Disaster Zone: Recent Episodes
Eric Holdeman
Disaster Zone is hosted by Eric Holdeman, an emergency manager with over 30 years of experience at the federal, state and local levels of government. Disaster Zone is a podcast that focuses on all facets of disasters; the before, during and after of events that are increasingly impacting communities around the world. Podcasts run between 35-45 minutes with a mix of guests covering a range of disasters and issues that flow from them.
Sponsors of this podcast include:* Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions. * The Blue Cell, a by-design crisis and consequence management consulting firm. * Bent Ear Solutions offers comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you solve the most complex issues of your organization. * T-Mobile for Government provides innovative connectivity solutions that help government better serve citizens by enabling agencies to work more intelligently, efficiently, and securely.
Story topics and suggestions for people to interview are welcomed. You can contact the host via email.
Podcast listeners might also be interested in the Disaster Zone Blog which is the number one blog on the topic of emergency management here in the United States.
In this podcast we review the highlights from a New Natural Resources Defense Council report, Rebuilding Safer: A Guide to State and Local Adaptation
The podcast guest is Dakota Fisher a Senior Advocate, Adaptation, Environmental Health with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and he works at the intersection of climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, urban and regional planning, data analytics, and community empowerment. At NRDC, he works with state and local partners to development innovative, people-centered solutions that reduce the growing impacts of more frequent and severe disasters.
Before joining NRDC in 2025, Fisher spent 12 years as a public servant, working across local, state, and federal governments. He is proud to bring many practical lessons learned from partnering with communities, agencies, and elected leaders to his NRDC role.
Fisher holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Louisiana State University and a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from the University of New Orleans. He is accredited by the American Planning Association's American Institute of Certified Planners and the Project Management Institute as a Project Management Professional. He is also a member of the American Society of Adaptation Professionals. Fisher is based in NRDC’s Washington, D.C., office.
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The World Cup has presented some unique challenges for a multitude of agencies and jurisdictions spread over three nations. Security is a paramount consideration for hosting these games. In this podcast we discuss the complexity of the situation and the need for better coordination and information between all the partners engaged in hosting these soccer matches. There is an opportunity to build on what has been accomplished in preparing for the games. That opportunity should not be squandered.
The podcast guest is Andre McGregor who is the CEO and founder of ForceMetrics, leveraging his background in law enforcement and cybersecurity to improve decision-making in policing. As a retired FBI Special Agent, Andre tackled high-profile cases in cybercrime and counterterrorism, handling hacks and international cyber threats. His early experiences growing up in a marginalized community shaped his commitment to creating safer, more informed interactions between police and the public. With ForceMetrics, he focuses on providing officers with real-time data to enhance situational awareness, de-escalate conflicts and support community-driven law enforcement.
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Chris Stewart is the President and Co-founder of IntelliMass Technologies Inc., a road-
intelligence company based in British Columbia. A strategic and ethically-centered
business leader, Chris has spent his career guiding cross-functional teams, developing
commercialization pathways, and transforming innovative technical concepts into
market-ready products.
Driven by the reality that unpaved terrain presents unique, dynamic liabilities during
emergencies, Chris leads the commercialization of an emerging platform designed to
map and monitor remote infrastructure for the mining, forestry, and rural sectors. His
expertise includes navigating unpaved performance technologies, driving
organizational growth, and establishing operational systems that allow public and
private stakeholders to accurately analyze terrain risks.
Previously, Chris served as President and General Manager of KXI Wildertec—a
subsidiary of a public transportation tech company—where he directed the
commercialization of mechatronic technologies engineered specifically for unpaved
terrain performance. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing
Management with Distinction from the University of British Columbia, where his award-
winning thesis work harnessed early-generation AI for business optimization. Chris
and his wife own and operate a small production farm in the Okanagan Valley of BC.
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Trust is a basic ingredient in every relationship. This applies to individuals, marriages,
business partners, nations and the relationship of governments to individuals. Trust is
the topic we are going to explore today and how it applies to emergency management
and disasters.
Kehinde Bolu Adesina, also known as Kenny, is a PhD researcher in Mass
Communication at the University of Oklahoma’s Gaylord College. His work focuses on
the intersection of crisis communication, disaster communication, public trust, and
misinformation. He studies how institutions, government agencies, nonprofits, and
faith-based organizations communicate during high-risk events, and why those
communication systems often fail even when the people inside them are working hard
and acting in good faith.
He is a contributor to a major NSF-funded disaster resilience project at OU, where he
conducts research on how organizations share critical knowledge during emergencies,
analyze misinformation patterns on social media, and support cross-sector
preparedness workshops involving emergency managers, nonprofits, faith-based
organizations, and public health communicators. His research builds toward a
framework called the “Crisis Meaning-Making Model,” which examines how
communities interpret events through emotion, identity, and social context, not just
official information.
Originally from Nigeria, he completed his bachelor’s degree in Communication at
Beijing Normal University in China and his master’s degree in Communication at the
University of Illinois Springfield. Before beginning his doctoral work, he served as an
Illini Science Policy Fellow and Media Production Coordinator at the Illinois Department
of Agriculture, supporting communication on conservation and climate resilience.
Kenny is multilingual, speaking English, Yoruba, French, and Mandarin, and brings a
distinctly cross-cultural lens to questions of trust, public risk, and institutional credibility.
He has a newsletter, Making Sense of Uncertainty, translating crisis communication
research into practical guidance for leaders working in emergency management, public
health, and organizational communication.
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Flooding continues to be the number on hazard when it comes to disasters. Knowing what area is subject to flooding before a flood, the extent of what that flood impact might be, and then knowing the status of an ongoing flood is critically important. This is the subject of this podcast.
David Tobias the podcast guest serves as the Chief Product Officer at Nearmap Previously, he co-founded Betterview, the leading Property Intelligence Platform for property and casualty insurers, which was acquired by Nearmap in December 2023. David plays a pivotal role in driving the market strategy for Nearmap, enabling users to effectively identify and mitigate risk, enhance operational efficiency, and build a more transparent customer experience.
Before founding Betterview, David was instrumental in scaling Research Specialist Incorporated, an insurance loss control company. Under his leadership, the company expanded to conduct over 30,000 inspections annually with a network of more than 500 inspectors across the United States. Research Specialist Incorporated was later acquired by Alpine Intel. A veteran of the insurance and property intelligence industry, Tobias is focused on finding actionable, usable solutions to complex geospatial challenges.
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With every disaster there are legal considerations that come to the fore. In this podcast we explore the experience of one litigator advising FEMA Incident Management Teams (IMAT) and also dealing with damages and reimbursement processes for individuals who own property.
For two decades, LLRA, LLC owner Linda Litke served the United States, first in the U.S. Navy and then as a senior attorney within the Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency. Her work placed her at the center of some of the nation’s most complex emergencies, disasters, and national security incidents—first as Deputy Associate Chief Counsel for Louisiana and Mississippi, where she led multiple legal offices across the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina, and later as a Trial Attorney handling litigation tied to Public Assistance projects and the National Flood Insurance Program.
Her final federal role for the last six years—Legal Counsel to the National Incident Management Assistance Team (NIMAT–Red)—was among the most demanding in the emergency‑response world. As part of a small rapidly deployable federal team, she provided real‑time legal guidance to senior officials during national security and catastrophic incidents, often deploying within hours to support unified command operations on the ground.
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Wildfires have become one of the more common natural hazard disasters that can impact people where they live and work. In this podcast we learn about general Firewise solutions to protect homes and then a line of cost effective products that can help keep fire from entering your home. Nicholai Allen is the founder of SAFE SOSS and an active wildland firefighter (FFT1, FFT2, Engine Boss Trainee) in his third year fighting catastrophic fires.
After the 2018 Woolsey Fire threatened his family in Ventura County, California, Nicholai spent four years developing a three-step ember defense system addressing the actual cause of 90% of wildfire home loss from wind-borne embers.
His patent-pending products launched exclusively through 50 Lowe's stores at $30-$40 each. His mission is to prevent loss of life through honest education and science-based defense that prioritizes evacuation over property. Nicholai represents authenticity, preparedness, and life-first protection.
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If you are a nonprofit organization, it means that your goal is to not make money, but provide some form of service or product. The challenge is always how to do that without a steam of money to fund your activities. That is the subject of this podcast. There are tips here for very small organizations and other ideas that will work for very large nonprofit organizations.
James Misner is the Founder and Owner of The Kipos Group. With over 20 years of experience as an executive leader, James has a proven track record of building successful teams that have driven tens of millions in revenue growth. Additionally, he has helped non-profit organizations achieve sustainable growth and build stronger relationships with donors. As a leader and coach, he cares deeply for his clients and their teams, bringing clarity and confidence to those he works with, providing guidance and support as they navigate the challenges of building a revenue engine. His expertise in strategy, culture, and leadership has made him an industry-leading consultant for non-profit organizations looking to grow and thrive.
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There are different types of leadership styles. One common on that still persists is using fear as a motivator for people and organizations. We will be exploring the impacts of using fear in the workplace.
The podcast guest Dr. Laurie Cure, Ph.D., is a leading voice in executive coaching, serves as the CEO of Innovative Connections. With a focus on consulting in strategic planning, organizational development, talent management, and leadership, Dr. Cure’s expertise in change management and culture evolution empowers her clients to achieve organizational success by enabling them to discover and release their human potential.
Over her 30-year career, Dr. Cure has dedicated herself to realizing strategic visions, collaborating with executives and senior leaders to drive organizational outcomes, and conducting research on pivotal industry issues. She is the author of "Leading without Fear," a book that addresses workplace fear, and has contributed to numerous publications on leadership, coaching, team development, and emotions. Dr. Cure has also served as a Meta-coach for the Daniel Goleman Emotional Intelligence program and as faculty at various universities across the country.
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Every state has an emergency management program. It is a reflection of
the hazards a state might experience and the allocation of resources by government to
those risks. In this podcast we learn more about the Oklahoma Department of
Emergency Management.
The podcast guest is Annie Mack Vest, Executive Director of the Oklahoma
Department of Emergency Management. She has 16 years of experience in disaster
mitigation and emergency management. In 2023, she was appointed by Governor
Kevin Stitt to serve as Oklahoma’s Emergency Management Director, becoming the
first woman to lead the agency.
Annie has spent her career working in crisis environments and helping leaders make
sound decisions during emergencies. She serves as the Governor’s senior advisor on
emergency management and supports state leaders and local partners through
disaster response and recovery.
She serves as Regional Vice President of the National Emergency Management
Association and is a former Chair of the Oklahoma Floodplain Managers Association.
She previously served as President of the National Hazard Mitigation Association, as
an advisor to the Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado Boulder, and as
a subject matter expert to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Resilient
Investment and Planning Development Workgroup.
Annie holds dual master’s degrees in Adult and Community Education and Executive
Administration for the Public Sector, and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and
Disaster Management.
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This podcast focuses primarily on aspects of disasters that impact operations here in
the United States. In this particular podcast we will cast a bigger view at the
international operations of one particular NGO providing disaster services around the
world—that being Project Hope.
The podcast guest is Arlan Fuller who is currently Project HOPE’s director of
emergency preparedness and response. He provides overall management of response
efforts for natural disasters and other emergencies. In his current and previous roles,
he has engaged with people and communities affected by disaster or conflict in Haiti,
Lebanon, Kosovo, Sudan, Somalia, Uganda, Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, and
Thailand.
previous roles, he has engaged with people and communities affected by disaster or
conflict in Haiti, Lebanon, Kosovo, Sudan, Somalia, Uganda, Bangladesh, Nepal,
Indonesia, and Thailand.
Before Project HOPE, Fuller was the Chief Operating Officer for Conflict Dynamics
International, a nonprofit organization working on building peace in communities
affected by conflict and other crises. He also served as Executive Director of the
François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University,
where he led field studies and policy analysis on health access and adversity in
settings of disaster, conflict, and social marginalization. Fuller has additional
experience working on global health and international development issues in the
Senate and the House of Representatives.
Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, Fuller earned a JD from Boston College Law
School; a Master’s degree in Peace Studies from the University of Ulster, Northern
Ireland; and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the College of the Holy
Cross.
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If you are a leader, manager, or supervisor, it is likely that you are required and responsible for the completion of performance appraisals for your direct reports. I (Eric) must admit that completing appraisals, be they in the US Army or in civilian life, was not my favorite task to accomplish. The podcast gets into some tips, techniques and even some “wording” that you might consider using as you prepare for, write and then deliver performance appraisals for your staff. Trust me, you will learn a thing or two.
Ken Lloyd, Ph.D., is a management consultant, author, and public speaker who specializes in organizational development, human resources, and management coaching. He is the author of the book, Performance Appraisals & Phrases For Dummies (For Dummies: Learning Made Easy)
Lloyd taught in the MBA Program at The Anderson School at UCLA, and he has made numerous podcast, radio, and television appearances. He is a member of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.
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The use of drones for public safety is expanding widely. Unfortunately, the opposite is
also true. Drones can be used for many nefarious purposes. In Ukraine they are being
weaponized for war. Drug smugglers are also using them. Other criminal activities can
be promoted and supported with the use of drones. Today we need systems that can
be used by the “Good Guys” to counter the “Bad Guys.” This podcast speaks to that
issue.
Brett Feddersen serves as Vice President, Strategy and Governmental Affairs, for D-
Fend Solutions leading the company’s strategy, public policy, and government
relations efforts and engagements with various government policymakers and
decision-makers. He also plays a crucial role in identifying key legislative trends,
managing corporate risks, building coalitions and enhancing D-Fend Solutions'
influence and reach in counter-drone innovation.
Feddersen joined the team with extensive senior leadership experience in major
governmental agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration, the White
House’s National Security Council, the Pentagon’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the
Defense Intelligence Agency, among others.
Feddersen is a U.S. Army combat veteran and a retired Pennsylvania State Trooper.
He also serves as Chair of the Security Industry Association’s (SIA) Counter-UAS
Working Group, where he leads industry collaboration on counter-drone best practices
and policy development.
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Healthcare is an industry that provides critical services to our communities. It is vital
that they are prepared to do that under less-than-ideal conditions—such as when a
disaster strikes. In this podcast we explore what they can do to become better
prepared for any situation, large or small.
Martin Green is an internationally recognized, award-winning Security Management
Professional with more than 45 years of diverse leadership experience in the field of
asset protection. He has specialized in healthcare security management since 1985.
Throughout his career, Martin has provided security leadership to multiple healthcare
facilities across Ontario and has played a key role in designing security programs for
organizations across Canada. He is an organized and highly skilled security leader
with deep expertise in security operations and management within Acute Care, Long-
Term Care, and community healthcare environments.
