and has conducted more than 400 missions, successfully serving over 600 clients. AshBritt is the trusted emergency management contractor for cities, counties, states and for federal agencies, including the Department of Defense where AshBritt holds a pre-position debris management contract which covers 25 U.S. states.  

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Perhaps you have never heard of an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) and don’t understand what the implications from one being used as a weapon against the United States or other national powers. That is what this podcast does, looking at the full impacts of such a weapon being used in the future. The guest for this podcast is William R. Forstchen who is a New York Times bestselling author and holds a doctoral degree from Purdue University with a specialization in military history and technology. He is a noted expert historian and public speaker and has been interviewed on FOX News, C-SPAN, and Coast to Coast AM on topics ranging from history to technology and cultural issues, to space technology development, to security threats. And, he has a novel One Second After that is a New York Bestseller that addresses via fiction what might happen following the use of an EMP weapon.

Correction: Since this podcast went live a listener provided this link: Top Transformer Manufacturers and Suppliers in the USA. In the podcast as it was recorded, it was mentioned that “there are no transformers manufactured here in the United States.” As evidenced by the link above, there are such manufacturers.  The size and capabilities of transformers offered by these USA based manufacturers is unknown.

Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

The fire service is having to adapt to the realities of today’s challenges. In this podcast we hear from one of the national leaders in the fire service. To give you the depth and breadth of his experience I’m including much, but not all, of his biography. How do you measure up when it comes to experience and education? In May 2016, Mayor James Kenney appointed Adam Thiel to serve as the 20th Fire Commissioner for the City of Philadelphia. Commissioner Thiel is responsible for leading the Philadelphia Fire Department’s 3,000+ members in every facet of protecting our Nation’s 6th-largest city from fires and emergencies arising from all hazards. Adam also served as Director of the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management from 2019-2022. From 2014-2016, he was a Deputy Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security for the Commonwealth of Virginia. In that role, Adam helped provide strategic direction, policy advice, management oversight, and operational coordination for eleven agencies with an overall budget of more than $3.1B and 30,000 employees. Deputy Secretary Thiel was directly responsible for the Departments of: Emergency Management, Fire Programs (including the State Fire Marshal's Office), Military Affairs (Virginia Army/Air National Guard), and State Police, along with the state’s Homeland Security and Resilience portfolios. Commissioner Thiel is currently enrolled in the Organizational Dynamics graduate program at the University of Pennsylvania and he has also completed: doctoral coursework in Public Administration and Public Policy at Arizona State University (ABD) and George Mason University, respectively; a MSc. in Cities from the London School of Economics; his M.P.A. degree from George Mason University; a B.S. in Fire Science from the University of Maryland University College; his B.A. in History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government; the Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security Executive Leaders Program; the Army War College Commandant’s National Security Program; and the Virginia Executive Institute at Virginia Commonwealth University. 

Merit is a first-of-its-kind, all-hazards, digital credentialing platform that equips emergency responders with innovative tools to securely manage their personnel on-site, no matter the situation. Merit's platform is relied on in mission-critical situations such as the Surfside building collapse and at secure Health and Human Service facilities and is trusted by a growing network of thousands of partners.
 Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

A key player in the maritime industry comes in the form of Marine Exchanges that provide a variety of services to a wide assortment of maritime organizations. The Marine Exchange of Puget Sound is one of them. In this podcast we hear from Patrick Gallagher, Executive Director of the Marine Exchange of Puget Sound and a retired Coast Guard Commander with over 25 years of maritime experience. His experience in the maritime industry is extensive. Today he is the Chair of the Puget Sound Harbor Safety Committee, serves on the board of the Washington Maritime Federation, and represents maritime industry for the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. All of “landlubbers” can learn a thing or two about how marine exchanges are a key link in the maritime industry. As an aside, Patrick is deeply committed to ocean conservation while promoting the future of maritime industry.

Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Everyone is familiar with the functions of the National Weather Service (NWS) and its role in forecasting the weather here on earth. They also have another function which is forecasting “space weather.” That is the topic of this podcast. Yes, there are potential dangers that can come from solar activity. The podcast guest is Mr. Shawn Dahl, a physical scientist who has worked at the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) since 2015 as a space weather forecaster. He is now a senior space weather forecaster and also provides Impact-based Decision Support Services (IDSS) issues and relations on behalf of SWPC. In this podcast the threats that come from the sun are reviewed as well as the detection methods and also the various dangers that are possible from solar activity. You can learn more about the SWPC at  www.swpc.noaa.gov.

Merit is a first-of-its-kind, all-hazards, digital credentialing platform that equips emergency responders with innovative tools to securely manage their personnel on-site, no matter the situation. Merit's platform is relied on in mission-critical situations such as the Surfside building collapse and at secure Health and Human Service facilities and is trusted by a growing network of thousands of partners.


Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

The International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) is the largest such organization in the world. Their 2023 IAEM Conference will be held in Long Beach California.  Leading the conference preparations is Duane Hagelgans, Conference Chair. In this podcast we find out about the conference in general and more specifics on how the event is organized, how speakers are chosen and then other opportunities like the Exhibit Hall, where vendors of all types display their wares and services. You can still register for the November event and get the early registration discount. For potential exhibitors, they will accommodate whoever is interested in participating. This episode is sponsored by AshBritt, a national rapid-response emergency management and logistics company. Celebrating its 30th year, AshBritt has led response efforts following 60 federally declared disasters across 30 states and has conducted more than 400 missions, successfully serving over 600 clients. AshBritt is the trusted emergency management contractor for cities, counties, states and for federal agencies, including the Department of Defense where AshBritt holds a pre-position debris management contract which covers 25 U.S. states.  


Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Maritime pilots provide a valuable service to the safety of broader maritime enterprise. This podcast explores their functions and what their role is in shepherding huge ships safely to dock and then back out to sea. The guest, Captain Eric Von Brandenfels is an experienced mariner and Puget Sound Pilot. He learned to sail at an early age and worked a tugboat job in high school. He stayed on tugs before joining the Puget Sound Pilots in 1995.  He is a Past President, 2017-2021, and is now back to piloting ships and doing information outreach. He is married with two grown children.

He is quoted in several places in this recent Politico Article, A Disaster the Size of Multiple Katrinas Is Building Off Washington’s Coast This concerns the Cascadia Subduction Earthquake and its potential impacts to maritime assets that are designed to be of help in a disaster and not become victims themselves. This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.


Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Every region of the globe is looking to harness the full capabilities of drone technology. How do you do that and do it safely, even in densely populated areas that include cities and metroplexes? Vincent Pedrini, co-founder and CFO of Nomoko, as well as President of the Luxembourg Drone Federation is the guest for this podcast. After several years of experience in audit and management in companies such as Deloitte and PwC, Vincent cofounded Nomoko to unlock the untapped potential of 3D digital twins. He joined the podcast from Switzerland. In the podcast we examine the status of drone technology and the applications that can be explored via different payloads that are carried by drones. The podcast also looks at how in Europe they are seeking to harmonize regulations between nations. It was good to learn that efforts include coordinating with the United States’ Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for when the day will come that drones are flying back and forth across the Atlantic Ocean.

This episode is sponsored by AshBritt, a national rapid-response emergency management and logistics company. Celebrating its 30th year, AshBritt has led response efforts following 60 federally declared disasters across 30 states and has conducted more than 400 missions, successfully serving over 600 clients. AshBritt is the trusted emergency management contractor for cities, counties, states and for federal agencies, including the Department of Defense where AshBritt holds a pre-position debris management contract which covers 25 U.S. states.  Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

One of the team members we have in any disaster event is your local media. They may be a newspaper, radio station and in some market’s multiple television stations. In this podcast we explore how the media covers a disaster. The guest, Glenn Farley, a now retired television journalist, covered many disasters when he worked for KING TV You will hear what his approach was to informing the public and bringing science to the table in doing so. Also, the fact that the media has a role in preparing the public for disasters and encouraging individual and family disaster preparedness. For another previously recorded podcast that is related to this one listen to The Media’s Use of Drones That topic was only touched on briefly in this podcast.

Merit is a first-of-its-kind, all-hazards, digital credentialing platform that equips emergency responders with innovative tools to securely manage their personnel on-site, no matter the situation. Merit's platform is relied on in mission-critical situations such as the Surfside building collapse and at secure Health and Human Service facilities and is trusted by a growing network of thousands of partners.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

The United States population is aging. Baby Boomers are retiring and as they get older, there is a need for more facilities to care for them as their mobility decreases or they have more significant medical assistance. In this podcast we explore many aspects about the different types of elder care facilities and their emergency preparedness. At the end, we also have a brief considerations on how to go about choosing a facility for yourself or a loved one. The podcast guest is Norris Cunningham who is a Partner at Stoll Keenon Ogden’s Indianapolis office. He joined the firm in 2022. Norris is a practicing attorney and an experienced leader in the firm’s Health Care group. His focus is in health care dispute resolution including trial practice, regulatory advocacy, commercial litigation, and arbitration. Norris and his team advise health care providers, including skilled nursing and senior living facilities hospitals, physicians and physicians’ groups, and other health care professionals on a range of concerns in an ever-changing legal and regulatory environment.  Here’s a blog post that has an article that he wrote on a disaster topic: Long-Term Care Providers Need to Look at Their Disaster Plans.

Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

It is always fun to talk to someone who is a leader within the emergency management profession. In this podcast we hear from Halil (Hal) Grieb who only recently started with G&H International as a Technical Project Manager. Prior to joining G&H International, Hal spent numerous years as a County Emergency Management director in both Jefferson County, Colorado and Alachua County, Florida. Eric Holdeman linked up with Hal back in 2011 when he was leading the effort to establish governance procedures for the use of social media. In this podcast we have a wide ranging discussion about the profession of emergency management, technology in general and how best to employ social media and get the support you need to maximize its benefits.
 
This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.
 Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Like many other organizations and professions, emergency management is working to improve its diversity. Diversity can come in many different forms, usually we think of race, but there are other cultural diversity aspects to consider. We are talking racial diversity in this podcast, with a focus on how emergency managers and their organizations can do a better job at expanding the diversity of their workplaces to better serve their communities. Vernon Owens, the guest on this podcast became an emergency manager in 2004. Since then he has worked at the local and federal levels of government in different capacities. He shares his personal story about his multi-faceted career he has had, from the military and being a martial arts entrepreneur and author. We then focus on how to better reach out to communities of color to recruit and retain a new workforce.
 
This episode is sponsored by AshBritt, a national rapid-response emergency management and logistics company. Celebrating its 30th year, AshBritt has led response efforts following 60 federally declared disasters across 30 states and has conducted more than 400 missions, successfully serving over 600 clients. AshBritt is the trusted emergency management contractor for cities, counties, states and for federal agencies, including the Department of Defense where AshBritt holds a pre-position debris management contract which covers 25 U.S. states.  
Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

If you don’t know it, we are headed for a significant energy challenge in the near future. Too much demand for electricity, an outdated and aging electrical grid, and an imbalance for where the energy needs are and where energy is being generated. Which brings us to the topic of today’s podcast. How energy storage using batteries is a good choice for a number of applications, be it for a home, business or a utility. Tyler Hortin is CFO, Board of Directors Member and Co-Founder of American Battery Factory (ABF) and President of Lion Energy, Tyler Hortin has more than 20 years of financial, manufacturing, emergency preparedness and supply chain experience and more than ten years of energy storage experience. Hortin has worked at Lion Energy for more than five years and at ABF since its inception. In the podcast we discuss the challenges we are facing and what solutions exist.

Merit is a first-of-its-kind, all-hazards, digital credentialing platform that equips emergency responders with innovative tools to securely manage their personnel on-site, no matter the situation. Merit's platform is relied on in mission-critical situations such as the Surfside building collapse and at secure Health and Human Service facilities and is trusted by a growing network of thousands of partners.
 Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Washington State is one of the most high hazard states here in the United States. The emergency management leader there is Robert Ezelle who is the fifth senior state emergency management director in the nation. He serves as Director of the Washington Military Department’s Emergency Management Division (EMD), which is responsible for leading and coordinating mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery activities to minimize the impact of disasters and emergencies on the people, property, environment and economy of Washington State.  During his tenure, the State has successfully supported the response to and recovery from numerous major disasters to include the COVID Pandemic, the SR 530 Oso Landslide, the record-setting wildfire seasons of 2014 and 2015, and a host of devastating weather events. In this podcast we review what the state’s hazards are, how emergency management at the state level is organized and then get Robert’s take on a number of issues facing the State and how it is responding.

This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

If you think you know all about the capabilities of drones, you don’t know the half of it. In this podcast we explore the capabilities of drones to fly “inside of buildings” and not using GPS. My guest is Blake Resnick a technology star if there ever was one. We talk about the future of drone technology and the expected revisions to FAA rules and regulations which will open up the use of drones in so many different ways. We also do a deeper dive into his company BRINC and what their drones can do for public safety agencies. It is a very positive application of the technology.

This episode is sponsored by AshBritt, a national rapid-response emergency management and logistics company. Celebrating its 30th year, AshBritt has led response efforts following 60 federally declared disasters across 30 states and has conducted more than 400 missions, successfully serving over 600 clients. AshBritt is the trusted emergency management contractor for cities, counties, states and for federal agencies, including the Department of Defense where AshBritt holds a pre-position debris management contract which covers 25 U.S. states.  
Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

One of the personal and organizational constraining factors that limit our aspirations is the lack of funding. To accomplish anything requires money. Emergency management as a profession has become overly dependent on grant funding. However, there are other sources of funding that can be tapped. In this podcast we talk with an expert fundraiser. We discuss the challenges that come from even just thinking about asking for money and then transition to some tools you can use to get the money you need, personally, professionally, or perhaps in your volunteer work. Alana Scott is the podcast guest and the author of the book, How to Ask for Money by Alana Stott.

Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
 Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Climate change is beginning to have significant impacts on our world. This means that emergency managers everywhere will need to step up to the plate and respond to an increasing series of disasters of all types. This commentary speaks to these challenges that the profession of emergency management is about to face.

Merit is a first-of-its-kind, all-hazards, digital credentialing platform that equips emergency responders with innovative tools to securely manage their personnel on-site, no matter the situation. Merit's platform is relied on in mission-critical situations such as the Surfside building collapse and at secure Health and Human Service facilities and is trusted by a growing network of thousands of partners.


Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Typically, the Disaster Zone Podcast has had guests and topics about the positive uses of drone technology and how it can be used to advance the capabilities of first responder agencies, emergency managers and others like search and rescue groups. In this podcast we turn to look at the challenges of preventing either accidental and deliberate uses of drones that can harm operations or people. The guest for this podcast is Leo McCloskey who leads brand and marketing efforts for Echodyne  Leo is a frequent speaker on topics of technology and security, and has represented the company in the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) BVLOS and Counter-UAS Advanced Rulemaking Committees (ARC). Prior to joining Echodyne, he built and led marketing and product marketing teams in the US and Europe for a broad range of companies, from technology startups to established brands, with an emphasis in carrier and large enterprise service delivery architectures. We look at different technologies for detecting drones and explore more directly the role that radars can play in detection and then combining those efforts with other counter drone systems.

This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.


Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Sometimes it is good to look back at how far we have come and then forward, to where we might be headed in the future. My guest today is Claire Rubin blogs at Recovery Diva, but has a much more extensive connection to all phases of the broader topic of emergency management. We talk in this podcast about a wide variety of topics, to include how professional emergency managers can continue to contribute after our paid careers are finished.For a more detailed list of Claire’s accomplishments, see this bio: Ms. Rubin is a consultant and social scientist with 44 years of experience in emergency management and homeland security. Her considerable experience in disaster recovery has made her a sought-after expert to conduct independent research, teach, and provide sound advice and counsel.  Her firm has produced a variety of educational products and services, most notably a monograph on disaster recovery, the Disaster Time Line series, and the Disaster Bookstore, www.disasterbookstore.com.

Ms. Rubin was affiliated with The George Washington University’s Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management from 1998 through 2014.  During that time she was Co-Founder and Managing Editor of The Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

Ms. Rubin is the author or editor of five books and more than 100 articles for professional publications. She is a frequent speaker and lecturer on emergency management and homeland security topics in the U.S. and occasionally in other countries.  Among her recent activities was a multi-session effort to brief delegations of senior emergency managers from China, on the state of the practice of emergency management in the U.S.

She created and has maintained for the past 13 years the blog on disaster recovery called Recovery Diva (www.recoverydiva.com). She also is the co-founder and moderator for three Facebook groups on emergency management.

This episode is sponsored by AshBritt, a national rapid-response emergency management and logistics company. Celebrating its 30th year, AshBritt has led response efforts following 60 federally declared disasters across 30 states and has conducted more than 400 missions, successfully serving over 600 clients. AshBritt is the trusted emergency management contractor for cities, counties, states and for federal agencies, including the Department of Defense where AshBritt holds a pre-position debris management contract which covers 25 U.S. states.  


Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

The wildfire destruction in Maui has been difficult to watch. So many homes and businesses were destroyed, and lives lost. In order to respond to this event, here on this podcast I invited Sean Scott to come and share his expertise with disaster recovery. Sean is a second-generation restoration contractor and disaster recovery consultant who has spent over 44 years in the construction and fire restoration industry. Most of his experience has been involved in the rebuilding of well over 10,000 homes and businesses damaged by fires, floods, storms, and other natural or man-made disaster events. Sean has witnessed first-hand the struggles people go through to rebuild their lives and how daunting this process can be, especially for those who have lost their home or become displaced.   

This became more evident in 2003 and again in 2007, when wildfires swept through Southern California destroying over 5,000 homes and damaging countless others. It was in the weeks and months following these events that  he watched many survivors evolve into disaster victims as they didn't know what to do or where to turn for help. As a result, Sean embarked on a mission to write a simple easy-to-read disaster recovery road-map to walk survivors step-by-step through the recovery process and raise awareness of the many pitfalls that accompany post-disaster scenarios. In this podcast we do a quick dive into many aspects of disaster recovery that can trip people up as they try to reestablish their lives and livelihoods.

