Disaster Zone

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.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.

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.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.

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.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 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.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.

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.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.

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.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 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.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 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.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 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.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.

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. 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.