Martin has developed and implemented security programs and training materials that
are widely used in healthcare facilities across North America. He also co-developed
the standardized emergency colour-code system now adopted in healthcare facilities
across Canada.
Martin has received numerous awards recognizing his contributions to the field,
including the 2023 Canadian Security Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award, the
2022 IFSEC Global Influencer in Security, the 2021 IAHSS Ontario Chapter
Leadership Award, and the 2012 IAHSS President’s Award.
He is a Certified Healthcare Protection Administrator (CHPA) and served for many
years on the International Association for Healthcare Security & Safety (IAHSS) Board
of Directors, including as President in 2017.
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There has been a tremendous amount of change brought initiated by the Trump Administration throughout the federal government. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is one small part of the changes that have been made and are still underway. The significant nature of the changes are hard to comprehend. This podcast will look at some of the changes that have been made so far and then a contemplation of the impacts of those changes to emergency management enterprise.
Shana Udvardy is a senior climate resilience policy analyst with the Climate & Energy program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. She conducts research and policy analysis to help inform and build support to increase resilience to climate change impacts. She recently wrote this opinion piece FEMA Review Council Report Likely to Continue President Trump’s Heartless Policies .
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The National Guard can be found in every state. They play a unique role in being both a federal and state government asset. In this podcast you will learn about the role of the National Guard in our national defense and also when disasters strike. Our guest represents not only the Washington National Guard, but also emergency management for the State of Washington. Therefore, we’ll also examine the anticipated challenges moving forward as FEMA reduces their support of states and local governments before, during and after disasters.
Maj. Gen. Gent Welsh is The Adjutant General, Washington National Guard, at Camp Murray, Wash. Maj. Gen. Welsh was appointed as The Adjutant General of Washington on 29 June 2024. General Welsh is the commanding general of all Washington Army and Air National Guard forces and oversees the State’s Emergency Management and Enhanced 911 programs. He also serves as Homeland Security Advisor to the Governor of Washington and as State Administrative Agent for all United States Department of Homeland Security grants awarded to Washington’s state, local, tribal and non-profit agencies and organizations.
General Welsh enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1988. He transferred to the Air National Guard in 1992 and was commissioned as a 2d Lieutenant in 1994. He has held a variety of positions in air support operations and combat communications units, including command positions at the squadron, group, and wing levels. He is a resident graduate of the Air War College at Maxwell AFB, commanded the 242d Combat Communications Squadron and the 252d Combat Communications Group, served as the Chief Information Officer, J6, and Chief of Staff for the Washington National Guard, and commanded the 194th Wing and the Washington Air National Guard.
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Flooding is the most common hazard we have in the United States. There are many different types of flooding that can occur. Today we’ll be talking with a local flood plain manager about how he and his jurisdiction approaches flood risks.
Helmut Schmidt – Pierce County Planning and Public Works. Floodplain Administrator & Floodplain Services Supervisor. He has 38 years working in floodplain management and restoration design/construction. He has a comprehensive understanding of the tributary drainage and riverine function of the Puyallup River watershed.
A lover of history, he also brings both a researched and lived prospective of infrastructure, policy and flood events that have shaped Pierce County Floodplain Management. As Floodplain Administrator, he ensures development and County regulations stay in compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Helmut graduated from St. Martins College and is a Certified Floodplain Manager.
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2025 has been a year of turmoil when it comes to emergency management. In this
podcast we will be discussing how the future of emergency management will be
shaped from one of the leaders in the profession.
Bryan Koon is the President and CEO of IEM International, Inc., a leading professional
services firm focused on emergency management, disaster recovery, and resilience. At
IEM, he integrates innovative technology and best practices to keep the organization of
900+ employees ready to support communities in preparing for, responding to,
recovering from, and mitigating against disasters.
Before IEM, Koon was the Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management
(FDEM), where he enhanced Florida’s emergency response capabilities and fostered
public-private partnerships, notably during Hurricane Irma and the Pulse Shooting. As
President of the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) from 2014 to
2016, he advocated for nationwide improvements in disaster response and resilience,
testifying before Congress on the importance of controlling disaster costs and investing
in mitigation.
Koon serves on the FLASH Board of Directors, promoting policies to reduce disaster
risks and bolster community resilience. His career is marked by a passion for building
resilient communities and developing aspiring emergency managers through higher
education partnerships.
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As we look to the future, we need to find new ways of providing financial relief when accidents and disasters damage or destroy private and public property. This podcast looks at the parametric insurance model. Might it be a more efficient and effective way forward to compensate loss?
Examples of Parametric Policies:
NYC MTA: https://www.artemis.bm/news/new-york-mta-seeks-metrocat-re-parametric-storm-surge-cat-bond-renewal/
Caribbean reef: https://oceanriskalliance.org/news/from-risk-to-resilience-a-blueprint-for-reef-positive-parametric-insurance/
Jamaica hurricane parametric policy: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2025/11/07/hurricane-melissa-triggers-100-payout-of-150-million-world-bank-catastrophe-bond-for-jamaica
Jasper Cooke is a people-centric leader with fifteen years of experience in emergency management. His career includes significant depth in strategy development and implementation, grant management, and community resilience. At WSP, Jasper has leadership roles on multiple projects and is focused on WSP growing the emergency management and resilience business at all levels of government. Prior to WSP, Jasper led first the Hazard Mitigation and then the Recovery Sections for the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) from 2021 to 2023. In each role, he led a statewide team of 40-50 staff managing billions in federal grants. Prior to TDEM, Jasper worked at FEMA, most recently leading the Office of the National Advisory Council where he supported four FEMA Administrators with strategy and program implementation.
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In this podcast we will examine different forms of governance for cities, evaluating the pros and cons of each. We’ll also delve into how civic leaders think about the first responder community, emergency management in general and technology. We will be hearing from someone with vast experience in government having held a wide variety of positions.
Harry Black the podcast guest is a seasoned executive with extensive leadership experience in both the public and private sectors. He has served as city manager, Chief administrative officer, chief financial officer, program manager, and chief procurement officer, consistently driving organizational transformation through best practices and outcome-based strategies.
A pioneer in performance management, Black has developed and implemented data-driven programs that enhance transparency, accountability, and service delivery. His integrated approach incorporates data analytics, lean techniques, smart technologies, and citistat programs to optimize government performance.
In public financial management, Black has led major municipal finance efforts, overseeing more than $5 billion in bond transactions, including general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, and short-term banknotes.
An accomplished author and speaker, Black has published works on economic development, pension and healthcare reform, and performance management. He has delivered presentations on police-community relations, infrastructure development, public procurement, and long-term financial planning. Black holds a BS in Public Administration from Virginia State University, an MA in Public Administration from the University of Virginia, and a Doctor of Humane Letters from Virginia State University.
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The 2025 Eaton Fire alone destroyed more than 9,000 structures and claimed 19 lives in Los Angeles County. Investigations by federal agencies and independent experts traced the fire's origin to Southern California Edison (SCE) equipment failures.
Ari Friedman, a partner and trial attorney at Wisner Baum LLP is leading the charge to hold energy and insurance companies accountable and responsible for fire damages caused by their utilities. Ari is a dedicated plaintiff’s attorney, specializing in single-event complex litigation, product liability, commercial transportation disasters, wildfire burn downs, personal injury, and wrongful death cases. With over a decade of experience.
His passion for justice, meticulous case preparation, and commitment to client care make him a dedicated advocate for those facing corporate wrongdoing and catastrophic injuries. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California B.A., International relations, Professional and managerial communication. His law degree is from Pepperdine.
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Renny Vandewege GM of climate and weather at DTN, has two decades of meteorological experience, educating business leaders on weather-induced disasters. DTN has an Operational Decisioning Platform that turns complex data into decision-grade insights—empowering customers to expand their margins, accelerate growth, and outpace risk. With more than 1,200 employees globally, DTN serves the companies that feed, fuel, and protect the world.
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The Trump Administration has been making statements since January 2025 that they, meaning both the President and the Secretary of Homeland Security, want to shift disaster costs, beginning with disaster preparedness and then also disaster response and recovery more to states and local jurisdictions. PEW Charitable Trusts recently released a report, What Waning Federal Disaster Aid Would Mean for State Budgets This is the subject of this podcast. How will a reduction in federal funding for disasters impact state budgets.
As states face growing disaster costs, declining revenue, and an uncertain federal funding landscape, the need to build more disaster-resilient budgets is greater than ever. At the same time, as federal policymakers weigh proposals to reduce disaster assistance to states, they will need to account for the availability of state resources relative to the federal aid they have historically received and recognize that even modest changes in state budgets can have significant effects on other key initiatives.
The podcast guest is Colin Foard. He directs Pew’s managing fiscal risks initiative, which helps state policymakers prepare for new and emerging risks to fiscal stability and manage uncertainty by strengthening budgeting practices across several areas. Previously, Foard worked for Pew’s fiscal federalism initiative, contributing to research and technical assistance on natural disaster spending and other aspects of the federal-state fiscal relationship.
Before joining Pew, Foard spent five years on the staff of a senior member of the U.S. House of Representatives’ appropriations and budget committees, handling committee work as well as a broad policy portfolio that included homeland security, transportation, housing, and immigration issues. He also served as a congressional constituent caseworker and field representative in Oakland, California.
Foard holds a bachelor’s degree from Union College in Schenectady, New York, and a master’s in Latin American studies from the University of California, Berkeley.
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It has been decades since the last significant earthquake in the United States. Yet, there are earthquake risks across the USA. In this podcast we learn about how homeowners and businesses can take proactive steps to improve the seismic survivability of their properties.
The podcast guest is Kyle Tourjé, a second-generation contractor specializing in structural retrofitting, repair, and geohazard mitigation. As Executive Vice President of Alpha Structural, Inc., he oversees all engineering and construction operations.
Having grown up in the trade and with over 15 years of experience, including personally repairing and inspecting over 6,000 structures, Kyle combines hands-on construction and field engineering expertise with leadership in real estate and disaster response. His work bridges the gap between engineering solutions and the realities of property ownership and management, code compliance, and disaster response. He has a background spanning construction, insurance claims, and litigation support, he applies practical solutions to California’s evolving structural, legal, and environmental challenges.
Kyle’s focus is on advancing straightforward, lasting solutions that improve safety and resilience for communities across the region.
For more about Alpha Structural, visit http://www.alphastructural.com
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Nonprofits play a critical role in responding to and recovering from disasters. Today we will hear from one of those and then we will also have a discussion about how government and nonprofits can achieve better outcomes by what they do before and how they interact during disasters.
Liz Baker, CEO of Greater Good Charities — a global organization that has spent the last twenty years providing disaster relief to communities in need. Because of its unique funding and agile operational model, Liz's organization, Greater Good Charities, can respond to often overlooked issues that larger aid organizations often don't have bandwidth to address. They're also there within hours of crises they're responding to, mobilizing quickly, listening locally, and responding with their global resources
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We are at a point in time where the media universe is in complete turmoil. Legacy media like radio and television is fading, while social media in all its forms is ascendant. News and commentary are being mixed together so people can’t discern which is which, while major media conglomerates are merging and reforming. The purpose of this podcast is to understand all the changes that are in process.
Eric Yaverbaum, CEO of Ericho Communications, is available for interview and commentary. A 44-year public relations veteran, Eric is a communications expert known for the industry-standard bestselling book Public Relations for Dummies, and is the bestselling author of seven other titles. He is a regular TV pundit, and has expert commentary featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The HuffPost, CNBC, and PR Week, among others.
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In recent years the U.S. has seen an increase in hurricanes, wildfires, and flooding –
causing record levels of destruction and damage. Despite these concerning trends,
traditional insurance can fall short, leaving Americans and our small businesses
vulnerable. But it doesn’t need to be this way – there is a tool out there to empower our
small businesses to self-insure, ensuring they are protected the next time a disaster
hits. The tool? 831(b) Plans, also known as micro captive insurance plans.
The podcast guest is Van Carlson, a risk management specialist with more than 25
years’ experience in the industry, is available to speak to share first-hand experiences
of businesses that have been saved due to these critical risk management tools, and
how other businesses can protect themselves before the next disaster strikes. He has
had extensive history supporting businesses impacted, both directly and indirectly, by
unforeseen weather disasters and has saved countless businesses from closure as a
result
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The profession of emergency management has been in flux since its inception.
Currently the Trump Administration is looking how to organize the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) to fit with the President’s political and policy agendas.
Everything is perhaps up for grabs. In this podcast we look at one proposal to have the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) take over all aspects of what we might call
“civil defense” to have those functions taken out of FEMA and aligned more directly
within other elements of DHS.
Michael Prasad is the executive director of the Center for Emergency Management
Intelligence Research (www.cemir.org). CEMIR (www.cemir.org) has its own Substack,
which can be subscribe to at https://thecemir.substack.com/ He leads research
projects and writes professionally on emergency management policies and
procedures, from a pracademic perspective. Prasad holds a Bachelor of Business
Administration degree in management information systems from Ohio University, and a
Master of Arts degree in emergency and disaster management from American Public
University.
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The first challenge that faces emergency managers, all types of government jurisdictions and the private sector is figuring out where disasters have caused damages and what the extent of those damages are. This podcast investigates technologies that are in place today to provide precise information on damages. I also like that fact that this technology has many commercial applications that can be used before a disaster. You need those to help have a capability for times when disasters do strike. All insurance companies need this type of tech assistance in post disaster scenarios.
The podcast guest is Piers Dormeyer, Eagleview CEO, who has a passion for technology and the power to transform industries and deliver value. He has founded successful businesses, led high-performing teams, and implemented scalable processes with a mission to transform how people work while forging powerful partnerships and consistently driving exceptional business outcomes.
Piers has discovered the key to driving growth, alignment, and organizational health, and it goes beyond mastering conference calls. He believes in connecting purpose to performance and valuing the people who play a significant role in our lives.
Piers brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his role, complemented by his academic achievements. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the College of Engineering at the University of Florida and a Master of Business Administration (MBA)
from the renowned MIT Sloan School of Management.
He resides in Florida with his family who is a constant source of inspiration, reminding him of the importance of balance, compassion, and personal fulfillment in his personal and professional life.
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While emergency managers do many a presentation on how individuals and families can become better prepared for a disaster—our message should go beyond “having all your important documents in one place. In this podcast we learn of a system that can help people do that in advance of a disaster.
The podcast guest is Maria Fraietta the founder and visionary behind The Nokbox, a pioneering estate planning tool and home organization system designed to support an individual’s Next of Kin. The idea for Nokbox was born out of personal tragedy and necessity, following the unexpected death of her father in 2021. While navigating the complex and emotional process of settling his estate, Maria experienced firsthand the confusion, stress, and logistical challenges families face in the absence of a clear plan.