Since its release in 2009, Sean's book The Red Guide to Recovery - Resource Handbook for Disaster Survivors has been adopted by emergency management agencies, fire departments, Native tribes, relief organizations, and fortune 500 companies across the U.S. 
This episode is sponsored by AshBritt, a national rapid-response emergency management and logistics company. Celebrating its 30th year, AshBritt has led response efforts following 60 federally declared disasters across 30 states and has conducted more than 400 missions, successfully serving over 600 clients. AshBritt is the trusted emergency management contractor for cities, counties, states and for federal agencies, including the Department of Defense where AshBritt holds a pre-position debris management contract which covers 25 U.S. states.  

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Emergency management has traditionally been dealing with natural disasters and sometimes human caused disasters like hazardous materials. In recent years the issue of cybersecurity has become much more prominent as an issue. The podcast guest this week is Chris D. Volmer who is currently serving as the cyber & infrastructure security manager for the Idaho Office of Emergency Management, responsible for implementing whole of state programs and policies designed to protect SLTT networks and all 16 sectors of Critical Infrastructure. Prior to this role, Chris specialized in traditional mass care operations with both the State of Idaho and the American Red Cross, serving in leadership positions on multiple national level disaster response operations. Additionally, Chris continues to serve his country as a senior enlisted advisor in the United States Army Reserve. He is an Idaho native and graduated from Boise State University with an emphasis on law enforcement administration. The conference mentioned in the podcast is: 2023 Idaho Office of Emergency Management's Annual Preparedness and Cybersecurity Conference in Boise, ID on October 24th-26th.

Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Unfortunately, we do live in a litigious environment. When disasters strike, we expect that our property insurance provider will cover our losses. Sometimes, the insurance company and the insured person(s) don’t agree on the settlement amounts being offered by the insurance company. What do you do next? This and other topics about the current disaster environment and its impacts on the property insurance industry are discussed in this podcast. The expert guest, Evan W. Walker is a La Jolla, California attorney who has practiced law since 2008. He has practiced law throughout California, Connecticut, and Louisiana. Evan worked for and defended insurance companies during the first 7 years of his practice. Since 2015, he has represented people with personal injury and property damage claims and insurance disputes. Evan's practice is devoted to serious personal injury claims and catastrophic property damage claims. On behalf of clients, Evan has fought insurance firms, international companies, cities, bars, and casinos.  Merit is a first-of-its-kind, all-hazards, digital credentialing platform that equips emergency responders with innovative tools to securely manage their personnel on-site, no matter the situation. Merit's platform is relied on in mission-critical situations such as the Surfside building collapse and at secure Health and Human Service facilities and is trusted by a growing network of thousands of partners.
 Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Pete Simi, a professor of sociology at Chapman University, is overseeing a research team of the university’s students and graduates who are diving into court records about federal cases of death threats sent to public officials, including officials elected or appointed in health care, education and law enforcement. Their findings will help alleviate the rising numbers of threats against public officials in the United States.Emergency managers and the average citizen need to understand the immediate and long-term impact of these threats to our civil society. Professor Simi has been studying political violence, hate, and extremism. His fieldwork has taken him inside white supremacist groups across the United States where he has been embedded with racist skinheads, Klan members, neo-Nazis, and anti-government militias. He is co-author (along with Robert Futrell) of an award-winning book American Swastika: Inside the White Power Movement’s Hidden Spaces of Hate. The research is funded by a grant from the National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center (NCITE) at the University of Nebraska Omaha, the newest Center of Excellence for the Department of Homeland Security, the team is creating a database of federal indictments that involve threats to public officials across the country from 2013 to 2023.

This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

 Alaska is a huge state with many different hazards and challenges. It is very remote and on the Arctic Circle. It is also on the forefront of climate change impacts to its land and its people. In this podcast I interview the Alaska Emergency Management Director.  Bryan began his career in emergency management in 1995 with the Alaska Division of Emergency Services. Since that time, he has served in numerous roles including emergency communications technician, microcomputer/network specialist, information management, alert, and warning systems coordinator, information technology manager, Chief of Preparedness, Chief of Operations, and Director. 
Bryan was appointed by Governor Mike Dunleavy to serve as Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management in April of 2021. As Director, he provides executive leadership of the Division, ensuring it leads the way in homeland security and emergency management to foster a prepared, resilient Alaska capable of meeting the needs of its communities and citizens in response to all-hazards events. You can find out more about Alaska Emergency Management at: https://ready.alaska.gov/

This episode is sponsored by AshBritt, a national rapid-response emergency management and logistics company. Celebrating its 30th year, AshBritt has led response efforts following 60 federally declared disasters across 30 states and has conducted more than 400 missions, successfully serving over 600 clients. AshBritt is the trusted emergency management contractor for cities, counties, states and for federal agencies, including the Department of Defense where AshBritt holds a pre-position debris management contract which covers 25 U.S. states.  
 Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

At this stage, Eric Holdeman is one of the “old dogs” in the room. Today we have a host of new emergency management leaders who have risen through the ranks and are assuming leadership positions across local, state and federal agencies. It is heartening to know that as one generation of emergency managers fades away, there is this new, competent, and energized group of leaders on their way up.

