Disaster Zone

Small, commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) drones — classified as Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) by the FAA — are proving to be an increasing threat to the homeland. As evidenced by Hamas terrorist strikes against Israel, tactical use in the Ukrainian conflict, and even UAS operations by Mexican cartels along the U.S. Southern border, small drones have demonstrated the ability to compromise security and inflict significant damage upon specific targets. The U.S. has the most expensive aviation security sector in the world. Still, it is primarily focused on manned passenger traffic, resulting in gaping vulnerabilities among U.S. critical infrastructure, mass gatherings, and other high-value targets. Presently, only a handful of Federal agencies have the authority to detect and mitigate UAS, leaving State, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) partners without adequate protection from above. The website mentioned in the podcast as a place to go for more information is: https://cuashub.com/ In this episode of the Disaster Zone podcast, we are joined by Christopher Todd, CEM, and executive director of the non-profit DRONERESPONDERS program who recently completed research at Georgetown University to create an integrated conceptual framework surrounding the deployment of Counter-Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) to help protect the homeland. Mr. Todd is a member of the FAA’s UAS Detection and Mitigation Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC), helping to ensure that new technologies designed to detect and mitigate risks from errant or hostile UAS do not adversely impact the safe and efficient operation of the nation’s airspace. 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.

Crisis management and crisis communications have become a critical skill, and not just for emergency managers. Politicians, rock stars and companies have all faced situations where they are in the hot seat. The guest for this podcast is Edward Segal a Leadership Strategy Senior Contributor for Forbes, author of the award-winning and bestselling book “Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways To Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies.” and host of the “Crisis Ahead” podcast on the Federal News Network. He has more than 30 years experience as a crisis management expert, public relations consultant, journalist, and press secretary for members of Congress and political candidates. Segal has managed crisis situations as the CEO of two trade associations and has advised and helped others get through a variety of crises. 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 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.

Many an emergency manager aspires to become a local emergency management director for a city or county. One such individual who has only recently become a local director is Kyle Bustad, Manager for the Thurston County Emergency Management. In this podcast we discuss his approach to taking over the reins of an agency and what he sees as the challenges and hopes for moving forward as a local director. Kyle is well spoken, and I know you will enjoy hearing what he has to share. 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.

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.

At this stage, Eric Holdeman is one of the “old dogs” in the room. Today we have a host of new emergency management leaders who have risen through the ranks and are assuming leadership positions across local, state and federal agencies. It is heartening to know that as one generation of emergency managers fades away, there is this new, competent, and energized group of leaders on their way up. One such person is Casey Broom who is interviewed for this podcast. She has had multiple positions in state emergency management, local emergency management and a key leadership and programmatic position at the regional level for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). You will find her thoughts and ideas about her own journey and advice for those just entering the profession of interest. 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.

Alaska is a huge state with many different hazards and challenges. It is very remote and on the Arctic Circle. It is also on the forefront of climate change impacts to its land and its people. In this podcast I interview the Alaska Emergency Management Director. Bryan began his career in emergency management in 1995 with the Alaska Division of Emergency Services. Since that time, he has served in numerous roles including emergency communications technician, microcomputer/network specialist, information management, alert, and warning systems coordinator, information technology manager, Chief of Preparedness, Chief of Operations, and Director. Bryan was appointed by Governor Mike Dunleavy to serve as Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management in April of 2021. As Director, he provides executive leadership of the Division, ensuring it leads the way in homeland security and emergency management to foster a prepared, resilient Alaska capable of meeting the needs of its communities and citizens in response to all-hazards events. You can find out more about Alaska Emergency Management at: https://ready.alaska.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.

Pete Simi, a professor of sociology at Chapman University, is overseeing a research team of the university’s students and graduates who are diving into court records about federal cases of death threats sent to public officials, including officials elected or appointed in health care, education and law enforcement. Their findings will help alleviate the rising numbers of threats against public officials in the United States. Emergency managers and the average citizen need to understand the immediate and long-term impact of these threats to our civil society. Professor Simi has been studying political violence, hate, and extremism. His fieldwork has taken him inside white supremacist groups across the United States where he has been embedded with racist skinheads, Klan members, neo-Nazis, and anti-government militias. He is co-author (along with Robert Futrell) of an award-winning book American Swastika: Inside the White Power Movement’s Hidden Spaces of Hate. The research is funded by a grant from the National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center (NCITE) at the University of Nebraska Omaha, the newest Center of Excellence for the Department of Homeland Security, the team is creating a database of federal indictments that involve threats to public officials across the country from 2013 to 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.

Unfortunately, we do live in a litigious environment. When disasters strike, we expect that our property insurance provider will cover our losses. Sometimes, the insurance company and the insured person(s) don’t agree on the settlement amounts being offered by the insurance company. What do you do next? This and other topics about the current disaster environment and its impacts on the property insurance industry are discussed in this podcast. The expert guest, Evan W. Walker is a La Jolla, California attorney who has practiced law since 2008. He has practiced law throughout California, Connecticut, and Louisiana. Evan worked for and defended insurance companies during the first 7 years of his practice. Since 2015, he has represented people with personal injury and property damage claims and insurance disputes. Evan's practice is devoted to serious personal injury claims and catastrophic property damage claims. On behalf of clients, Evan has fought insurance firms, international companies, cities, bars, and casinos. 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.