From that experience came a spark—one that led her to create the very first Nokbox in her garage in Littleton, Colorado. Prior to founding The Nokbox, Maria spent nearly 25 years as a beloved public-school teacher in the Denver metro area. Her career in education shaped her commitment to clarity, communication, and helping others succeed—principles that continue to guide her work today. She also worked as a licensed real estate agent with HomeSmart International starting in 2004, further deepening her understanding of life transitions, legal documentation, and the importance of preparedness.
Now running The Nokbox full-time, Maria oversees daily operations, product development, and long-term strategy.
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The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been in the news for months. Both President Trump and the Secretary of Homeland Security have made remarks that FEMA should be abolished, perhaps moved out of DHS and physically out of Washington, D.C. A council has been established to examine how the federal response and recovery efforts to disasters should be accomplished moving forward. The current status and future of FEMA is the topic of this podcast.
The podcast guest is Michael A. Coen Jr. who has been a right hand advisor to three Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) directors and administrators, to include: James Lee Witt, W. Craig Fugate and Deanne Criswell. He recently served as Chief of Staff to Deanne Criswell during the Biden administration. Most recently is has been an outspoken advocate for FEMA’s mission of creating a disaster resilient United States.
He is an outcome-oriented executive with proven management and leadership experience. A track record of accomplishment in managing during times of crisis, implementing strategic vision, leading organizational change, building coalitions, fostering collaboration and communicating during crisis. Michael effectively and
comfortably operates in high-profile politically charged environments. Please visit our sponsors!
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One of the few constants in our everyday life is the weather. It is likely something we check on frequently, even on sunny days. Today we will be talking with a veteran weather forecaster who has specific advice for those who deal with severe weather and its impacts on people and property. Communicating weather warnings will be a specific topic, along with the partnership between private forecast operations and the National Weather Service (NWS).
Chris Warren is an Emmy Award-winning meteorologist and communicator who spent more than 15 years as a trusted on-camera presence at The Weather Channel. During his time there, he delivered live studio and field coverage of major weather events — including hurricanes, blizzards, wildfires, and landslides — helping communities better understand and respond to severe weather. Chris holds the American Meteorological Society’s Seal of Approval and brings deep expertise in crisis communication, strategic storytelling, and delivering complex information to national audiences.
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The Los Angeles fires will likely be the costliest natural disaster in our history. While they started as wildfire, they changed into an urban conflagration. Thousands of homes were destroyed along with other building structures, including businesses. In this podcast we’ll look at these impacts fires their destruction from the perspective of a private business that specializes in disaster recovery efforts.
The podcast guest is Joel Wish, CEO of Bright Harbor, a leading disaster recovery company that has been on the front lines of wildfire recovery efforts across the country. In the wake of the recent Los Angeles wildfires, Joel and his team have been helping survivors navigate the complex and often frustrating process of securing federal aid, insurance payouts, and emergency housing—guiding them through bureaucratic roadblocks that can delay relief for months.
A seasoned entrepreneur, Joel has spent his career tackling large-scale challenges in ways that put people first. Before founding Bright Harbor, he co-led Frontline Foods, an all-volunteer nonprofit that provided over a million meals to healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic while supporting struggling restaurants. He also helped build Simple Health, a telemedicine company expanding access to reproductive healthcare. His expertise in crisis response, logistics, and public health now helps disaster survivors access the resources they need when they need them
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In this podcast we will be learning about disaster community in Europe and more specifically in Switzerland. That will be in the first half of the podcast. In the second half, we will be talking about a more focused conversation about data and its role in integrated disaster risk management. During the podcast we review Emergency Meeting Points (EMP) in Switzerland. The link provided will give you more information.
The podcast guest is Jurgena Kamberaj a Senior Researcher in the Risk and Resilience Team at the Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zurich, where she focuses on disaster preparedness and how hazards affect individuals, communities, and ecosystems. Her work aims to strengthen resilience in the face of increasingly complex emergencies.
Prior to joining CSS in 2023, Jurgena worked at the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission, specifically within the European Crisis Management Laboratory. In this role, she was responsible for real-time monitoring and impact assessments of major disasters worldwide, contributing to the development of the EU’s global disaster response strategies.
Jurgena holds an MSc in Environmental Science from Christian-Albrecht University of Kiel in Germany, specializing in ecosystem services and environmental protection. With experience spanning both scientific research and operational crisis management, she bridges the gap between data-driven analysis and practical disaster risk reduction strategies.
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In this podcast we look at a new technology being developed and fielded to help people and organizations, public and private better understand climate risks of all types. From wildfires to floods, climate fueled natural disasters are becoming more and more prevalent.
The podcast guest is Sarah Russell, Managing Director of Bellwether who speaks to the ways that advanced machine learning can help improve disaster response as these events continue to Bellwether has worked with the Defense Innovation Unit and the National Guard to help these first responder teams more accurately locate survivors and track damage to essential infrastructure.
Bellwether is a fully commercialized business, with clients in the insurance and disaster response sectors. Their software identified an area of Ventura County, CA as high fire risk in 2024, and that area overlapped nearly perfectly with the Mountain Fire in November, 2024.
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There are all sorts of projects, large and small. I’ve advocated that all work is usually done in the form of a project. Really large projects require a huge investment in time and other resources to be successful. No one plans on failing, but there have been some very public failures in the past. In this podcast we’ll examine some general themes for those failures and also solutions you can put to use for your own projects to hopefully ensure success.
Dr. Brian Williamson is a management consultant and Visiting Lecturer in Leadership and Management Studies at the University of Oxford. A global authority in business transformation, employee experience, and purpose-driven project management, he has authored multiple books and is sought after by organizations aiming to unlock hidden potential and align strategic investments with purpose. With a passion for maximizing human potential, Dr. Williamson mentors senior executives, assisting them in creating enhanced human experiences within their organizations, encouraging leaders to challenge conventional thinking, fostering an environment that harmonizes the diverse interests of all stakeholders. Dr. Williamson holds dual master’s degrees from NYU Tandon School of Engineering (formerly Polytechnic University) in Management of Technology and Information Systems Engineering. He also earned a doctorate in Leadership and Learning in Organizations from Vanderbilt University and Executive Director at project management firm, PMO Advisory.
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Disaster volunteers come in many shapes and sizes. They can be individual citizens but typically are aligned with an organization that is offering aid to their fellow citizens. However, sometimes emergency managers have found that these well-intentioned volunteers seem to cause more headaches than they solve. Donated goods, for example can cause a mountain of work with many of the donations eventually going into a landfill.
In this Disaster Zone Podcast David Wells, the Director of Disaster Relief for Disaster Relief for Texans on a Mission will dialog with the host about how best to be ready to volunteer and work with other government agencies. David began his response journey as a Baptist pastor in Wyoming, leading his congregation to provide aid to travelers trapped by routine interstate closings due to snow. He later became state director for Disaster Relief for the Wyoming Southern Baptist Convention. As a pastor in Missouri, he led shower, chainsaw, laundry, and feeding response team among Missouri Baptists, eventually becoming associate director for Disaster Relief for the Missouri Baptist Convention. David joined Texans on Mission in 2019.
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Technology is a driving force in public safety today. There are multiple challenges that come with considering which technologies should be adopted and fielded within an organization. Before that can happen, we need to collectively overcome self-imposed barriers to technology adoption, which is the subject of this Disaster Zone Podcast.
The podcast guest is Garry Briese who has had a distinguished career in the fire service. Only recently retiring in January 2025 as the Executive Director of the Colorado State Fire Chiefs. Previously Garry served for 23 years as the Executive Director/CEO of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) in Washington DC and prior was the Executive Director/CEO of the Florida College of Emergency Physicians for 14 years.
Additionally, he was appointed as the Regional Administrator for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region 8 of the Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency in the administration of President George W. Bush. Prior to DHS/FEMA, he was Vice President, Emergency Management & Homeland Security for ICF International, a $1.5 billion NASDAQ-listed professional services corporation.
Today he serves as one of four independent directors on the corporate Board of Directors of WS Darley Company, a 116-year-old family-owned business founded in 1908. In 2024, Darley had more than $1 Billion in sales as an international pump & fire apparatus manufacturer & distributor for the military, fire and emergency services.
Garry has presented at conferences in Japan, Israel, Germany, Belgium, Brazil, Sweden, Canada, the United Kingdom and across the United States. He is a well-known speaker on leadership and followership and on future challenges for both the private and government sectors. He has broad experience in non-profit organizations and for-profit companies in local, state, national, federal, and international domains His visionary and forward-thinking leadership and accomplishments have been recognized by multiple international and national organizations. Please visit our sponsors!
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The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been predominantly in the news for many months. Most recently as both President Trump and the Secretary of Homeland Security have made remarks that FEMA should be abolished. More recently a 20-person council has been established to examine how best the federal response and recovery efforts to disasters should be accomplished. This then is the topic for this podcast.
Craig Fugate the podcast guest served as President Barack Obama’s FEMA Administrator from May 2009 to January 2017. Previously, he served as Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s Emergency Management Director from 2001-2007 and Governor Charlie Crist from 2007-09.
Fugate led FEMA through multiple record-breaking disaster years and oversaw the Federal Government’s response to major events such as the Joplin and Moore Tornadoes, Hurricane Sandy, Hurricane Matthew, and the 2016 Louisiana flooding.
FEMA’s effectiveness in dealing with more than 500 Presidentially declared major disasters and emergencies under Fugate’s leadership restored the faith of the American people in the Federal Government’s ability to respond to disasters.
Prior to his tenure at FEMA, Fugate was widely praised for his management, under Governor Jeb Bush, of the devastating effects of the 2004 and 2005 Florida hurricane seasons (Charley, Frances, Ivan, Jeanne, Dennis, Katrina, and Wilma). Craig provides senior level advice and consultation in disaster management and resiliency policy through Craig Fugate Consulting LLC.
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Personally, I have had to inform employees that their jobs were being eliminated. Sometimes because of a budget cut, sometimes due to their performance. How we handle these events is important to the people directly impacted and also to those who remain behind. This podcast will be addressing both topics and how to better structure a layoff scenario—and do it with empathy.
Jim Cichanski, the founder, and Chief Human Resources Officer of Flex HR, has 30+ years experience in human resources, holding senior level positions in companies that were privately held, pre-IPO, foreign owned, joint venture, Fortune 50 and one labeled the “fastest growing F1000 in America.” He has a solid background in high tech, manufacturing, services and management.
His background in human resources includes organizational process evaluation and improvement, labor laws, integration of businesses, cost reduction, organizational development, and all functional areas of human resources. These include but are not limited to Benefits, Compensation, Staffing, Diversity, ERISA, DOL Compliance, Immigration, Learning & Development, Stock Administration, Executive Compensation, Employee Relations, and over 300 Mergers & Acquisitions. Jim’s experience includes operational HR management knowledge globally in 32 countries and has transitioned companies from 30 to 67,000 employees worldwide. Companies he has worked for include Unisys, Novell, Premiere Technologies and PaySys International. Jim is a certified Six Sigma Green Belt.
Jim also spent 26 years in the Army National Guard achieving the rank of Colonel.
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We continue to see disasters increase in size, frequency and impact. What are we doing wrong when it comes to disaster resilience, especially as it impacts our ability to adapt to the climate impacts that are experiencing and take a longer view to disaster resilience.
The podcast guest is Jeff Schlegelmilch an Associate Professor for Professional Practice in Climate. He is also the Director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at the Columbia Climate School, as well as the Director of Executive Education and Non-Degree Programs for the Columbia Climate School. His areas of expertise include public health preparedness, community resilience, and the integration of private and public sector capabilities. In addition to his work at Columbia, he also served as an advisor to private sector organizations on topics related to grid resilience planning and advised leaders on preparedness systems and policy at all levels of government. He is an opinion contributor with The Hill and is frequently called upon as an expert for numerous media outlets. He is also the author of Rethinking Readiness: A Brief Guide to Twenty-First-Century Megadisasters and co-author of Catastrophic Incentives: Why Our Approaches To Disasters Keep Falling Short
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As we look to the future of making for a more disaster resilient future, there are new building technologies that are ready for prime time. One of those is the use of 3D technology for the construction of all types of buildings and other structures.
In this podcast we learn from one leader in 3D construction, Ziyou Xu, Founder of RIC Technology. 3D printing using concrete uses less labor and is very flexible in how the materials can be used. When thinking about building for disaster resilience, be it for fires or earthquakes, concrete is an excellent choice of materials. In this podcast you will learn about the advantages of the technology and how its use is expanding widely here in the United States and around the world.
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As this is being written the firestorm in California is continuing. It is not only government that responds to disasters and the needs of disaster survivors and victims. The Disaster Accountability Project was created to help coordinate nongovernmental organizational efforts. To date, the site has more than 900 organizations registered worldwide. Following a stringent review process, organizations are presented with information that displays proximity to a specific crisis, and the range of services provided to survivors, and a detailed but easy-to-digest overview of the organization’s financial health – which gives an indication of the percentage of aid that will be directly passed on to survivors. You can find all the details at www.smartresponse.org
The podcast guest is Ben Smilowitz, ben@disasteraccountability.org He witnessed the bungled Hurricane Katrina response while managing a high-volume Red Cross Client Service Center in Gulfport, MS. Soon after, Ben launched Disaster Accountability Project, an independent watchdog, to confront the root causes of the failed Katrina response and maximize the impact of billions of dollars of disaster relief and humanitarian aid.
Disaster Accountability Project has successfully advocated for the release of millions of dollars of disaster relief and recovery funds after Superstorm Sandy, investigated deficiencies in emergency planning surrounding 19 commercial U.S. nuclear power plants, and improved the transparency of nearly 2 billion dollars of disaster relief donations after disasters in the U.S., Haiti and Nepal.
Under Ben’s leadership, DAP’s reports, advocacy, and op-eds have been covered by global news media including The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and CNN. Many of DAP’s successes over its thirteen years are attributable to the hundreds of volunteers from around the world that Ben has recruited and managed.
Prior to starting DAP, Ben had a background in youth civic engagement and issue advocacy. He wrote successful legislation in Connecticut and created a Youth Cabinet in Missouri. Ben studied Political Science and Nonprofit Management and holds a law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law.
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In this podcast we explore what makes for effective alerts and warnings with one of the preeminent scholars and researching these topics today.