One such person is Casey Broom who is interviewed for this podcast. She has had multiple positions in state emergency management, local emergency management and a key leadership and programmatic position at the regional level for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). You will find her thoughts and ideas about her own journey and advice for those just entering the profession of interest. 


Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.


Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

One of the additional duties for emergency managers at the local level is to make and maintain connections with local and state elected officials. This is not everyone’s “cup of tea” but it can be a vital aspect of having a disaster management program that enjoys the support of legislators. Scott McDougall, is the Director of the Pacific County Emergency Management Agency. Pacific county is basically a rural county with a small population that swells by the tens of thousands when vacationers descend on its beaches. Scott has made a concerted effort to establish and maintain good relationships with his county commissioners and state and federal elected officials, to include Washington’s Senators back in D.C. In this podcast he describes his approach to doing the above. Perhaps, you too might find it meaningful and productive to do the same where you are located here in the United States. Check out what he has to say on the topic. 
This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Many an emergency manager aspires to become a local emergency management director for a city or county. One such individual who has only recently become a local director is Kyle Bustad, Manager for the Thurston County Emergency Management.In this podcast we discuss his approach to taking over the reins of an agency and what he sees as the challenges and hopes for moving forward as a local director. Kyle is well spoken, and I know you will enjoy hearing what he has to share.

Merit is a first-of-its-kind, all-hazards, digital credentialing platform that equips emergency responders with innovative tools to securely manage their personnel on-site, no matter the situation. Merit's platform is relied on in mission-critical situations such as the Surfside building collapse and at secure Health and Human Service facilities and is trusted by a growing network of thousands of partners.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Emergency management as a profession is constantly evolving. The evolution of federal programs and major disaster events have a way of swaying the priorities of state and local jurisdictions based on new programs and the funding that comes with those programs.In this podcast we explore a number of topics about how emergency management might evolve in the future and the relationship of disaster resilience to our overall disaster response operations that have become much more frequent.The guest for this podcast is Jonathan Gaddy is Clinical Assistant Professor teaching in the Homeland Security and Emergency Management program at Idaho State University. Prior to joining ISU, Jonathan was the Deputy Director and Chief of Staff at the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, where he managed the state's emergency management response and recovery operations for floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and the Covid-19 pandemic. Jonathan started his career as a volunteer at the Calhoun County Emergency Management Agency in Jacksonville, Alabama, before joining the agency full time and later serving as its director and managing the agency's closeout of the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP). Jonathan has a degree in Geography from Jacksonville State University and completed the master's program at the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security.

This episode is sponsored by AshBritt, a national rapid-response emergency management and logistics company. Celebrating its 30th year, AshBritt has led response efforts following 60 federally declared disasters across 30 states and has conducted more than 400 missions, successfully serving over 600 clients. AshBritt is the trusted emergency management contractor for cities, counties, states and for federal agencies, including the Department of Defense where AshBritt holds a pre-position debris management contract which covers 25 U.S. states.  

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

The challenges around sharing information with the public about emergencies and disasters has never been more difficult.  With me today is Brad Huffines, a passionate instructor and thought leader in the world of emergency public messaging. His deep passions draw from his years of weather risk management, emergency management instruction and broadcast meteorology on a local and national stage. He is currently the VP of Risk Communications and Chief Meteorologist of and represents the products and services of WeatherCall Services, LLC. He is also a contract instructor with the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI) at the National Emergency Training Center (NETC) in Emmitsburg, MD. He teaches and present at seminars, community gatherings, and as an invited subject matter expert on meteorology, social media and emergency notification. 

Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

 The best person to manage your career is yourself. No one else is going to do it for you. The podcast guest for this episode of Disaster Zone is Laurie Holien, Clinical Associate Professor and Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Programs at Idaho State University.

Laurie Holien is an Associate Professor and Director of the Homeland Security and Emergency Management degree programs at Idaho State University. Prior to working in academics, she was the Deputy Director at Oregon Emergency Management. She has 21 years of operational experience in security, emergency management, critical infrastructure, and academics. She has served as the NPS-CHDS Alumni Fellow for FEMA HQ, working in the National Response Coordination Center. She consulted as an Operations Research Analyst working with the Department of the Navy, Dept of Homeland Security, FEMA, and local agencies. Laurie worked for many years in local government as a strategic advisor and security manager responsible for critical infrastructure protection and emergency management missions at the City of Seattle, Public Utilities Department, and served as the Planning Section Chief on a level 3 Incident Management Team. Ms. Holien earned her master’s degree from the Naval Postgraduate School and holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Washington.