Emergency management has traditionally been dealing with natural disasters and sometimes human caused disasters like hazardous materials. In recent years the issue of cybersecurity has become much more prominent as an issue. The podcast guest this week is Chris D. Volmer who is currently serving as the cyber & infrastructure security manager for the Idaho Office of Emergency Management, responsible for implementing whole of state programs and policies designed to protect SLTT networks and all 16 sectors of Critical Infrastructure. Prior to this role, Chris specialized in traditional mass care operations with both the State of Idaho and the American Red Cross, serving in leadership positions on multiple national level disaster response operations. Additionally, Chris continues to serve his country as a senior enlisted advisor in the United States Army Reserve. He is an Idaho native and graduated from Boise State University with an emphasis on law enforcement administration. The conference mentioned in the podcast is: 2023 Idaho Office of Emergency Management's Annual Preparedness and Cybersecurity Conference in Boise, ID on October 24th-26th. 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.

The wildfire destruction in Maui has been difficult to watch. So many homes and businesses were destroyed, and lives lost. In order to respond to this event, here on this podcast I invited Sean Scott to come and share his expertise with disaster recovery. Sean is a second-generation restoration contractor and disaster recovery consultant who has spent over 44 years in the construction and fire restoration industry. Most of his experience has been involved in the rebuilding of well over 10,000 homes and businesses damaged by fires, floods, storms, and other natural or man-made disaster events. Sean has witnessed first-hand the struggles people go through to rebuild their lives and how daunting this process can be, especially for those who have lost their home or become displaced. This became more evident in 2003 and again in 2007, when wildfires swept through Southern California destroying over 5,000 homes and damaging countless others. It was in the weeks and months following these events that he watched many survivors evolve into disaster victims as they didn't know what to do or where to turn for help. As a result, Sean embarked on a mission to write a simple easy-to-read disaster recovery road-map to walk survivors step-by-step through the recovery process and raise awareness of the many pitfalls that accompany post-disaster scenarios. In this podcast we do a quick dive into many aspects of disaster recovery that can trip people up as they try to reestablish their lives and livelihoods. Since its release in 2009, Sean's book The Red Guide to Recovery - Resource Handbook for Disaster Survivors has been adopted by emergency management agencies, fire departments, Native tribes, relief organizations, and fortune 500 companies across the U.S. 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.

Sometimes it is good to look back at how far we have come and then forward, to where we might be headed in the future. My guest today is Claire Rubin blogs at Recovery Diva, but has a much more extensive connection to all phases of the broader topic of emergency management. We talk in this podcast about a wide variety of topics, to include how professional emergency managers can continue to contribute after our paid careers are finished. For a more detailed list of Claire’s accomplishments, see this bio: Ms. Rubin is a consultant and social scientist with 44 years of experience in emergency management and homeland security. Her considerable experience in disaster recovery has made her a sought-after expert to conduct independent research, teach, and provide sound advice and counsel. Her firm has produced a variety of educational products and services, most notably a monograph on disaster recovery, the Disaster Time Line series, and the Disaster Bookstore, www.disasterbookstore.com. Ms. Rubin was affiliated with The George Washington University’s Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management from 1998 through 2014. During that time she was Co-Founder and Managing Editor of The Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Ms. Rubin is the author or editor of five books and more than 100 articles for professional publications. She is a frequent speaker and lecturer on emergency management and homeland security topics in the U.S. and occasionally in other countries. Among her recent activities was a multi-session effort to brief delegations of senior emergency managers from China, on the state of the practice of emergency management in the U.S. She created and has maintained for the past 13 years the blog on disaster recovery called Recovery Diva (www.recoverydiva.com). She also is the co-founder and moderator for three Facebook groups on emergency management. 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.

Typically, the Disaster Zone Podcast has had guests and topics about the positive uses of drone technology and how it can be used to advance the capabilities of first responder agencies, emergency managers and others like search and rescue groups. In this podcast we turn to look at the challenges of preventing either accidental and deliberate uses of drones that can harm operations or people. The guest for this podcast is Leo McCloskey who leads brand and marketing efforts for Echodyne Leo is a frequent speaker on topics of technology and security, and has represented the company in the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) BVLOS and Counter-UAS Advanced Rulemaking Committees (ARC). Prior to joining Echodyne, he built and led marketing and product marketing teams in the US and Europe for a broad range of companies, from technology startups to established brands, with an emphasis in carrier and large enterprise service delivery architectures. We look at different technologies for detecting drones and explore more directly the role that radars can play in detection and then combining those efforts with other counter drone systems. 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.

Climate change is beginning to have significant impacts on our world. This means that emergency managers everywhere will need to step up to the plate and respond to an increasing series of disasters of all types. This commentary speaks to these challenges that the profession of emergency management is about to face. 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.

One of the personal and organizational constraining factors that limit our aspirations is the lack of funding. To accomplish anything requires money. Emergency management as a profession has become overly dependent on grant funding. However, there are other sources of funding that can be tapped. In this podcast we talk with an expert fundraiser. We discuss the challenges that come from even just thinking about asking for money and then transition to some tools you can use to get the money you need, personally, professionally, or perhaps in your volunteer work. Alana Scott is the podcast guest and the author of the book, How to Ask for Money by Alana Stott. 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.