Jeannette Sutton, Ph.D., specializes in disaster and risk with a primary focus on online informal communication, and public alerts and warnings disseminated via short messaging channels. Much of her research investigates the evolving role of information and communication technology, including social media and mobile devices, for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. Her current work centers on message design and testing across a range of hazard contexts including atmospheric, meteorological, geological, technological, biological, and human induced threats for communication via Wireless Emergency Alerts and other alerting channels. See this link for The Warning Lexicon
She is employed at the University at Albany, SUNY, as an Associate Professor in the Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security where she directs the Emergency and Risk Communication Message Testing Lab. She is also the founder of The Warn Room, LLC (thewarnroom.com) where you can get more resources to support your mission of warning people, and provides evidence-based advice on effective alert and warning messages. Dr. Sutton holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and completed her postdoctoral training at the Natural Hazards Center.
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UPDATED EPISODE! As you may have noticed, we accidently posted Pete's last episode, equally good and worth a listen but you should also check out today's episode talking about the future of FEMA.
The new Trump Administration has started out with a slew of news impacting emergency management. There were two trips to disaster areas. One in the Southeast and North Carolina, where the President stated that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had performed poorly and even politicized the disaster relief. He promised to fix those issues. Then, a trip to Southern California to view the impacts of the Los Angeles fires. Prior to the trip he was critical of the State of California for its water policies and failure to maintain the forests by raking up the leaves, etc.
That was followed by executive orders and memos that 1) Cancelled all advisory committees which would include one that advises FEMA. 2) The Office of Management and Budget (OMG) sent out a memo to all federal agencies to pause funding all grants to organizations—later withdrawn. 3) An email was sent to all Federal employees offering them basically seven months of pay—free, if they took the option to leave Federal employment after September 2025. The President also is establishing a group to study FEMA and make recommendations for how to reform the agency. Members of that council have yet to be named at this writing.
In this podcast we will be discussing the types of changes that could be made to make FEMA more functional as an organization and then consider what types of major policy changes could be in the offing, e.g. shifting more of the burden of disaster recovery costs to states and local jurisdictions. The Disaster Zone Podcast Guest is Peter Gaynor, an accomplished executive with over 15 years of leadership in Emergency Management & Homeland Security at every level of government. He has led a wide variety of challenging disasters at the local, state, and federal levels. He has served as the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, FEMA Administrator, and Deputy FEMA
Administrator.
Visit https://femapete.com/ for Pete's leadership course!
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I don’t know if you have noticed, but things are changing fast. Change is happening at every level of our society, in government, business and culture. Nothing is immune from the extent of change that is occurring.
In this podcast we explore the topic of forecasting the future in order to better prepare ourselves and our organizations. You will find this topic engaging and thought provoking.
The podcast guest is Donna Dupont the Founder and Chief Strategist for Purple Compass, as well as an award-winning designer and futurist who helps organizations build their future literacy skills to navigate change in today’s complex and uncertain world. She brings skills and insights developed over 25 years working with leaders in healthcare, public safety, defense, and security. Her unique style bridges systems thinking with strategic foresight to support organizational decision-making and advancing actions to mitigate future risk, enhance preparedness and adaptive capacity to disruptive events, and leverage opportunities for change, innovation and transformation. She is a recipient of seven government awards at the provincial and federal level for outstanding achievement, excellence, and partner relations in policy and strategic planning.
Her unique style bridges systems thinking with strategic foresight to understand patterns and the potential evolution over time. She works with both quantitative and qualitative data, and designs processes to ensure confidence with insights and knowledge theories generated. Donna’s professional portfolio of projects have advanced insights on topics such as climate change, international development, environmental security, civil security/emergency preparedness, climate-risk and infrastructure, health and human security, space sector and national defense.
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The modern media world we live in today is nothing like we have experienced to date. Legacy media is fading and we have an entire new suite of information channels sharing good and often time distorted information. Add to that, we now have “machines” that can generate the information without any human interface. This podcast addresses these challenges and some solutions all organizations, public and private need to avail themselves of.
The podcast guest is Molly Dwyer is the Director of Insights at PeakMetrics, a narrative intelligence company that empowers organizations to combat harmful online threats. In her role, Molly expands the realm-of-the-possible for PeakMetrics use cases to answer customer challenges in the public and private sectors. Molly brings a decade of experience working in the open-source intelligence start-up space. Previously, she built and directed the analysis team at Predata, now part of FiscalNote. Molly studied politics and Russian at Princeton University. Her passion for combatting mis/disinformation was emboldened by her years spent living in and traveling in Russia, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.
!Rescheduled January 2025! Emergency Management for Dynamic Populations (DyPop):
Hot Mess Express: An emergency management leadership course focusing on response tactics during terrorist attacks. Hot Mess Express includes an immersive exercise during an intentional train derailment scenario.
Register for DyPop here:
www.thereadinesslab.com/shop/p/dynamic
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This is a different type of Disaster Zone Podcast. The host, Eric Holdeman becomes the interviewee and Kim Guevara, is the interviewer. Kim has been researching different aspects of what it means to be an emergency manager. In her words, “a crisis athlete.” This is not about push-ups, but rather what does it take to be successful in becoming prepared for disasters, responding to them and then the disaster recovery.
The podcast Guest is Kim Guevara, MA Founder and CEO at MOZAIK Solutions Kim has 25 years’ experience in emergency management, homeland security, and development. She has provided services to all levels of government, the U.S. military, and the private and non-profit sectors. Kim’s combined experience in emergency/crisis management, health community initiatives in humanitarian crises, and organizational leadership also led her to co-create the Crisis Athlete™ program. At its core, the program challenges, questions, and envisions new, more sustainable pathways for crisis leaders to think about resilience by leveraging and applying the power of neuroscience at the individual, organizational, and community levels.
You can read about this topic here: Executive Function: The Crisis Leader’s Edge in a High-Pressure World
For more brain tools see www.crisisathlete.com
Major Endorsements
!Rescheduled January 2025! Emergency Management for Dynamic Populations (DyPop):
Hot Mess Express: An emergency management leadership course focusing on response tactics during terrorist attacks. Hot Mess Express includes an immersive exercise during an intentional train derailment scenario.
Register for DyPop here:
www.thereadinesslab.com/shop/p/dynamic
L3Harris Technologies' BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com
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Elizabeth Van Nostrand is an associate professor in the Department of Health Services Administration and Policy at the Temple University College of Public Health. Van Nostrand is an expert in legal epidemiology—the study and application of law as an intervention to prevent disease and injury. She is the co-author of three public health emergency law bench books for health departments in the District of Columbia, Louisiana and Pennsylvania.
Through a CDC-funded grant, Van Nostrand created the Emergency Law Inventory (ELI), a tool for volunteers engaged in disaster response to navigate responder laws across the United States. She received the National Partner Award from the Medical Reserve Corps (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) and two awards from the University of Pittsburgh's Innovation Institute for the development of ELI. In 2022, Van Nostrand received a second grant from the CDC to update ELI’s content. Major Endorsements:
!Rescheduled January 2025! Emergency Management for Dynamic Populations (DyPop):
Hot Mess Express: An emergency management leadership course focusing on response tactics during terrorist attacks. Hot Mess Express includes an immersive exercise during an intentional train derailment scenario.
Register for DyPop here:
www.thereadinesslab.com/shop/p/dynamic
L3Harris Technologies' BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com
Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by professionals for professionals: www.dobermanemg.com/impulse
Doberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.com
As individuals we are the sum total of all our experiences. So it is with Michael Lienau. From a childhood interest in film to a career as a documentary filmmaker, he has left his mark. A close encounter with Mt. Saint Helens eruptions set him on a path to study and document volcanoes. On the way he has translated science into videos that inform and educate generations of people. During the podcast several video productions focusing on volcanoes were mentioned.Here is the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History Global Volcanism Program for the VolFilm Episodes:
https://volcano.si.edu/gallery/VideoCollection.cfm?subject=VOLFilms&language=English
And specifically the ones produced in English language:
Human Experiences with Lava Flows
https://vimeo.com/666125121
Debris Avalanches and Landslides
https://vimeo.com/666128789
Health Hazards of Ash
https://vimeo.com/666121806
For over 45 years Michael Lienau has been an award-winning filmmaker and cinematographer, working in documentaries, television, feature films, commercials, corporate, government and new media.When Mount St. Helens erupted on May 18, 1980, 20-year-old Michael Lienau was one of the first cinematographers to photograph the devastation around the mountain from the ground. Caught in the second largest eruption, the camera crew barely escaped with their lives. Michael’s dramatic footage was seen worldwide in IMAX theaters and on television. His unforgettable experience on the mountain fueled a life-long desire to communicate his own story and those of other eyewitnesses in an independent dramatic documentary, “THE FIRE BELOW US: Remembering Mount St. Helens.” This seven-time award-winner became the longest running, most requested, highest rated independent film on National Geographic Television and was also seen internationally on Discovery Networks and PBS.His life changing experience at the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption led Michael to engage with world-class earth scientists to better understand Earth processes, including plate tectonics related to volcanoes, earthquakes and tsunamis. Much of Michael’s affinity for science came from his father, a nuclear physicist who later became a leading expert in the development of geothermal resources around the world.
Check out Michael’s main website: Global Net Productions
Major Endorsements:
!Rescheduled January 2025! Emergency Management for Dynamic Populations (DyPop):
Hot Mess Express: An emergency management leadership course focusing on response tactics during terrorist attacks. Hot Mess Express includes an immersive exercise during an intentional train derailment scenario.
Register for DyPop here:
www.thereadinesslab.com/shop/p/dynamic
L3Harris Technologies' BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com
Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by professionals for professionals: www.dobermanemg.com/impulse
Doberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.com
Increasing risks and increasing technology are the topics in this podcast.
How to manage technology and risks that extend from the cyber perspective all the
way to corporate leadership and climate change. This is one of the most engaging
conversations that the Disaster Zone Podcast has had with a true subject matter
expert. Leaders in business and government should listen to this podcast.
The guest is Steve Durbin is the Chief Executive of the Information Security Forum
(ISF). His main areas of focus include strategy, information technology, cyber security
and the emerging security threat landscape across both the corporate and personal
environments.
He is a frequent speaker and commentator on technology and security issues, and,
since 2016, the host of the ISF Podcast featuring conversations with global industry
leaders and thought leaders, including Mo Gawdat, Dr. Hannah Fry, Sir Bob Geldof,
Apple founder Steve Wozniak, and the first female prime minister of Denmark, Helle
Thorning-Schmidt.
Formerly at Ernst & Young, Steve has been involved with IPOs, mergers and
acquisitions of fast-growth companies across Europe and the USA. Having previously
been senior vice president at Gartner, he has advised a number of NASDAQ and
NYSE listed global technology companies.
Steve has served as a Digital 50 advisory committee member in the United States, a
body established to improve the talent pool for Fortune 500 boards around cyber
security and information governance and he has been ranked as one of the top 10
individuals shaping the way that organizations and leaders approach information
security careers. He has also been featured on the top 20 most influential list of
leaders whose companies have a vision that shapes the conceptual landscape of their
respective industries. Major Endorsements:
!Rescheduled January 2025! Emergency Management for Dynamic Populations (DyPop):
Hot Mess Express: An emergency management leadership course focusing on response tactics during terrorist attacks. Hot Mess Express includes an immersive exercise during an intentional train derailment scenario.
Register for DyPop here:
www.thereadinesslab.com/shop/p/dynamic
CBRNe Convergence Orlando 2024 28-30 October, Orlando, Florida
L3Harris Technologies' BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com
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The purchase of a home is likely the biggest investment that individuals and families
will ever make during their lifetimes. In this podcast we discuss navigating the potential
risks of a disaster impacting the property you might purchase and how to avoid making
a home buying disaster.
The podcast guest is Michael Crute who is an operational strategist turned Realtor®
with a wealth of experience serving prestigious clientele within the NIH, Harvard,
Department of Defense, and more. His insights are informed by years of navigating the
intricacies of Atlanta's real estate market and corporate needs, offering actionable
strategies for professionals to align their housing choices with their career aspirations.
See more at Welcome Home Atlanta Major Endorsements:
!Rescheduled January 2025! Emergency Management for Dynamic Populations (DyPop):
Hot Mess Express: An emergency management leadership course focusing on response tactics during terrorist attacks. Hot Mess Express includes an immersive exercise during an intentional train derailment scenario.
Register for DyPop here:
www.thereadinesslab.com/shop/p/dynamic
CBRNe Convergence Orlando 2024 28-30 October, Orlando, Florida
L3Harris Technologies' BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com
Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by professionals for professionals: www.dobermanemg.com/impulse
Doberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.com
In this podcast Pete Gaynor, the immediate past Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator and Acting Secretary of Homeland Security shares what he knows about how the national disaster response system functions. The roles and responsibilities of local, state and the federal government. We also dive into some of the malicious lies being told about FEMA’s response to Hurricane Helene and Milton.
Today he continues to lead by hosting training sessions on “Leading During Crisis.” You can learn more about that at his website, www.femapete.com There are both in-person and on-line options for attending.
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, 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. Major Endorsements:
!Rescheduled January 2025! Emergency Management for Dynamic Populations (DyPop):
Hot Mess Express: An emergency management leadership course focusing on response tactics during terrorist attacks. Hot Mess Express includes an immersive exercise during an intentional train derailment scenario.
Register for DyPop here:
www.thereadinesslab.com/shop/p/dynamic
CBRNe Convergence Orlando 2024 28-30 October, Orlando, Florida
L3Harris Technologies' BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com
Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by professionals for professionals: www.dobermanemg.com/impulse
Doberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.com
The election system of `the United States was designated a critical infrastructure in 2017. The integrity of our election system is essential for citizens to trust the outcome of local, state and national elections. In this podcast we look at one individual county and the security measures used from a physical and cybersecurity perspective, but then also preventing voter fraud from occurring.
The podcast guest is Mary Hall, Auditor, Thurston County, Washington. First elected Thurston County Auditor in 2013, Mary Hall’s elections career began in Pierce County in 1996. She received her National Certification in Elections Administration in 2004 through Auburn University and the Elections Center. Hall currently serves on the Elections Center board of directors. Mary Hall is an award-winning elections administrator and leader. Known for partnerships and innovations, Hall has over three decades of professional leadership experience in the corporate and government sectors.
Recent Awards: ·
-
2022 National Association of County Officials (NACO) Achievement Awards for Racially Restrictive Covenant Modification Outreach and Ballot Processing Observation Programs ·
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2020 Auditor of the Year award from the Office of Secretary of State. ·
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2020 Presidents Award for Outstanding Service from the Washington State Association of County Auditors (WSACA) ·
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2020 National Association of County Officials (NACO) Achievement Award for standing up a drive-thru Voting Center during a pandemic and Presidential Election. ·
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2019 NACO Achievement Award for standing up county cybersecurity
Major Endorsements:
Emergency Management for Dynamic Populations (DyPop):
Hot Mess Express: An emergency management leadership course focusing on response tactics during terrorist attacks. Hot Mess Express includes an immersive exercise during an intentional train derailment scenario.