Laurie has had a wide range of experiences working in the emergency management profession. In the podcast we talk about education, generalists vs. specialists, mentors and mentoring. We also dive into the challenges that you might run into as a woman in the profession and potential ethics issues you could bump into as you assume more responsible roles in the profession.

Merit is a first-of-its-kind, all-hazards, digital credentialing platform that equips emergency responders with innovative tools to securely manage their personnel on-site, no matter the situation. Merit's platform is relied on in mission-critical situations such as the Surfside building collapse and at secure Health and Human Service facilities and is trusted by a growing network of thousands of partners. 
 Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Each state emergency management agency has many commonalities and also differences. In this podcast, Brad Richy the Director of the Idaho Office of Emergency Management is interviewed. As the Director, he is responsible for Idaho’s emergency preparedness and response planning in support of the Idaho Homeland Security and Emergency Management Strategies. He serves as the Homeland Security Advisor and principal Emergency Management Advisor to the Governor and The Adjutant General. As the Governor’s Authorized Representative Brad acts as the single point of contact for all federal, regional, and state emergency management activities. Brad also serves as the State Administrative Agent overseeing implementation and compliance of all eligible Department of Homeland Security sponsored grants.

This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.


Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Cybersecurity training could seem as exciting as watching paint dry. However, the Idaho National Lab has found a way to make such training much more interesting. In this podcast I interview Jeff Hahn who is the project manager and Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity Engineer at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). He leads the Cybersecurity for Industrial Control Systems (ICS) training aligned with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Critical Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). They use “Escape Room” concepts to train people and teams on different aspects of cybersecurity. Mr. Hahn is a Professional Engineer, a Certified Information Systems Security Professional, and has over 35 years of experience in both the public and private sector. For more information, Google “CISA ICS Training” or email itstraining@inl.gov. 

This episode is sponsored by AshBritt, a national rapid-response emergency management and logistics company. Celebrating its 30th year, AshBritt has led response efforts following 60 federally declared disasters across 30 states and has conducted more than 400 missions, successfully serving over 600 clients. AshBritt is the trusted emergency management contractor for cities, counties, states and for federal agencies, including the Department of Defense where AshBritt holds a pre-position debris management contract which covers 25 U.S. states.  

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

In this podcast we examine the current status of policies and best practices associated with non-military drone operations here in the United States. The podcast guest is Dr. Gloria Totoricaguena, a former university professor at Stanford University and University of Nevada, Reno, and now a policy consultant in Idaho. Her clients and projects in Idaho have included the ID Office of Emergency Management and its creation of a statewide Public Safety Communications Commission, in addition to its coordination with FirstNet. Gloria has helped coordinate Idaho’s annual statewide Cybersecurity Summit for 10 years, and is the Coordinator of the Idaho Council for the Pacific Northwest Economic Region. She is a registered government affairs consultant in Idaho and regularly assists state agencies with policy and strategy development, research, and public engagement, She recently completed a policy-level research project described below.

Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Crisis management and crisis communications have become a critical skill, and not just for emergency managers. Politicians, rock stars and companies have all faced situations where they are in the hot seat. The guest for this podcast is Edward Segal a Leadership Strategy Senior Contributor for Forbes, author of the award-winning and bestselling book “Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways To Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies.” and host of the “Crisis Ahead” podcast on the Federal News Network. He has more than 30 years experience as a crisis management expert, public relations consultant, journalist, and press secretary for members of Congress and political candidates. Segal has managed crisis situations as the CEO of two trade associations and has advised and helped others get through a variety of crises.

