Disaster Zone

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.

Kyle Bustad, Manager for the Thurston County Emergency Management, shares his journey from admin to local emergency management director. He discusses the challenges of leadership without authority, the importance of long-term employees, and the roles and priorities in emergency management.

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.

Casey Broom, a new leader in emergency management, discusses her career journey, grants and funding allocation, and the downsizing of the Cascadia 22 exercise. The podcast also covers emergency management skills, stress management for managers, reflections on 20 years of work, climate adaptation, and the importance of diversity in the field.

The Alaska Emergency Management Director, Bryan, discusses the unique challenges faced by Alaska in emergency management. Topics include climate change impacts, economic drivers, Alaska's role as an Arctic nation, challenges in Alaskan communities, and the dedication of emergency management staff.