Register for DyPop here:
www.thereadinesslab.com/shop/p/dynamic
CBRNe Convergence Orlando 2024 28-30 October, Orlando, Florida
L3Harris Technologies' BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com
Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by professionals for professionals: www.dobermanemg.com/impulse
Doberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.com
This podcast focuses on the depth and breadth of managing an emergency management program for a major university that has multiple campuses. This is a forthright discussion of the challenges and opportunities of operating in a university setting.
The podcast guest is Denise Whisman who has served as the Senior Director of Emergency Management at Arizona State University since May 2023 where she plays a pivotal role in developing and implementing standardized emergency response plans across the university enterprise worldwide. Her responsibilities include coordinating with various governmental and non-governmental agencies, providing guidance to campus groups, and leading a team of emergency management specialists.
Prior to her current role, Denise served as the Emergency Management Program Manager at Banner Health across Southern Arizona, Cochise County's Risk Management, Safety & Loss Control division, Instructor Supervisor and Disaster Program Manager with the American Red Cross in Arizona and New Mexico, and service in the United States Navy as a Fleet Marine Force Corpsman, Emergency Medical Technician, and Preventive Medicine Technician.
She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Emergency Management and Homeland Security through Arizona State University, officially becoming a master of disaster in 2021.
Major Endorsements:
CBRNe Convergence Orlando 2024 28-30 October, Orlando, Florida
L3Harris Technologies' BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com
Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by professionals for professionals:https://www.dobermanemg.com/impulse
Doberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.com
In this Disaster Zone Podcast we will be talking about the significant challenges New Zealand and Christchurch faced in the aftermath of their 2010-2011 Earthquakes. The podcast guest is Brent Winder is a native New Zealander. He has had multiple roles in leadership ranging from ten years in the New Zealand Navy, to positions with Queens Town Lakes District Council and the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA).
He was a founding staff member responsible for operations in the Christchurch Central Business District (CBD) red zone and supporting the largest and most complex demolition project in New Zealand’s history. Additionally, he successfully managed widespread and large-scale demolition and land management – in a disaster recovery context. He has also led an expert recovery team to Kathmandu, Nepal post-2015 earthquakes, and he is a member of the deployable New Zealand Emergency Management Assistance Team (EMAT).
Like many of us, he Played a regional role inthe Whole of Government emergency response in the COVID-19 Pandemic. In his current role he is lead emergency management for Christchurch City Council. You can contact him at Brenden.Winder@ccc.govt.nz
Check out more episodes and the Disaster Zone Blog: www.thereadinesslab.com/disaster-zone
Become an insider with the The Readiness Lab Insider Subscription: https://www.thereadinesslab.com/the-eoc
Government and businesses work side by side to prepare their respective organizations to become disaster resilient. In this podcast we focus on what that looks like for businesses; how that matches up government emergency management; and then we delve a little bit into emergency management in the military due to our guest’s professional experiences while serving in the US Army. The podcast guest is Erika Andresen, JD, CBCP, MPA who is a recognized expert and consultant in Business Continuity. Her varied experience gives her a unique perspective on Business Continuity. She has nearly two decades of experience as a lawyer in both the corporate finance world and the military.
Erika became a subject matter expert in national security and disaster preparedness and response while advising different commands including during high-risk situations while deployed in Afghanistan. Her work with actual disasters led her to attain a Master of Public Affairs (MPA). Erika left active duty in 2020 and has since started EaaS Consulting, LLC, with the goal of keeping business in business. To that end, she authored How to Not Kill Your Business: Grow Your Business in Any Environment, Navigate Volatility, and Successfully Recover When Things Go Wrong, a conversational introduction to business continuity enjoyed by CBCP practitioners and business owners alike. Erika is also a professor of emergency management for the MPA program at the University of Texas at El Paso.
Healthcare in a disaster is a basic need that brings many challenges. To achieve success in a disaster, much time and preparation and planning needs to be accomplished before a disaster strikes. In this podcast we have a wide-ranging discussion with Tom Cotter, MPH, executive director of Healthcare Ready Tom brings more than a decade of global health readiness and response expertise to expand the nonprofit’s mission-driven work addressing health equity.
During his 15-year career as a public health and emergency management professional, Cotter has piloted and launched innovative international strategies to localize emergency response operations and build sustainable response functions worldwide.
Cotter holds a Master of Public Health degree from Boston University School of Public Health, a certificate from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Public and Community Service Studies at Providence College. He also attended the University of the Philippines as part of an international research team focused on the socioeconomic determinants of health and has served as an emergency response coordinator for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services since 2013.
During the podcast Tom referenced a previous podcast, Myths on Public Behavior in Disaster Movies which is linked here. And, the issue of supply chain and blood supply was mentioned, and another previous Disaster Zone Podcast on that topic, Blood Donations, Disasters and Covid-19.
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.
El Paso, like many border jurisdictions, works to maintain good working relationships with their cross-border international neighbors. What makes it much more challenging is the mass migration of immigrants that has occurred in recent years, beginning in 2019. Jorge Rodriguez, the podcast guest is the Emergency Management Director for the El Paso City-County Office of Emergency Management. He has held that position for over seven years. He leads the Office of Emergency Management’s mission to cultivate a resilient community through collaborative partnerships to prevent, prepare, mitigate, respond and recover from large-scale emergencies and disasters. The podcast discusses their challenge of emergency management’s role in dealing with the influx of migrants. Jorge also highlights his belief that emergency management is moving to a stage of our profession where we need to be transitioning from an “all-hazards” approach to one that is “all-crisis.” This is because we are being called upon to provide leadership in areas that have not been emergency management’s domain.
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.
Emergency management and crisis leadership demand more than technical skills and knowledge in today’s fast-paced and complex world. To better access information on demand, make appropriate decisions, and lead most effectively, it is essential to understand how the brain works. A critical cognitive skill set known as executive function (EF) is at the heart of effective decision-making in high-pressure situations.
Leaders with robust EF skills are at a distinct advantage. They are better equipped to make informed decisions under pressure and navigate the intricacies of contemporary organizational landscapes and global challenges. EF is especially critical in crisis management and high-stakes decision-making scenarios where clarity of thought and efficient action can be game-changers.
The podcast Guest is Kim Guevara, MA Founder and CEO at MOZAIK Solutions Kim has 25 years’ experience in emergency management, homeland security, and development. She has provided services to all levels of government, the U.S. military, and the private and non-profit sectors. Kim’s combined experience in emergency/crisis management, health community initiatives in humanitarian crises, and organizational leadership also led her to co-create the Crisis Athlete™ program. At its core, the program challenges, questions, and envisions new, more sustainable pathways for crisis leaders to think about resilience by leveraging and applying the power of neuroscience at the individual, organizational, and community levels. You can read about this topic here: Executive Function: The Crisis Leader’s Edge in a High-Pressure World.
For more brain tools see www.crisisathlete.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.
A recent cascade of solar flares and coronal mass ejections has ignited vibrant auroras, stretching as far south as Alabama and Northern California. However, alongside this spectacle comes the potential for disruptions to Earth's communications systems throughout the upcoming weekend. This special rebroadcast episode covers "space weather".
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.
Since 2020 John Carr and Samantha Montano have been studying disaster movies and how they influence the public’s perceptions of disasters. Multiple researchers attributed the prevalence of disaster myths to disaster movies, but no empirical studies had supported or refuted that claim.
John Carr is a disaster Researcher and Educator out of Kansas City, Missouri. John's research interests include citizen engagement in disasters, CERT teams, rural emergency management, and disaster movies. John is an Emergency Management Analyst at Argonne National Laboratory, and also serves as Executive Director for the Consortium for Humanitarian Service and Education. His doctoral dissertation was on Disaster Movies and the Perception of Human Behavior Myths in Disasters. It can be found and accessed at: https://digitalcommons.jsu.edu/etds_dissertations/18/.
This podcast focuses on his research and findings concerning the impact of disaster movies on public perceptions of what will happen in a disaster.
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 emergency management community and average citizens are always interested in the disaster response aspect of a catastrophe. That interest fades dramatically as a disaster transitions to the recovery phase. With that in mind, this podcast takes a more in-depth look at the policy implications of the recovery phase of the Maui Firestorm of 2023. The guest for this podcast is Luke Meyers, the Disaster Management Coordinator for the State of Hawaii, who works for the Governor. For the Maui disaster he is the State Disaster Recovery Coordinator.
Previously Luke has worked in local emergency management at the city and county levels, serving as a planner, mitigation planner and city emergency management director. He previously served as the Hawaii State Emergency Management Director. You can listen to a previous podcast with Luke at Hawaii Emergency Management.
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.
In this podcast Pete Gaynor, the immediate past Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator and Acting Secretary of Homeland Security shares his experiences and ideas on how to hire staff at all levels. He put a special emphasis on hiring and was personally involved in the selection process for senior positions at FEMA.
Today he continues to lead by hosting training sessions on “Leading During Crisis.” You can learn more about that at his website, www.femapete.com There are both in-person and on-line options for attending.
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.
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 have a wide-ranging discussion about the importance of weather to business and government operations around the world. Getting actionable weather forecasts has never been more important. We learn how these forecasts can be both pinpoint and actionable by incorporating what is about to happen with your operational procedures to both protect people and property.
The podcast guest is Jonathan Porter, who is AccuWeather’s Senior Vice President, Weather Content and Forecast Operations and Chief Meteorologist. He is one of AccuWeather’s most accomplished subject matter experts. In this key leadership role, he blends his background in meteorology, weather news, and information technology to oversee AccuWeather’s team of over 100 highly experienced expert meteorologists, including some of the most gifted and talented weather forecasters assembled from around the world.
Jon is also a broadcast meteorologist, routinely appearing on the AccuWeather Network as well as thousands of media interviews on major networks all around the world on a wide variety of weather and climate topics.
Jon joined AccuWeather in 2004, after graduating from Pennsylvania State University with a degree in Meteorology and minor in Information Technology. He has held a series of demanding and progressively more responsible positions within the company.
A Connecticut native, Jon has always been interested in weather and decided that he wanted to be a meteorologist in the fourth grade. Growing up, he was always fascinated with East Coast snowstorms.
Jon is a Professional Member of the American Meteorological Society. He was appointed and served 7 years on the US government National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Environmental Information Services Working group, a federal advisory committee. Jon frequently delivers presentations at conferences and professional meetings – specifically focused on the exchange of weather data and 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.
Take any emergency or disaster and you will find that communications is the key ingredient that needs to be present to have a successful outcome. Communications systems are changing rapidly to become lighter with more capabilities, including linking people and organizations with satellites. This is the topic for this podcast. Note, during the recording of this podcast we had our own “communications issues” that we had to work through by using a redundant communications system.
Ivan Ruiz, the podcast guest is the Mission Operations Manager at Somewear Labs, a critical communications platform empowering the world’s most important organizations to communicate and coordinate during dynamic operations. Ivan works directly with Somewear Labs’ customers, from Special Operations Forces to first responders across the country.
Prior to Somewear Labs, Ivan spent over 26 years as a Pararescueman in the United States Air Force, retiring at the highest enlisted rank, Chief Master Sergeant. Through his extraordinary heroism, valor, and bravery in combat, Ivan was awarded the Air Force Cross, the second highest military decoration, and three Bronze Stars with Valor. Ivan is a graduate of Grand Canyon University where he received his Bachelors of Science in Emergency Management. Ivan also received his Masters at Arkansas State University in Emergency Management and Disaster Preparedness.
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.
It is not often that the host of the Disaster zone Podcast learns about an organization that has the depth and breadth of International SOS, and not had any background on the organization before this podcast recording. Based on the guest’s experience with the federal government in multiple high-level positions, you will find this podcast of great interest.
Josh Dozor is General Manager, Medical and Security Assistance Services servicing the Americas at International SOS where he is responsible for the oversight and delivery of assistance services. Josh oversees the integration and delivery of international operations, medical teams, security, and a global assistance network in the Philadelphia Assistance Center, one of 26 around the world. In this capacity, International SOS provides a variety of essential services for its clients around the global including medical advice and referrals, evacuations, repatriation, international travel, and domestic workforce resilience missions.
Prior to joining International SOS, he spent 13 years with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), most recently serving as the Deputy Assistant Administrator for Response, where he led an organization responsible for coordinating the federal operational response to all threats and hazards to deliver capabilities needed to save and sustain lives, minimize suffering, and protect property in a timely and effective manner.
Prior to his service at FEMA, he served as the Director of Preparedness Policy for the White House Homeland Security Council. In this capacity, he developed and coordinated the administration’s policies and programs related to homeland security preparedness assistance, communications, planning, and doctrine.
Josh began his government service with the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Science and Technology within the House of Representatives Majority Committee on Homeland Security. He holds a Juris Doctorate from the Widener University Law School, Wilmington, Del. and a Master’s Degree in Public Health and Homeland Security from the Pennsylvania State University.
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 National Weather Service (NWS) and their Forecast Offices around the nation are key partners for the broader emergency management community. Because of their role in natural disasters, that always have a weather-related connection, we need to have a close working relationship between the two professions. This podcast provides for a wide-ranging discussion of all things related to NWS and forecasting the weather.
The podcast guest is Tanja Fransen who has been with NOAA/ National Weather Service for almost 30 years, starting while a college student at the University of Northern Colorado. For the last 19 months she's been the Meteorologist-in-Charge (MIC) at the NWS Forecast Office in Portland, OR where she leads a team of up to 28 talented scientists and technicians who are striving to build a weather and climate ready nation.
She served on the council for the American Meteorological Society (AMS) from 2017-2020, and was the 2021 AMS Annual Meeting co-chair, bringing in nearly 5000 attendees, and the first time ever as a virtual conference. She was recently elected as a "Fellow" of the AMS in 2024 for outstanding contributions to the field of meteorology. She currently chairs the Major Weather Impacts session at the annual meeting.
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.
Do you ever feel like you don’t have the time or resources to accomplish everything that you are being asked to accomplish? If you are an emergency manager or working in another demanding profession, this is a very common feeling. We explore some personal solutions in this podcast. Meg Davis is a Certified Life and Health Coach with Windows Health Clinic based in Sonoma County, California, but has worked with clients around the world who specializes in helping driven, motivated high achieving professionals break down the barriers that are holding you hostage from achieving your highest potential. Before becoming a coach, Meg worked in several high-pressure industries including emergency air medical services and finance. As a coach, she helps her clients to establish a successful mindset, identify the goals in their lives that are most important to them, and develop a strategy that is tailored to their strengths and vision of success. You can learn more about her by visiting her website at: www.windowshealthclinic.com/coaching.
