Disaster Zone

Disaster Zone

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

The Gap Between Federal Flood Maps and Real Risk

June 10, 2026 • 52 mins
Flooding continues to be the number on hazard when it comes to disasters. Knowing what area is subject to flooding before a flood, the extent of what that flood impact might be, and then knowing the status of an ongoing flood is critically important. This is the subject of this podcast.  

David Tobias the podcast guest serves as the Chief Product Officer at Nearmap Previously, he co-founded Betterview, the leading Prope...
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Legal Issues in Disaster Response and Recovery

May 28, 2026 • 59 mins
With every disaster there are legal considerations that come to the fore. In this podcast we explore the experience of one litigator advising FEMA Incident Management Teams (IMAT) and also dealing with damages and reimbursement processes for individuals who own property.  

For two decades, LLRA, LLC owner Linda Litke served the United States, first in the U.S. Navy and then as a senior attorney within the Department of ...
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Protecting Your Home from Wind Blown Fire Embers

May 15, 2026 • 55 mins
Wildfires have become one of the more common natural hazard disasters that can impact people where they live and work. In this podcast we learn about general Firewise solutions to protect homes and then a line of cost effective products that can help keep fire from entering your home. Nicholai Allen is the founder of SAFE SOSS and an active wildland firefighter (FFT1, FFT2, Engine Boss Trainee) in his third year fighting catastroph...
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Nonprofit Fundraising

May 7, 2026 • 59 mins
If you are a nonprofit organization, it means that your goal is to not make money, but provide some form of service or product. The challenge is always how to do that without a steam of money to fund your activities. That is the subject of this podcast. There are tips here for very small organizations and other ideas that will work for very large nonprofit organizations.  

James Misner is the Founder and Owner of The Ki...
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The Impact of Leading with Fear

April 24, 2026 • 57 mins
There are different types of leadership styles. One common on that still persists is using fear as a motivator for people and organizations. We will be exploring the impacts of using fear in the workplace.  

The podcast guest Dr. Laurie Cure, Ph.D., is a leading voice in executive coaching, serves as the CEO of Innovative Connections. With a focus on consulting in strategic planning, organizational development, talent m...
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Annie Mack Vest OK Emergency Management

April 15, 2026 • 60 mins
Every state has an emergency management program. It is a reflection of
the hazards a state might experience and the allocation of resources by government to
those risks. In this podcast we learn more about the Oklahoma Department of
Emergency Management.

The podcast guest is Annie Mack Vest, Executive Director of the Oklahoma
Department of Emergency Management. She has 16 years of experience in disaster
mitiga...
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Project Hope Responds

April 2, 2026 • 60 mins
This podcast focuses primarily on aspects of disasters that impact operations here in
the United States. In this particular podcast we will cast a bigger view at the
international operations of one particular NGO providing disaster services around the
world—that being Project Hope.

The podcast guest is Arlan Fuller who is currently Project HOPE’s director of
emergency preparedness and response. He pro...
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Performance Reviews for Dummies

March 25, 2026 • 48 mins
If you are a leader, manager, or supervisor, it is likely that you are required and responsible for the completion of performance appraisals for your direct reports. I (Eric) must admit that completing appraisals, be they in the US Army or in civilian life, was not my favorite task to accomplish. The podcast gets into some tips, techniques and even some “wording” that you might consider using as you prepare for, write a...
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Countering Drones in the United States

March 13, 2026 • 62 mins
The use of drones for public safety is expanding widely. Unfortunately, the opposite is
also true. Drones can be used for many nefarious purposes. In Ukraine they are being
weaponized for war. Drug smugglers are also using them. Other criminal activities can
be promoted and supported with the use of drones. Today we need systems that can
be used by the “Good Guys” to counter the “Bad Guys.” This ...
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Planning For Resilience for Healthcare Facilities

March 5, 2026 • 51 mins
Healthcare is an industry that provides critical services to our communities. It is vital
that they are prepared to do that under less-than-ideal conditions—such as when a
disaster strikes. In this podcast we explore what they can do to become better
prepared for any situation, large or small.