Merit is a first-of-its-kind, all-hazards, digital credentialing platform that equips emergency responders with innovative tools to securely manage their personnel on-site, no matter the situation. Merit's platform is relied on in mission-critical situations such as the Surfside building collapse and at secure Health and Human Service facilities and is trusted by a growing network of thousands of partners.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Small, commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) drones — classified as Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) by the FAA — are proving to be an increasing threat to the homeland. As evidenced by Hamas terrorist strikes against Israel, tactical use in the Ukrainian conflict, and even UAS operations by Mexican cartels along the U.S. Southern border, small drones have demonstrated the ability to compromise security and inflict significant damage upon specific targets. The U.S. has the most expensive aviation security sector in the world. Still, it is primarily focused on manned passenger traffic, resulting in gaping vulnerabilities among U.S. critical infrastructure, mass gatherings, and other high-value targets. Presently, only a handful of Federal agencies have the authority to detect and mitigate UAS, leaving State, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) partners without adequate protection from above. The website mentioned in the podcast as a place to go for more information is: https://cuashub.com/ In this episode of the Disaster Zone podcast, we are joined by Christopher Todd, CEM, and executive director of the non-profit DRONERESPONDERS program who recently completed research at Georgetown University to create an integrated conceptual framework surrounding the deployment of Counter-Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) to help protect the homeland.  Mr. Todd is a member of the FAA’s UAS Detection and Mitigation Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC), helping to ensure that new technologies designed to detect and mitigate risks from errant or hostile UAS do not adversely impact the safe and efficient operation of the nation’s airspace.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Karen Kaiser is a currently serving Washington State Senator. She recently had a book published, Getting Elected is the Easy Part: Work and Winning in the State Legislature In this podcast we learn about her personal experiences and then also dive more deeply into her advice for people aspiring to be elected officials.  Here is a description of her book: Across the nation every two years, first-time lawmakers enter state legislatures--institutions steeped in tradition, arcane procedures, and unwritten rules. Although dozens of publications advise candidates on how to run and win campaigns, for those elected, few resources exist. After more than twenty years in the Washington State Legislature, Senator Karen Keiser realized she could address that knowledge gap. Written for legislative newcomers and others interested in state government, her book blends documented research with her personal experiences and observations about how to succeed and achieve real change. She focuses on the culture adjustment and challenges many newly elected lawmakers face, and offers tips and advice to help them achieve their legislative goals.

This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program.


Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Logistics is a challenging function, be it just shipping Christmas gifts from one end of the country to another. Add the challenge of logistics during and following a disaster, and the difficulties mount. In this podcast Gerardo Castillo, President of AshBritt Management and Logistics is interviewed about his experience, the challenge of logistics and some history and solutions for the problem of logistics and finding solutions that work. It was impressive how much time his company spends planning during “blue sky” days. We also delve into the role of private enterprise and partnering between governments and companies like AshBritt when disasters strike. No matter if you are at the federal, state or local levels of government, you will find this podcast of interest.

This episode is sponsored by AshBritt, a national rapid-response emergency management and logistics company. Celebrating its 30th year, AshBritt has led response efforts following 60 federally declared disasters across 30 states and has conducted more than 400 missions, successfully serving over 600 clients. AshBritt is the trusted emergency management contractor for cities, counties, states and for federal agencies, including the Department of Defense where AshBritt holds a pre-position debris management contract which covers 25 U.S. states.  
 Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Best of 2023 Episodes:

Perhaps you have never heard of an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) and don’t understand what the implications from one being used as a weapon against the United States or other national powers. That is what this podcast does, looking at the full impacts of such a weapon being used in the future. The guest for this podcast is William R. Forstchen who is a New York Times bestselling author and holds a doctoral degree from Purdue University with a specialization in military history and technology. He is a noted expert historian and public speaker and has been interviewed on FOX News, C-SPAN, and Coast to Coast AM on topics ranging from history to technology and cultural issues, to space technology development, to security threats. And, he has a novel One Second After that is a New York Bestseller that addresses via fiction what might happen following the use of an EMP weapon.

Correction: Since this podcast went live a listener provided this link: Top Transformer Manufacturers and Suppliers in the USA. In the podcast as it was recorded, it was mentioned that “there are no transformers manufactured here in the United States.” As evidenced by the link above, there are such manufacturers.  The size and capabilities of transformers offered by these USA based manufacturers is unknown.

Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Best of 2023 podcasts:  One of emergency management’s major partners in all things concerning disasters, from the preparation phase to the response and recovery is our public information/affairs officers who support what we are trying to do in communicating with the public. It is critical that they have the knowledge and skill to perform their duties in a manner that helps, rather than hinders, our mission of protecting people, property and the environment. That said, one of the best tools out there comes to us via Peter Sandman and his website. A great reference for everyone having anything to do with risk and crisis communications. In this podcast we learn directly from Peter as we hopscotched over a number of disparate topics having to do with disaster communications. I highly recommend this podcast to your listening. 
This episode is sponsored by Bent Ear Solutions which offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. We advise public and private organizations on an all-inclusive approach to disaster preparedness that addresses governance, planning, operational procedures, technology implementation, training, and exercises in order to achieve a successful and sustainable program. 

Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

Some, but not all states have established some form of state representation out in regions of their states. In this podcast to speak with Darin Letzring, with the Idaho Office of Emergency Management. He is their Southeast Area Field Officer. He has been performing these functions for over five years. Darin made the transition from being in the Marine Corps to first working as a health regional coordinator. We discuss his duties supporting seven rural counties and how he goes about doing that on a day-to-day basis. Darin just completed a masters degree in emergency management. Congratulations to him for that 18-month effort!

Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.