She has a new program called Excellence without Exhaustion: Your solution for reaching your full potential in your life, career, productivity and success without exhausting yourself. This program is designed with driven, motivated high achievers in mind to help guide them to their full potential without all the pressure that super high standards, always taking on more work, never taking the time to celebrate their achievements, and all of the other expectations they feel are required for them to achieve the levels of success they know they're capable of.
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 only has to watch or read the national news to see crisis communications being practiced. It could be a train derailment, a poor response by a government to a disaster, or a politician or well-known personality being pilloried in the press for something they are accused of saying or doing. In those situations you need to know something about crisis communications, the topic of this podcast.
This episode's guest is Nathan is the CEO and Founder of Miller Ink, a full-service, award-winning strategic communications firm in Los Angeles. He is a communications strategist who brings novel insights into the burgeoning crisis management field. Nathan’s services are sought out by executives at the highest levels of business, government, and the nonprofit world. He has helped hundreds of organizations tell their stories better and navigate complex issues and crises around the globe. Throughout the years, Nathan has worked to steer clients through difficult situations and educate attorneys and business professionals on crisis management techniques and best practices.
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 emergency management workforce of today continues to evolve, as does the necessary training and experience needed to be a fully qualified emergency manager. In this podcast Robin Lindsay is interviewed about what she has seen and is seeing as the workforce matures and also transitions to a new generation of leaders. Robin has a unique background in that she started in emergency management, transitioned to being a first responder/emergency manager, and then dove deep into training and education. She is currently a Faculty Member for the FEMA National Emergency Management Advanced Academy (NEMAA). Additionally, she is an Emergency Management Training & Exercise Consultant – Specializing in NERP/SERP (National and State level) Emergency Repatriation Exercise Programs and AAR development.
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.
This podcast is about how artificial intelligence (AI) is being used to promote disaster resilience in communities threatened by wildfire. Guy Bayes, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) works at Vibrant Planet where he is focused on using data and AI to power natural climate solutions management, in order to mitigate and roll back climate change. Guy is an engineering leader with twenty years of experience in the data space. He has built and led engineering organizations at some of Silicon Valley's top organizations, including Lyft, Facebook, and Lawrence Livermore National Labs, in addition to founding and growing copious startups. His use of the term “machine learning” (ML) is one we all might want to adopt for when we address audiences with what we are trying to do with this new technology.
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.
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.
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.
Regulating artificial intelligence needs to be accomplished at different levels of government and within the business community. The guest for this podcast is a subject matter expert on this topic. Dominique Shelton Leipzig is the author of Trust: Responsible AI, Innovation, Privacy and Data Leadership, her fourth book. She is currently a privacy and cybersecurity partner at Mayer Brown, where she is the leader of the firm’s global data innovation team, counseling CEOs and board members on smart digital governance. Her 2020 policy op-ed calling for an Executive Order to solve the cross-border privacy EU stand-off was recently followed by the Biden Administration in a new executive order. She founded the Digital Trust Summit for CEOs and board members to reimagine data governance. She co-founded NxtWork, dedicated to diversifying the C-Suite and boardroom. She’s a board member of the AI Governance Center and the International Association of Privacy Professionals and is certified in privacy and board governance. Here’s a link to a story on the Presidential Executive Order, Biden Signs Executive Order Regulating Artificial Intelligence
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 specialistLinda 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Magazine
Gaynor 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. On that note, here is the link to the book that I mentioned during the podcast, Failing Forward: Turning Failures into Stepping Stones for Success.
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. It all starts with America’s largest, fastest, and now according to a third-party rating service umlaut, it is the most reliable 5G network, as well as the tools that help you take advantage of 5G. T-Mobile offers an amazing customer experience and outstanding value—with no tradeoffs. They have the most reliable 5G according to umlaut based on crowdsourced user experience data (Sept 2020 to Feb 2021). They also have the fastest 5G according to Opensignal Awards based on average speeds (USA: 5G User Experience Report April 2021). See 5G device, coverage, & access details at T-Mobile.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.
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. It all starts with America’s largest, fastest, and now according to a third-party rating service umlaut, it is the most reliable 5G network, as well as the tools that help you take advantage of 5G. T-Mobile offers an amazing customer experience and outstanding value—with no tradeoffs. They have the most reliable 5G according to umlaut based on crowdsourced user experience data (Sept 2020 to Feb 2021). They also have the fastest 5G according to Opensignal Awards based on average speeds (USA: 5G User Experience Report April 2021). See 5G device, coverage, & access details at T-Mobile.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.
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.
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.
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.
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. It all starts with America’s largest, fastest, and now according to a third-party rating service umlaut, it is the most reliable 5G network, as well as the tools that help you take advantage of 5G. T-Mobile offers an amazing customer experience and outstanding value—with no tradeoffs. They have the most reliable 5G according to umlaut based on crowdsourced user experience data (Sept 2020 to Feb 2021). They also have the fastest 5G according to Opensignal Awards based on average speeds (USA: 5G User Experience Report April 2021). See 5G device, coverage, & access details at T-Mobile.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.
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.
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.
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.
Many first responder agencies have chaplains who work with them. They go to the scenes of emergencies and disasters. They minister to people both residents and the actual firefighters and law enforcement officers. In this podcast I interview Mike Ryan, who is the Bellevue Washington State Fire Department Chaplain. Mike has many years of experience and service. Together we discuss how people end up being chaplains, what type of person is effective and then which personalities don’t cut the mustard and soon are not aligned with a department. You will find this a very informative discussion about their role and function in supporting agencies. 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. It all starts with America’s largest, fastest, and now according to a third-party rating service umlaut, it is the most reliable 5G network, as well as the tools that help you take advantage of 5G. T-Mobile offers an amazing customer experience and outstanding value—with no tradeoffs. They have the most reliable 5G according to umlaut based on crowdsourced user experience data (Sept 2020 to Feb 2021). They also have the fastest 5G according to Opensignal Awards based on average speeds (USA: 5G User Experience Report April 2021). See 5G device, coverage, & access details at T-Mobile.com.
Volunteer organizations who support disasters come in many different types and sizes. One such organization is The Soup Ladies who feed first responders when they are deployed on missions. These can be search and rescue missions, evidence processing of crime scenes or any other disaster response where first responders are present. The guest for this podcast is Ginger Passarelli, the Executive Director for The Soup Ladies. In the podcast we discover how this volunteer passion evolved and what types of services they provide. This is a great example of one person with a vision who has now been joined by others in making a difference in the lives of fire, law enforcement, emergency medical services and others.
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.
When we send our children and grandchildren off to school we expect that they are going to a safe place. In Washington State that might not be true. In this podcast the guest is Jim Buck, a former Washington State legislator. He has a passion for emergency management and when he discovered the status school seismic safety in his state he set off to change that. Besides listening to this podcast you can go to the website Seismic Safety for Kids to learn more. If you live in Washington State, your next actions are critical. Call and email your city, county and state elected officials, your school principals, school district and then contact the respective Parent Teacher Association (PTA) to tell them to take action. If you don’t live in Washington, then take a moment to find out about the status of your own schools where you live. Earthquake hazards are everywhere and we have a large number of old school buildings. If they are old and brick, they could be at risk.
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.
There are all different types of volunteer teams. 4X4 search and rescue; horse search and rescue; drone teams; cadaver dogs; search dogs; mountain rescue teams—and then there is a Volunteer Boater Disaster Team. In this podcast we explore how one city, Bainbridge Island, Washington State has established and organized a volunteer flotilla of boat owners to help in times of disasters. Tami Allen, Harbormaster for the Bainbridge Police Department is interviewed about how this team of volunteer boaters functions and what missions they can be called upon to perform. The Netflix 9/11 Boatlift Video (12 min.) that is mentioned in the podcast is linked here.
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. It all starts with America’s largest, fastest, and now according to a third-party rating service umlaut, it is the most reliable 5G network, as well as the tools that help you take advantage of 5G. T-Mobile offers an amazing customer experience and outstanding value—with no tradeoffs. They have the most reliable 5G according to umlaut based on crowdsourced user experience data (Sept 2020 to Feb 2021). They also have the fastest 5G according to Opensignal Awards based on average speeds (USA: 5G User Experience Report April 2021). See 5G device, coverage, & access details at T-Mobile.com.
13 states have either a State Resilience Officer or a Chief Resilience Officer. In this podcast we have an interview with Mike Harryman, State Resilience Officer for the State of Oregon. Besides the pandemic, Oregon has had several other major disasters, including the largest wildfire in its history and a historic heatwave that killed scores of people. All of the above caused the state to do a series of after-action reports that led to a restructuring of the emergency management function in the state. Those topics and more are covered in this engaging discussion with a national leader in disaster resilience policy.
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.
The COVID-19 Pandemic has caused all types of stresses on people and organizations. The guest for this podcast is Dr. Kira Mauseth who is a practicing clinical psychologist, splitting her professional time between seeing patients at Snohomish Psychology Associates, teaching as a Senior Instructor at Seattle University and serving as a co-lead for the Behavioral Health Strike Team for the WA State Department of Health. Her work and research interests focus on resilience and recovery from trauma as well as disaster behavioral health. In this podcast we look at the impacts of the pandemic on behavioral health, for citizens, responders and medical personnel. She also shares the coping measures people can use to deal with the mental stresses coming from the pandemic.This episode is sponsored by The Blue Cell, 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.
Amateur radio is emergency management’s last best hope for maintaining communications in a disaster when all other systems fail. This podcast is an interview with two leaders from the Seattle Auxiliary Communications Service (Seattle ACS) Tim helming and Catherine Middleton-Hardie. Seattle ACS supports the Seattle Office of Emergency Management In my experience, they are one of the premier organizations of their type. In the podcast you will learn all about the different types of amateur radio organizations, the equipment, frequencies and wide variety of missions and activities that amateur radio operators support. And, a bit about how Seattle ACS is organized and maintains their operational readiness.
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. It all starts with America’s largest, fastest, and now according to a third-party rating service umlaut, it is the most reliable 5G network, as well as the tools that help you take advantage of 5G. T-Mobile offers an amazing customer experience and outstanding value—with no tradeoffs. They have the most reliable 5G according to umlaut based on crowdsourced user experience data (Sept 2020 to Feb 2021). They also have the fastest 5G according to Opensignal Awards based on average speeds (USA: 5G User Experience Report April 2021). See 5G device, coverage, & access details at T-Mobile.com.
We are seeing climate impacts across the world and here in the United States. In this podcast we look more deeply at those impacts and how people and governments are reacting. Anna Marandi, Program Manager of Climate Resilience and Sustainability with the National League of Cities is the guest. The changing climate is impacting where people choose to live and work. Actual climate migration is factoring into decisions being made as people leave disaster prone areas for other states—perhaps, not investigating what the disaster and climate risks are in those places. Cities have opportunities to leverage federal funding to improve their disaster resilience, all the while some continue to be driven by the need for continued growth to allow new construction where it puts property and people in harm’s way.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
The COVID-19 Pandemic was a learning experience for everyone. A key
player in helping businesses and governments continue to function was the Information
Telecommunications (IT) departments. In this Disaster Zone Podcast I interview Linda
Gerull, Executive Director for the Department of Technology for the City and County of
San Francisco. She describes how they helped departments provide services in the
Bay Area. Additionally, in the first half of the podcast we talk about IT support of
emergency management in general and how technology support of government and
the emergency management function is evolving.
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.
Texas is a big state with big disasters. In this interview I also found Nim Kidd, Texas Emergency Management Chief to have big ideas. One of the longest serving state level emergency management directors in the United States he brings a wealth of information to this podcast. I learned a lot from interviewing Nim and hearing his answers to questions that I posed. We also learn how emergency management has become part of the university system in Texas and the benefits that come with that organizational alignment. I trust you too will come away with new ideas and a new perspective on Texas when it comes to disasters and their readiness for them.This episode is sponsored by The Blue Cell, 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.
Our maritime and aviation ports are critical to the commerce of the United States. Recently the importance of marine ports has been highlighted as challenges in the supply chain have been evident. In this podcast Ryan Calkins, Port Commissioner for the Port of Seattle shares information on the role of port commissioners, but also the scale of the operation in running both a maritime port and the major airport in the Pacific Northwest, SeaTac Airport. These facilities are critical infrastructure and key to future economic development!
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
Wildfires have dominated the disaster news, especially in the West, due to the extended drought and then extreme temperatures impacting the ability of wildfires to be really huge, covering large tracts of land that can be larger than some states. One tool used to fight these fires are aviation assets, to include helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. This podcast does a deep dive into the type of organizations and aircraft used to fight wildfires, especially with fire retardant. Nicholas Lynn, Vice President of Operations for Neptune Aviation Services walks us through what they provide as services, the aircraft, crews and more. He also explains the strategy for when to use water and when to use fire retardant and how it is employed.
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.
Pets are part of the family. They come in a variety of types of animals, birds, reptiles, and they sometimes get more attention than other two-legged members of the family. When disasters strike, they are just as easily impacted as humans. In this podcast we explore what people can do before a disaster to protect their pets and then what to do when a disaster does strike. Sharon Hawa, a Senior Strategist with Best Friends Network Partners is the guest on 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. It all starts with America’s largest, fastest, and now according to a third-party rating service umlaut, it is the most reliable 5G network, as well as the tools that help you take advantage of 5G. T-Mobile offers an amazing customer experience and outstanding value—with no tradeoffs. They have the most reliable 5G according to umlaut based on crowdsourced user experience data (Sept 2020 to Feb 2021). They also have the fastest 5G according to Opensignal Awards based on average speeds (USA: 5G User Experience Report April 2021). See 5G device, coverage, & access details at T-Mobile.com.
It is an unfortunate truth that mass shootings are becoming much more common. In this podcast we learn about the deadliest mass shooting in the history of the United States, the Las Vegas Mass Shooting event in 2017. My guest is Carolyn Levering, Emergency Management Director for the City of Las Vegas. She provides a compelling account for what happened and then the aftermath of the incident. There are number of lessons to be learned from listening to this podcast, to include—be ready for an increase hacking of your jurisdiction’s IT systems.
This episode is sponsored by The Blue Cell, 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.
This Disaster Zone podcast is an interview with Brian Hastings, Director, Alabama Emergency Management Agency As such he is a member of the Governor’s Cabinet and the senior official responsible for all phases of emergency management. In the podcast we learn about the hazards that Alabama faces, e.g. more tornadoes than any other state, the composition of his agency and the jurisdictional make-up of the state. Technology, the pandemic, and disaster resilience are only a few of the other topics touched on in this interview.
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.
