Disaster Zone

The Readiness Lab
Disaster Zone

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.

  1. 7 HR. AGO

    What is Next for 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Management and Budget (OMG) sent out a memo to all federal agencies to pause funding all grants to organizations—later withdrawn. 3) An email was sent to all Federal employees offering them basically seven months of pay—free, if they took the option to leave Federal employment after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!  Please visit our sponsors! 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

    58 min
  2. FEB 4

    Forecasting the Future

    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. 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

    56 min
  3. JAN 30

    Combating Misinformation and Disinformation

    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 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

    44 min
  4. JAN 14

    A Crisis Athletes Interview

    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  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

    1h 10m
  5. 11/27/2024

    Legal Issues for Volunteers Responding to Disasters

    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

    46 min
  6. 11/19/2024

    Conversation with a Documentary Film Maker about Volcanic Risks

    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...

    48 min
  7. 10/29/2024

    Executive Leadership on Security and Risk Management

    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  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

    50 min
  8. 10/17/2024

    Avoiding a Home Buying Disaster

    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

    39 min
4.9
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

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.

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