

Disaster Zone
The Readiness Lab
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.Story topics and suggestions for people to interview are welcomed. You can contact the host via email.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 5, 2021 • 22min
How to Write Email that Engages and Persuades
As the Covid pandemic continues raging and businesses are being cut back, many people are working from home. Besides working online with Zoom, people are doing more and more writing. But most people are not professional writers and many find writing challenging. This episode is an interview with Michael Buschmohle, an author, book editor, and international writing instructor. He will share his proven tips for writing short, clear email and persuasive documents. Plus, how to respond tactfully to complaints. You can contact Michael at 425-392-1155.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. Please visit our sponsors!L3Harris Technologies' BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com Visit The Readiness Lab and learn about our Next Level Emergency Management training! https://www.thereadinesslab.com/Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by professionals for professionals: www.dobermanemg.com/impulseDoberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.comCheck out how you can use digital twins in your training, exercising, and planning using RSET https://rset.com/ For sponsorship requests, check out our Sponsorship Portfolio here or email us at contact@thereadinesslab.com

Dec 29, 2020 • 23min
3 Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring a Consultant
Eventually everyone in government or business will likely need to engage a consultant to assist their organization with an element of work that they need help with. This podcast is an interview with Brian Murphy, a Principal with BERK Consulting. We discuss a number of issues related to obtaining a consultant to perform work for you. What should you expect from a consultant? When do you use a RFP, RFI or RFQ to solicit proposals? Additionally, we discuss the working relationship the consultant and the customer should have during an engagement.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. Please visit our sponsors!L3Harris Technologies' BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com Visit The Readiness Lab and learn about our Next Level Emergency Management training! https://www.thereadinesslab.com/Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by professionals for professionals: www.dobermanemg.com/impulseDoberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.comCheck out how you can use digital twins in your training, exercising, and planning using RSET https://rset.com/ For sponsorship requests, check out our Sponsorship Portfolio here or email us at contact@thereadinesslab.com

Dec 17, 2020 • 38min
Leading Virtual Teams
The coronavirus pandemic forced businesses and governments to close their physical office spaces and have people begin working from their homes, with little or noplanning or preparation for this momentous change in how teams function. Betty Lochner, M.Ed., SPHR, CEO of Corner Stone Coaching and Training is the expert guest. In this podcast she shares 7 Tips for Leading Virtual Teams, a great resource for managers and supervisors who were thrust into this virtual role with no training being furnished to them. Practical tips and suggestions are provided in the podcast that can help anyone struggling to lead a virtual team in business or government.This episode is sponsored by The Blue Cell, 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. Please visit our sponsors!L3Harris Technologies' BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com Visit The Readiness Lab and learn about our Next Level Emergency Management training! https://www.thereadinesslab.com/Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by professionals for professionals: www.dobermanemg.com/impulseDoberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.comCheck out how you can use digital twins in your training, exercising, and planning using RSET https://rset.com/ For sponsorship requests, check out our Sponsorship Portfolio here or email us at contact@thereadinesslab.com

Dec 10, 2020 • 39min
The Future of Emergency Management Education and Training
Glen Woodbury is the Director, Center for Homeland Defense and Security at the Naval Postgraduate School. In this podcast we explore how the programs he manages have adapted to being all distance learning and how going forward, education and training can be shaped by leveraging technology. In the second half of the podcast we explore how emergency management is evolving as a profession and how emergency management can perhaps become a meta-discipline that is used as the go-to place for all disaster phases, no matter if the issue is human caused, technological or natural disaster. This episode is sponsored by The Blue Cell, 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. Please visit our sponsors!L3Harris Technologies' BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com Visit The Readiness Lab and learn about our Next Level Emergency Management training! https://www.thereadinesslab.com/Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by professionals for professionals: www.dobermanemg.com/impulseDoberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.comCheck out how you can use digital twins in your training, exercising, and planning using RSET https://rset.com/ For sponsorship requests, check out our Sponsorship Portfolio here or email us at contact@thereadinesslab.com

Nov 27, 2020 • 23min
A Dozen Ways to Communicate Better Verbally
In our age of disinformation, conspiracy theories, and alternative facts, talking with people we disagree with can be challenging. Sometimes these are people we’re trying to reach with vital information about emergency preparedness. This episode is an interview with Michael Buschmohle, an international business communications trainer for government agencies and emergency personnel, who will share 12 specific phrases he’s found for opening conversations and encouraging listening. These short phrases can lead to mutual respect, better understanding, and eventual agreement. You can contact Michael at 425-392-1155.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. Please visit our sponsors!L3Harris Technologies' BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com Visit The Readiness Lab and learn about our Next Level Emergency Management training! https://www.thereadinesslab.com/Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by professionals for professionals: www.dobermanemg.com/impulseDoberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.comCheck out how you can use digital twins in your training, exercising, and planning using RSET https://rset.com/ For sponsorship requests, check out our Sponsorship Portfolio here or email us at contact@thereadinesslab.com