In today’s podcast I have a conversation with Gordon Graham a nationally and internationally known speaker on the topic of risk and risk management. I have heard Gordon speak several times and he is very knowledgeable and engaging. Our discussion covers a multitude of topics from Black Swan events, disaster planning and how to write procedures among many others. You can review Gordon’s Reading List at the link provided. During the podcast he mentions two books in particular, Amanda Ripley’s The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why and then also Michele Wucker’s book, The Gray Rhino: How to Recognize and Act on the Obvious Dangers We Ignore If you want to listen to another Disaster Zone Podcast on risk, here’s a link to the one I did earlier this year with Michele Wucker, Personal and Organizational Risk Management.
This episode is sponsored by The Blue Cell, 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.
Eight counties in Western Washington State have banded together to do regional planning. The effort has been funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant (RCPG) A 2019 grant is being administered for the region by Snohomish County’s Department of Emergency Management Jason Biermann, Director for the county is interviewed in this podcast about how the RCPG grant process works for the eight counties and then he provides details on the CPODs project itself. They are employing GIS extensively to map population islands that will need supporting. Equity is one of the criteria they are using to determine where needs will be greater.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
New York City is a complex place in which to work within public safety. In the middle of it all is the 911 system that receives calls from citizens and dispatches first responder resources. In this podcast I interview Chris Carver, a former Chief Dispatcher and Director of Fire Dispatch Operations for the New York City Fire Department where he helped to coordinate the response to some of New York City’s largest disasters. We discuss the status of 911 systems in general and dominance of technology that increasingly is being used within 911 systems. Additionally, we talk about how New York City and other communities can work to become more disaster resilient. Today Chris is Hexagon’s Director of Sales for the Eastern United States.
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. It all starts with America’s largest, fastest, and now according to a third-party rating service umlaut, it is the most reliable 5G network, as well as the tools that help you take advantage of 5G. T-Mobile offers an amazing customer experience and outstanding value—with no tradeoffs. They have the most reliable 5G according to umlaut based on crowdsourced user experience data (Sept 2020 to Feb 2021). They also have the fastest 5G according to Opensignal Awards based on average speeds (USA: 5G User Experience Report April 2021). See 5G device, coverage, & access details at T-Mobile.com.
Monica Sanders is a Georgetown University professor. Previously, she was a Senior Committee Counsel for both the House of Representatives and Senate Committees on Homeland Security. In this podcast we do deep dive into the legislative process of the Congress of the United States. The role of committee chairpersons and their staff is explored, along with the way in which bills are introduced in Congress and move through the legislative process. The role of committee staff is discussed. The importance of the Budget and Rules Committees is also highlighted. What can you do to influence the making of laws at the national level is also addressed.
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. It all starts with America’s largest, fastest, and now according to a third-party rating service umlaut, it is the most reliable 5G network, as well as the tools that help you take advantage of 5G. T-Mobile offers an amazing customer experience and outstanding value—with no tradeoffs. They have the most reliable 5G according to umlaut based on crowdsourced user experience data (Sept 2020 to Feb 2021). They also have the fastest 5G according to Opensignal Awards based on average speeds (USA: 5G User Experience Report April 2021). See 5G device, coverage, & access details at T-Mobile.com.
Alert and warning is one of the primary functions for emergency management agencies and first responders. You first need to detect the hazard, but then you need different ways to issue a warning. This then is the topic of this podcast with Matthew Straeb with Alert FM In the podcast we discuss the pros and cons of different technology tools being used today to issue warnings. I strongly believe that you need more than one method and if you are looking to warn people of an earthquake, I think the only reasonable tool to use today in tandem with ShakeAlert is Alert FM because of the speed with which warnings can be sent. I particularly believe in getting the alert signal sent to equipment that can automatically take actions to protect facilities, equipment and people. Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) are just not fast enough.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
The Disaster Zone podcast guest is John Scardena who hosts the Disaster Tough Podcast and also heads up Doberman EMG a consulting firm specializing in supporting government emergency management programs. In this podcast we have a wide-ranging discussion on a variety of emergency management topics from ranging from GIS to other technologies and how to address the integration of new technologies into an organization. He talks about “failing fast” with tech.
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.
All forms of science can be beneficial to people working in the emergency management and disaster related fields of endeavor. However, when it comes to working with people and their relationship and thoughts about all phases of disasters, it is the social sciences that can help us most understand and communicate with the people and populations we serve. Lori Peek, a professor in the Department of Sociology and director of the Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado Boulder is the guest for this podcast. We run through a gamut of question about not only the center, but also why people behave like they do during disasters. She points to some of the excellent resources that the Natural Hazards Center has to offer. It is about time we start taking advantage of the research that has already been done!
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. It all starts with America’s largest, fastest, and now according to a third-party rating service umlaut, it is the most reliable 5G network, as well as the tools that help you take advantage of 5G. T-Mobile offers an amazing customer experience and outstanding value—with no tradeoffs. They have the most reliable 5G according to umlaut based on crowdsourced user experience data (Sept 2020 to Feb 2021). They also have the fastest 5G according to Opensignal Awards based on average speeds (USA: 5G User Experience Report April 2021). See 5G device, coverage, & access details at T-Mobile.com.
Training has moved beyond the classroom and is predominantly being done on line in the COVID Pandemic environment we are in. Todd Manns, the founder of The Blue Cell is this week’s guest. In the podcast we hear about their lessons learned from moving to a virtual environment for Incident Command System (ICS) training. Additionally, they are starting up a totally new training series of classes that provide individual position training for ICS Command Positions. What is unique is that they are providing individual mentorship beyond the actual instruction and doing it on an “on call” basis. This can be particularly helpful for people new to ICS or moving into these command positions.
This episode is sponsored by The Blue Cell, 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.
This Disaster Zone Podcast is a very interesting interview with Tom Moran who was instrumental in managing the early stages of the All Hazards Consortium One of the key messages Tom shared was to let the private sector lead public-private efforts. Government endeavors just don’t seem to survive changes in leadership and funding. Then, in the guts of the podcast we discuss his experiences in electrical power restoration from a coordination perspective. He developed some creative solution in coordination with others to assist power companies suffering power outages leveraging the help from other power companies next door and even many states away.
This episode is sponsored by The Blue Cell, 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.
Technology is dominating almost every aspect of our lives. It was not that long ago that emergency management and first responder agencies operated with just hardline phones and radios. Today it is a whole new ballgame. Unfortunately, many organizations have purchased technology that they are only using a small fraction of its capacity. In this podcast we explore how organizations can get the most out of the technology that they already own. It is not about buying a new system or dashboard tool, it really starts with having a vision and governance. Chris Mcintosh, Bent Ear Solutions is my guest and he walks us through some practical ideas for how we can get more out of what we already have when it comes to technology.
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.
The State of Hawaii has a unique geographical location among all states—an island state! This podcast is an interview with Luke Meyers, the Emergency Management Director for the state of Hawaii. We discuss the hazards the state faces and also their jurisdictional arrangement with a total of four counties. There is a brief discussion of the botched “the missiles are coming” warning along with other topics of interest. Think about the impact to their economy when COVID-19 stopped the influx of 35-40K tourists coming to the state. At one point they had only 150 arrivals in one day. Supply chain dependencies and being reliant on shipping for all your goods is another dynamic they have to deal with.
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. It all starts with America’s largest, fastest, and now according to a third-party rating service umlaut, it is the most reliable 5G network, as well as the tools that help you take advantage of 5G. T-Mobile offers an amazing customer experience and outstanding value—with no tradeoffs. They have the most reliable 5G according to umlaut based on crowdsourced user experience data (Sept 2020 to Feb 2021). They also have the fastest 5G according to Opensignal Awards based on average speeds (USA: 5G User Experience Report April 2021). See 5G device, coverage, & access details at T-Mobile.com.
Land Mobile Radio (LMR) systems remain the backbone of communications for first responders across the spectrum of agencies and disciplines. In this Disaster Zone Podcast Todd Perdieu, Vice President of Products and strategy with L3Harris provides information on how LMR systems function. He goes into more depth about the challenges of coordinating radio spectrum issues in the design of new systems. Lastly, he touches on the design and specifications for new handheld responder radios capable of functioning in an all-weather environment with both voice and data capabilities. One thing Eric Holdeman learned about was L3Harris’ experience with providing military communications equipment to the United States military services.
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.
Building for disaster resilience requires a concerted effort to build disaster resilient buildings with new building materials and siting buildings in the right location to limit the impact of natural hazards. Evan Reis, Executive Director for the US Resiliency Council shares how they are working to improve building codes and construction methods and processes. He also touches on how equity and social justice can be applied to the construction of disaster resistant buildings. The book Resilience—The Ultimate Sustainability is mentioned as a reference for you. Lastly, if you like this podcast you can hear more from Evan via a Webinar you can find at this link The Pathway to Resilience and Carbon Neutrality.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
One segment of our community that is using drones more and more includes the television media. This podcast is an interview with Greg Thies, News Operations Manager at King Television in Seattle, a NBC affiliate. In this podcast we learn about what the safety and operational protocols are in use to provide the safe operation of drones by the media. There is also information on how they approach working with first responders when they arrive on a disaster site. The working relationship between media and the broader emergency management community can always be improved by communicating about what each organization is looking to achieve.
This episode is sponsored by The Blue Cell, 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.
T-Mobile is now the second largest wireless carrier in the United States. Their recent merger with Sprint has given them some significant advantages in coverage and emergency and disaster capabilities. This interview is with Craig Martinez, a public safety advisor to T-Mobile with a long background in law enforcement. In the interview we discuss the many strong attributes that T-Mobile now has to support first responder agencies, police and fire—including being able to provide free cellular service in some instances, based on the wireless plan selected.
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. It all starts with America’s largest, fastest, and now according to a third-party rating service umlaut, it is the most reliable 5G network, as well as the tools that help you take advantage of 5G. T-Mobile offers an amazing customer experience and outstanding value—with no tradeoffs. They have the most reliable 5G according to umlaut based on crowdsourced user experience data (Sept 2020 to Feb 2021). They also have the fastest 5G according to Opensignal Awards based on average speeds (USA: 5G User Experience Report April 2021). See 5G device, coverage, & access details at T-Mobile.com.
Los Angeles World Airports, which includes LAX is the 3rd busiest airport in the world by passenger volume. In this podcast I interview Justin Pierce who is the Emergency Management Director there. We talk about the challenges and opportunities he faces with such a large enterprise system. Besides going into the details of his emergency management program we also discuss the future of the emergency management profession to include NextGen Emergency Managers.
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.
While climate change and disasters are mentioned frequently in the popular media, most of the information being shared is about climate mitigation that has to do with reducing the amount of carbon being emitted into the atmosphere. There is little discussion of climate adaptation. This podcast looks specifically at adaption as a strategy that can be implemented now and can provide immediate results to reduce climate related damages. George Haddow, Senior Advisor with Adaptation Leader is the guest.
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. It all starts with America’s largest, fastest, and now according to a third-party rating service umlaut, it is the most reliable 5G network, as well as the tools that help you take advantage of 5G. T-Mobile offers an amazing customer experience and outstanding value—with no tradeoffs. They have the most reliable 5G according to umlaut based on crowdsourced user experience data (Sept 2020 to Feb 2021). They also have the fastest 5G according to Opensignal Awards based on average speeds (USA: 5G User Experience Report April 2021). See 5G device, coverage, & access details at T-Mobile.com.
There are more and more women entering the profession of emergency management or thinking about a career in this field. This podcast is an interview with Curry Mayer, Director, City of Seattle’s Office of Emergency Management. Curry has worked in both California and in Washington State as an emergency manager and also worked as a consultant. In this interview we talk about the opportunities and challenges that come with the profession and also how women can make a difference working in this field of endeavor. There are more and more opportunities for women to excel in the field of emergency management as shown by Deanne Criswell being the first Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator.
This episode is sponsored by The Blue Cell, 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.
There are earthquake risks in about every corner of the United States. This podcast looks at earthquakes in Western Washington State. Bill Steele, Director of Communications and Outreach at University of Washington, Pacific Northwest Seismic Network is interviewed. In addition to talking about plate tectonics and the three different types of earthquakes the region is subject to, there is a discussion about the most recent work to institute a ShakeAlert System here in Washington State.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
Everyone has a boss. Emergency managers are no exception. Sometimes the position of emergency manager reports to a senior appointed official like the public works director or the fire chief. Others report directly to an elected official, mayor, fire chief or county commissioners. I was fortunate to work for a senior appointed official—a Deputy County Executive. This podcast is an interview with Paul Tanaka, my former boss. In this episode I probe Paul, who is retired now, for information about how he viewed emergency management as a function and what the relationship should be between an emergency manager and his direct supervisor. I also asked Mr. Tanaka about people who think that being an emergency management director brought with it certain political risks for their employment that they are concerned about.
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.
Food insecurity is a huge issue in the United States, and it got worst during the coronavirus pandemic. One organization at the center of coordinating and providing food to people who need it is Feeding America. This podcast is an interview with Vince Davis, Director of Disasters Services for Feeding America. In our conversation we discuss their role in providing support to day-to-day food bank operations throughout the United States. Then, we also go into the role the organization plays in disasters. The coordination that is needed by governments with state and local food banks is something that Vince emphasizes. The goal is to have these relationships in place before there is a disaster.
This episode is sponsored by The Blue Cell, 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.
Michele Wucker is an author, speaker and strategist on the topic of risk. Her most recent book is You Are What You Risk: The New Art and Science of Navigating an Uncertain World
This podcast interviews her about her expertise and questions are centered on topics of interest to individuals and emergency managers when it comes to disasters. This would be an excellent text for courses in emergency management to educate people on the topic of risk, so we can manage it ourselves and address programmatic and public education efforts with a more informed position.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
In this podcast we learn about the National Health Security Preparedness Index This index gets an annual update and looks at the public health readiness of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. The show’s guest is Glen Mays, Professor and Chair, Department of Health Systems, Management & Policy, Colorado School of Public Health. We discuss what criteria is used to achieve ratings and how over 200 data points are used to achieve a state-by-state rating. Additionally, we look at the pandemic and what it showed about public health readiness and plans to improve the functioning of the index. The new 2021 index will launch on June 9, 2021.
This episode is sponsored by The Blue Cell, 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.
