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.