Nov 10, 2020 • 37min
How to Work with a Legislator
No matter who you are, you can become active in helping get legislation passed. My personal experience has centered on legislation to advance disaster resilience. The guest for this podcast is Jim Kastama. Jim has many years of experience as a Washington State legislator, first in the House and then in the Senate to include being a Committee Chairman.Today he serves as a City Councilmember for the City of Puyallup, Washington. We discuss how to approach a legislator with draft legislation and what works or doesn’t work to get a bill actually passed during legislative sessions.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. Please visit our sponsors!L3Harris Technologies' BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com Visit The Readiness Lab and learn about our Next Level Emergency Management training! https://www.thereadinesslab.com/Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by professionals for professionals: www.dobermanemg.com/impulseDoberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.comCheck out how you can use digital twins in your training, exercising, and planning using RSET https://rset.com/ For sponsorship requests, check out our Sponsorship Portfolio here or email us at contact@thereadinesslab.com

Nov 1, 2020 • 24min
Interview with Peter Gaynor, FEMA Administrator
Peter Gaynor is the currently serving Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator. In this podcast we learn about his career path in emergency management and FEMA’s 2020 response to the coronavirus, hurricanes and wildfires. He also comments on the New Building Resilient Infrastructure & Communities (BRIC).This episode is sponsored by The Blue Cell, 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. Please visit our sponsors!L3Harris Technologies' BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com Visit The Readiness Lab and learn about our Next Level Emergency Management training! https://www.thereadinesslab.com/Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by professionals for professionals: www.dobermanemg.com/impulseDoberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.comCheck out how you can use digital twins in your training, exercising, and planning using RSET https://rset.com/ For sponsorship requests, check out our Sponsorship Portfolio here or email us at contact@thereadinesslab.com

Oct 29, 2020 • 26min
Implementing a Drone Program
Drones are becoming a critical piece of technology for any disaster response or emergency management function, however you cannot simply go out and just start flying a drone if you are a business. To maintain the safety of the national airspace, pilot and mission certifications are necessary to be in place for the aircraft and all your operational procedures. This episode is an interview with Charlton Evans, who leads End State Solutions, a company that helps public and private sector organizations with the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) process for having the legal authority to operate in the continental United States airspace.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. Please visit our sponsors!L3Harris Technologies' BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com Visit The Readiness Lab and learn about our Next Level Emergency Management training! https://www.thereadinesslab.com/Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by professionals for professionals: www.dobermanemg.com/impulseDoberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.comCheck out how you can use digital twins in your training, exercising, and planning using RSET https://rset.com/ For sponsorship requests, check out our Sponsorship Portfolio here or email us at contact@thereadinesslab.com

Oct 23, 2020 • 42min
New York City’s Emergency Management Program
New York City is a very dense metropolitan area with a population of 8.4 million people living and working there. This podcast is a conversation with Deanne Criswell, the New York City Emergency Management Commissioner. You will learn all about their program, the top risks they face and how they are using technology to move forward in the 21st Century. Her passion for what she does shines through!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. Please visit our sponsors!L3Harris Technologies' BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com Visit The Readiness Lab and learn about our Next Level Emergency Management training! https://www.thereadinesslab.com/Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by professionals for professionals: www.dobermanemg.com/impulseDoberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.comCheck out how you can use digital twins in your training, exercising, and planning using RSET https://rset.com/ For sponsorship requests, check out our Sponsorship Portfolio here or email us at contact@thereadinesslab.com

Oct 21, 2020 • 27min
Cybersecurity in a Pandemic
The pandemic forced many governments and businesses to have employees work from home for months at a time. This is likely to continue well into 2021 and beyond. This podcast is an interview with Ray Pompon, with F5labs.com where we discuss cybersecurity threats and precautionary measures all organizations can take to prevent and respond to cyber-attacks.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. Please visit our sponsors!L3Harris Technologies' BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com Visit The Readiness Lab and learn about our Next Level Emergency Management training! https://www.thereadinesslab.com/Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by professionals for professionals: www.dobermanemg.com/impulseDoberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.comCheck out how you can use digital twins in your training, exercising, and planning using RSET https://rset.com/ For sponsorship requests, check out our Sponsorship Portfolio here or email us at contact@thereadinesslab.com