Martin Green is an internationally recognized, award-winning Security Management
Professional with more than 45 yea...
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Reforming or Deforming FEMA

February 20, 2026 • 63 mins
There has been a tremendous amount of change brought initiated by the Trump Administration throughout the federal government. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is one small part of the changes that have been made and are still underway. The significant nature of the changes are hard to comprehend. This podcast will look at some of the changes that have been made so far and then a contemplation of the impacts of those c...
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The National Guard's Role in Disasters

February 11, 2026 • 52 mins
The National Guard can be found in every state. They play a unique role in being both a federal and state government asset. In this podcast you will learn about the role of the National Guard in our national defense and also when disasters strike. Our guest represents not only the Washington National Guard, but also emergency management for the State of Washington. Therefore, we’ll also examine the anticipated challenges movi...
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Floodplain Management

February 5, 2026 • 46 mins
Flooding is the most common hazard we have in the United States. There are many different types of flooding that can occur. Today we’ll be talking with a local flood plain manager about how he and his jurisdiction approaches flood risks.  

Helmut Schmidt – Pierce County Planning and Public Works. Floodplain Administrator & Floodplain Services Supervisor. He has 38 years working in floodplain management a...
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Emerging Trends in Emergency Management and Homeland Security

January 28, 2026 • 67 mins
2025 has been a year of turmoil when it comes to emergency management. In this
podcast we will be discussing how the future of emergency management will be
shaped from one of the leaders in the profession.

Bryan Koon is the President and CEO of IEM International, Inc., a leading professional
services firm focused on emergency management, disaster recovery, and resilience. At
IEM, he integrates innovative technolo...
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A Parametric Approach to Disaster Recovery

January 22, 2026 • 49 mins
As we look to the future, we need to find new ways of providing financial relief when accidents and disasters damage or destroy private and public property. This podcast looks at the parametric insurance model. Might it be a more efficient and effective way forward to compensate loss?  

Examples of Parametric Policies:  
NYC MTA: https://www.artemis.bm/news/new-york-mta-seeks-metrocat-re-parametric-storm-su...
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A City Manager Talks Government

January 14, 2026 • 42 mins
In this podcast we will examine different forms of governance for cities, evaluating the pros and cons of each. We’ll also delve into how civic leaders think about the first responder community, emergency management in general and technology. We will be hearing from someone with vast experience in government having held a wide variety of positions.  

Harry Black the podcast guest is a seasoned executive with exten...
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Legal Accountability Following Wildfires

January 7, 2026 • 49 mins
The 2025 Eaton Fire alone destroyed more than 9,000 structures and claimed 19 lives in Los Angeles County. Investigations by federal agencies and independent experts traced the fire's origin to Southern California Edison (SCE) equipment failures.  

Ari Friedman, a partner and trial attorney at Wisner Baum LLP is leading the charge to hold energy and insurance companies accountable and responsible for fire damages caused...
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Climate. Weather Extremes. Short Term Winter Forecast

December 23, 2025 • 46 mins
Renny Vandewege GM of climate and weather at DTN, has two decades of meteorological experience, educating business leaders on weather-induced disasters. DTN has an Operational Decisioning Platform that turns complex data into decision-grade insights—empowering customers to expand their margins, accelerate growth, and outpace risk. With more than 1,200 employees globally, DTN serves the companies that feed, fuel, and prot...
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Disaster Costs Will Put State Budgets at Risk

December 9, 2025 • 47 mins
The Trump Administration has been making statements since January 2025 that they, meaning both the President and the Secretary of Homeland Security, want to shift disaster costs, beginning with disaster preparedness and then also disaster response and recovery more to states and local jurisdictions. PEW Charitable Trusts recently released a report, What Waning Federal Disaster Aid Would Mean for State Budgets This is the subject of...
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Seismic Retrofitting of Buildings

November 20, 2025 • 52 mins
It has been decades since the last significant earthquake in the United States. Yet, there are earthquake risks across the USA. In this podcast we learn about how homeowners and businesses can take proactive steps to improve the seismic survivability of their properties.  

The podcast guest is Kyle Tourjé, a second-generation contractor specializing in structural retrofitting, repair, and geohazard mitigation. As Execut...
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