If you are going to invest time, energy and money into becoming more disaster resilient, what type of effort are you putting into the social capital of your community or organization? Daniel Aldrich, Director of the Resilience and Security Studies Program at Northeastern University shares in this podcast the importance of investing in social capital and how it can pay huge dividends. Having survived losing his home and all his possessions during Hurricane Katrina, he has some practical knowledge about the topic of social capital in disasters. His most recent book is Black Wave: How Networks and Governance Shaped Japan's 3/11 Disasters.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
It is now possible to get an online degree as a Master of Infrastructure Planning and Management. This podcast is an interview with Wendy Freitag, Program Director for the University of Washington’s program linked above. In this podcast we talk generally about online degrees in general, to include those in emergency management. How they compare school to school and with resident courses of study. A bit of history on higher education in emergency management is included along with more specifics on the University of Washington’s program. With all the current talk of a large infrastructure funding bill, this program might just be the ticket for your future. Note: I am on the advisory board for the degree program.
This episode is sponsored by The Blue Cell, 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.
Emergency management organizations have now been immersed in COVID-19 response for over a year. This podcast is an interview with Jody Ferguson, Director for Pierce County Department of Emergency Management. In it we explore how her department responded first to the call to help with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) distribution and then more recently with mass vaccination efforts by the county. We also discuss how she views the “distraction” of having to focus on COVID-19 versus the normal emergency management program requirements.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
In the podcast we talk about the cybersecurity threats and different approaches being used to counter those threats. Cybersecurity training is one of those and it has become something employees must accomplish as part of organizational standards. There are many mistakes that companies and governments make in their approaches to this training. Heather Stratford, CEO for Drip7 is the Disaster Zone guest. She suggests new methods for cybersecurity training. Micro-learning and the gamification of the training are two breakthrough concepts they offer. Heather was an engaging guest who knows the business of cybersecurity inside and out.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
Emergency management is primarily known as a profession that responds to disasters. Another very important aspect of the discipline of emergency management is disaster mitigation. This podcast focuses on a relatively new federal program called Building Resilient Infrastructure Communities (BIRC). Derrick Hiebert, Deloitte is the mitigation expert interviewed in this recording. He shares the key elements every organization needs to take in order to leverage the hundreds of millions of dollars that are available to government organizations and jurisdictions.
This episode is sponsored by The Blue Cell, 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.
What does disaster readiness look like for the Pacific Northwest from a person coming to the topic with a fresh point of view? Brian Landon, an attorney, writer and director is working on a master’s degree and his project is examining how the Cascadia Subduction Zone will impact the State of Oregon and other parts of the Northwest. He comes to the task with more of a world view having lived and worked in other countries. This interview is a discussion of his observations and a comparison with other nation’s approaches to government and civil society.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
One of the outcomes from the coronavirus pandemic is that our normal training sessions have been disrupted. People can’t gather into classrooms. A solution to that issue, and one that will be used going forward is virtual training that goes beyond the online Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) self-paced learning. This podcast is an interview with Todd Manns, Owner and Managing Partner of The Blue Cell. In this session we discuss what their course offerings are and how the instruction is conducted. There are many benefits, to include being able to mix and match attendees from different areas of the country and from different disciplines.
This episode is sponsored by The Blue Cell, 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.
The coronavirus pandemic has multiple impacts to our society, ranging from medical, economic, education—you name it, nothing has remained the same. All this physical change has impacted how people interact and relate to one another. The social impacts to people have been huge. Besides the coronavirus itself there have been political and racial tensions in the United States. Tim Bayer, a Lutheran Pastor discusses those impacts and how best we can muddle through these events, not knowing how things will be different when we come out on the other side of these events.
This episode is sponsored by The Blue Cell, 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.
The blood supply for a community, region or state is critically important. This podcast is an interview with Curt Bailey, President and CEO of BloodWorks Northwest Their territory covers eight million people in the states of Oregon and Washington. Consider this a Blood 101 class on all aspects of blood collection and use. It amazing all the blood products that are collected in just one donation. They like everyone else, have had to adapt to the coronavirus pandemic by adjusting how they collect blood and developing new blood products. One of those being the use of Covid-19 Convalescent Plasma in the treatment of people hospitalized with the disease.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
One of the outcomes of the coronavirus pandemic is the need to maintain social distancing. An innovation borne out of this is organizations have begun using technology to conduct virtual exercises. My guest for this podcast is Kyle McPhee, Director of Preparedness for Hagerty Consulting. Topics discussed include what technology solutions work and what the benefits and challenges are for doing virtual exercises. I also ask Kyle about career opportunities for new college graduates with emergency management degrees getting into the consulting industry.
This episode is sponsored by The Blue Cell, 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.
No matter who you are and what you do, there is an element of salesmanship to how you interact with other people and organizations. This podcast is an interview with Jeff Kirchick, author of the book Authentic Selling, How to use the Principles of Sales in Everyday Life. In this podcast we discuss what it takes to be authentic and how incorporating listening and being empathetic can help you interact more effectively with others.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
Mike Byrne, the podcast guest has been at the center of emergency management and homeland security for decades, both in responding and recovering from major disasters while holding senior positions responsible for orchestrating assistance from a government and private sector perspective. In this podcast he speaks about his personal learning points from four major disasters that he was intimately involved with in either the disaster response or recovery phases.
This episode is sponsored by The Blue Cell, 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.
The need to achieve communications interoperability has haunted public agencies for years. The terrorist attacks of 9/11/2001 highlighted the need to improve the ability for public agencies from different jurisdictions to communicate with one another. Now today, Verizon has initiated an outreach to other companies, carriers, device makers, etc. to come together to jointly work on the issue of communications interoperability.
The guest on this podcast is the individual leading those efforts. Andrés Irlando. He is a senior vice president at Verizon and the president of its public sector business and Verizon Connect. In this position he is responsible for its Federal -- both Department of Defense and civilian agencies -- state, local, education and public safety customers.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
People are often called on to deliver public presentations. Yet, the very thought of speaking in public makes many people panic. We know the power of speakers who can convey messages that are clear and convincing, whether delivered in person or online. This episode is an interview with Michael Buschmohle, President of Applause Associates who has trained thousands of speakers worldwide, including many emergency managers. He will share his shortcuts for preparing and delivering persuasive and action-oriented presentations. You can contact Michael at 425-392-1155.
This episode is sponsored by The Blue Cell, 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.
As people and organizations in the public and private sector work to prepared disaster plans, trainings and exercises they need to remember to include a focus on people with disabilities in all facets of their emergency management and business continuity program. The guest for this podcast is Linda Mastandrea, Director of the Office of Disability Integration and Coordination at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) headquarters in Washington, D.C. In the podcast we dive into different aspects of building a program that is inclusive and addresses every segment of our society. Linda provides a list of things ‘to do’ and include in your program.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
Technologies are available now that can help with many facets of emergency
management and business continuity programs. This is an interview with Matt Bradley, Vice President, with OnSolve a company that specializes in providing a variety technological solutions. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the newest tool being added to help organizations obtain situational awareness very early in an event. Future trends are another topic discussed, along with how moving to a virtual worker environment has complicated operations and notification protocols.
This episode is sponsored by The Blue Cell, 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.
In this podcast Deanne Criswell, New York City’s Emergency Management Commissioner discusses how the city uses a variety of legacy warning systems along with new technologies to warn the public. New York City has a significant challenge with the level of diversity in spoken languages in the city and those issues are also addressed in the podcast.
This episode is sponsored by The Blue Cell, 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.
As the Covid pandemic continues raging and businesses are being cut back, many people are working from home. Besides working online with Zoom, people are doing more and more writing. But most people are not professional writers and many find writing challenging. This episode is an interview with Michael Buschmohle, an author, book editor, and international writing instructor. He will share his proven tips for writing short, clear email and persuasive documents. Plus, how to respond tactfully to complaints. You can contact Michael at 425-392-1155.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
Eventually everyone in government or business will likely need to engage a consultant to assist their organization with an element of work that they need help with. This podcast is an interview with Brian Murphy, a Principal with BERK Consulting. We discuss a number of issues related to obtaining a consultant to perform work for you. What should you expect from a consultant? When do you use a RFP, RFI or RFQ to solicit proposals? Additionally, we discuss the working relationship the consultant and the customer should have during an engagement.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
The coronavirus pandemic forced businesses and governments to close their physical office spaces and have people begin working from their homes, with little or no
planning or preparation for this momentous change in how teams function. Betty Lochner, M.Ed., SPHR, CEO of Corner Stone Coaching and Training is the expert guest. In this podcast she shares 7 Tips for Leading Virtual Teams, a great resource for managers and supervisors who were thrust into this virtual role with no training being furnished to them. Practical tips and suggestions are provided in the podcast that can help anyone struggling to lead a virtual team in business or government.
This episode is sponsored by The Blue Cell, 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.
Glen Woodbury is the Director, Center for Homeland Defense and Security at the Naval Postgraduate School. In this podcast we explore how the programs he manages have adapted to being all distance learning and how going forward, education and training can be shaped by leveraging technology. In the second half of the podcast we explore how emergency management is evolving as a profession and how emergency management can perhaps become a meta-discipline that is used as the go-to place for all disaster phases, no matter if the issue is human caused, technological or natural disaster.
This episode is sponsored by The Blue Cell, 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.
In our age of disinformation, conspiracy theories, and alternative facts, talking with people we disagree with can be challenging. Sometimes these are people we’re trying to reach with vital information about emergency preparedness. This episode is an interview with Michael Buschmohle, an international business communications trainer for government agencies and emergency personnel, who will share 12 specific phrases he’s found for opening conversations and encouraging listening. These short phrases can lead to mutual respect, better understanding, and eventual agreement. You can contact Michael at 425-392-1155.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
No matter who you are, you can become active in helping get legislation passed. My personal experience has centered on legislation to advance disaster resilience.
The guest for this podcast is Jim Kastama. Jim has many years of experience as a Washington State legislator, first in the House and then in the Senate to include being a Committee Chairman.
Today he serves as a City Councilmember for the City of Puyallup, Washington. We discuss how to approach a legislator with draft legislation and what works or doesn’t work to get a bill actually passed during legislative sessions.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
Peter Gaynor is the currently serving Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator. In this podcast we learn about his career path in emergency management and FEMA’s 2020 response to the coronavirus, hurricanes and wildfires. He also comments on the New Building Resilient Infrastructure & Communities (BRIC).
This episode is sponsored by The Blue Cell, 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.
Drones are becoming a critical piece of technology for any disaster response or emergency management function, however you cannot simply go out and just start flying a drone if you are a business. To maintain the safety of the national airspace, pilot and mission certifications are necessary to be in place for the aircraft and all your operational procedures. This episode is an interview with Charlton Evans, who leads End State Solutions, a company that helps public and private sector organizations with the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) process for having the legal authority to operate in the continental United States airspace.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
New York City is a very dense metropolitan area with a population of 8.4 million people living and working there. This podcast is a conversation with Deanne Criswell, the New York City Emergency Management Commissioner. You will learn all about their program, the top risks they face and how they are using technology to move forward in the 21st Century. Her passion for what she does shines through!
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
The pandemic forced many governments and businesses to have employees work from home for months at a time. This is likely to continue well into 2021 and beyond. This podcast is an interview with Ray Pompon, with F5labs.com where we discuss cybersecurity threats and precautionary measures all organizations can take to prevent and respond to cyber-attacks.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
This podcast is an interview with Edie Miller, an investigator with Logically.ai a UK based company that is focused on stopping the spread of disinformation and misinformation on the Internet. The conversation will cover topics such as, who is behind QAnon, what is its reach across the globe, and what are some of the misguided conspiracy theories that are propagated via people in its circle? This movement does not just exist online but can have real world impacts when people act out on these baseless conspiracy theories.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
2020 has been an unprecedented year in so many ways. COVID-19 and all its ramifications that echoed through our society from health, the economy, job losses, sports. Disasters have also been unprecedented in frequency and scope. Lastly, the politics of 2020 must be called unprecedented. With three months to go, more unprecedented events are sure to be revealed.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
In this episode, Bud Backer, Fire Chief for East Pierce County Fire and Rescue shares his department’s experience in responding to September 2020 wildland urban interface fires. These fires could have destroyed hundreds of homes. Only quick action and luck prevented that from happening.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
Beyond our personal lives, a house, our home is precious to us. When we see the wild land fires burning hundreds and even thousands of houses, these are individual families being impacted. This podcast is an interview with Sean Scott, a disaster recovery expert and author of the book, Red Guide to Recovery—a Resource Handbook for Disaster Survivors. In the interview he provides tips for disaster survivors.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.
Much like the National Motor Vehicle Safety Act, we need to have a national strategy to reduce disaster deaths. Dr. Mark Keim is interviewed about the steps being taken and legislation being developed to nationally track disaster deaths and in so doing seek to reduce deaths overtime by implementing prevention and mitigation measures. You can find more information about Dr. Keim at www.disasterdoc.org.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions is a sponsor of this podcast.
In this digital age, we need a computerized information management system to better obtain situational awareness about a disaster. A system that collects and displays information helps with the allocation of resources. Through an interview with Hans Jochen Scholl, PhD, a Professor in the Information School at the University of Washington, this podcast examines what is needed, and also the current failures of WebEOC, one such system that is widely used in the United States.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions is a sponsor of this podcast.
Health officials have been concerned about the intersection of the corona virus and the annual flu season here in 2020. This podcast is a conversation with Dr. Jeff Duchin, the Health Officer for Seattle-King County Public Heath about his concerns and what to expect concerning a COVID-19 vaccine.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions is a sponsor of this podcast.
There has been a concerted effort to disparage and cast doubt on the validity and security of vote by mail systems. In this podcast, Julie Wise, Director of Elections for King County, Washington State explains the physical and cybersecurity measures that are in place to protect a vote by mail system.
Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions is a sponsor of this podcast.
It seems crazy, but still there are people advocating that wearing a mask is not necessary despite the pleas of public health officials and scientists. They have seen the positive community results that come when everyone wears a mask. Wearing a mask is not for the benefit of the person with the mask on their face. It is for the benefit of those around them who could be exposed to asymptomatic people who are spreading the virus—by not wearing a mask. Wear a mask and help prevent the spread of coronavirus. This podcast was originally an op-ed published in Emergency Management Magazine by Eric Holdeman.
In today’s world it is possible to have an electronic relationship that can lead to establishing digital trust between individuals. While making connections in person is best, you can do the same with all the different social media outlets available today.
The Coronavirus first became widely known to be here in the United States when the City of Kirkland, Washington State reported the first death from the virus. This edition of Disaster Zone is an interview with Heather Kelly, the Kirkland Emergency Manager. She recounts how they were notified about the virus and how the city leadership and emergency management reacted to that news.
You may be asking, “Why one more podcast?” I have asked myself the same question. During this short episode you'll hear my rationale for starting a podcast and a preview of my first interview that will be coming shortly about the start of the coronavirus entry into the United States. That interview will be with Heather Kelly, the local emergency manager for the City of Kirkland, WA where the first publicly known cases of the disease were discovered.