Disaster Zone

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

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has started an internal and external process to examine how the agency performed in response to the COVID Pandemic. In this podcast the guest is Julie Swann, who is the department head and A. Doug Allison Distinguished Professor of the Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. Professor Swann has conducted research, outreach and education to improve how health and humanitarian systems operate worldwide. Together we examine the many challenges that the pandemic created for the CDC and look at how they and state and local public health systems can move forward to improve their future pandemic response.This episode is sponsored by Unearth. Unearth’s emergency response software connects field responders and the command center, equipping teams with mobile tools for rapid damage assessments, real-time incident tracking, and seamless information sharing. Empower field teams where their work actually happens - reducing response times, optimizing resource management, and simplifying reporting with a dynamic, map-based field operations platform. Dynamis, a leading provider of information management software and security solutions, is a sponsor of this podcast.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.

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

The frailty of the world-wide supply chain was revealed during the COVID pandemic. In this podcast we explore some of the causes of supply chain failures and then move to review what some solutions can be used by companies and organizations. The guest for this podcast is Scott Friedman a supply chain expert who has military and senior level federal experience in logistics and supply chains. Today he is a Senior Visiting Fellow at the Krach Institute  He has a wealth of information and perspective that he shares in the podcast. The Blue Cell is a by-design crisis and consequence management consulting firm with a primary focus on education and training for government at all levels, non governmental agencies and private sector entities engaged in incident and emergency management activities.Eric Holdeman is a professional emergency manager who is passionate about providing information that can help families, businesses & governments become better prepared for disasters of all types. Hear first hand expert insights from Eric on his Podcast, Blog & EricHoldeman.com.