This episode is part of my ongoing Disaster Discourse series where I interview the authors whose books are featured in the Disaster Discourse book club. All State of Disaster episodes can be found early, extended, with video and enhanced show guides at stateofdisaster.com. You can find this episode here.

Donald Patterson is a retired SWAT commander, FBI National Academy graduate, and nationally recognized emergency management instructor. Across a 30-year career, he led tactical operations during mass shootings, wildfires, and high-risk manhunts, gaining firsthand experience in crisis leadership and real-world strategy. Today, he trains emergency response leaders through FEMA’s National Emergency Management Advanced Academy.

Bear in the Dragon’s Shadow is Patterson’s debut thriller. It combines espionage, cyberwarfare, and military precision into a story that feels as urgent as today’s headlines. Drawing from his real-world background, Don brings unmatched authenticity and intensity to the genre.

• Read Don’s Book: Bear in the Dragon’s Shadow: Where Deception Meets Strategy
• Join the Disaster Discourse Book Club
• Check out the Disaster Discourse BookshopVisit My Partners and Friends

  Aspiring Emergency Managers Online (AEMO): Empowering and supporting the next cohort of emergency management professionals through networking, training, mentoring, other career support resources and job opportunities.

  Emergency Management External Affairs Association (EMEAA): A collaborative community serving as thought leaders in the advancement of crisis communications, external affairs outreach, and emergency management.

  PREPPR: The complete exercise platform for emergency management. Design. Deliver. Document. From scenario to AAR - one platform. Your expertise. No busywork. No overtime. **I recently joined the PREPPR team as an advisor. I think this is a fantastic tool that levels up exercise delivery. I specifically chose this platform because it empowers not replaces the emergency managers who do great work.

  HazAdapt: Helping a community get prepared is tough, especially with small teams and limited resources. The reality is that most people look for help in the moment, and that's why I recommend HazAdapt. HazAdapt is an award-winning emergency and disaster safety app that puts step-by-step preparedness, response, and recovery guidance in people’s hands. It is 100% free, works offline, and is used in all 50 states. Make it easier to adapt to hazards. I use it for myself and my family

A dive into the intersections of disability advocacy, emergency management policy, and the systemic shifts needed to protect the most vulnerable during a crisis.

Take your seat at the Roundtable.

Full video and show notes including links to books, research, references, and more can be found here.

Aspiring Emergency Managers Online (AEMO): Empowering and supporting the next cohort of emergency management professionals through networking, training, mentoring, other career support resources and job opportunities.

Emergency Management External Affairs Association (EMEAA): A collaborative community serving as thought leaders in the advancement of crisis communications, external affairs outreach, and emergency management.

Pierce College: A leading educational institution providing specialized training and degrees in Emergency Management.

Sign Language Interpretation by SpokenHere: A language services provider specializing in translation and interpretation to ensure messaging reaches every community, regardless of language barriers.

And Me! More specifically, the State of Disaster show. My thanks to friend of the show, Dr. Sarah Miller for stepping in for me as the host and doing a great job.

Brandi Hunter

Vincent Davis

Dr. Sarah Miller

Dr. Sherman Gillums Jr.

Partner Episode: State of Disaster is a media partner for the 2026 Disasters Expo Miami

As I announced last week, I am a media partner for this year’s Disasters Expo Miami. In this episode, I interview Molly Schwerdt and Evie Poole, who are representing the incredible Disasters Expo and Resilient City marketing team. Of course, we talk about the Disasters Expo and that the Resilient City Expo is coming to Miami for the first time this year.

We also talk about the immense work, logistics, and communication that it takes to put on such a complex event, and the parallels with emergency and disaster management. We also talk about the application of marketing tactics within emergency management because I can’t help myself. If you’re a premium subscriber, you can read my publication on the topic of applying marketing and sales tactics to the way we communicate with our communities. It’s in the archive at stateofdisaster.com.

You can get your free tickets, see the video, transcript, and more here.

Hello, State of Disasterinos!

This episode is a collaboration with some old friends, some new friends, our wrap up of the emergency management trends of 2025, and our thoughts about what we’ll see more of this year.

This was hosted by the fantastic Kyle King and our friends at Crisis Lab. You can find the original episode post on their site, and panelist info on my Substack. Please follow all of them! If you are a State of Disaster premium subscriber, I have pulled all the mentioned research, initiatives, people, places, and things and put them in this week's premium show notes section on stateofdisaster.com

Some Show Updates:

I am a media partner with this year’s Disasters Expo in Miami. Disaster Expo USA is the nation’s leading event, uniting government agencies, first responders, industry suppliers, and innovators dedicated to protecting communities and critical infrastructure. And it is coming up pretty quickly, March 4th and 5th. But if you’re interested in going for free, here is your link for Free Disasters Expo Miami Tickets.

Thank you as always to my partners:

Aspiring Emergency Managers Online (AEMO)

Emergency Management External Affairs Association

If you would like to be a partner or sponsor of State of Disaster or the Disaster Discourse Book Club, I have just finalized the packages for the rest of this quarter. Send an email to matt@stateofdisaster.com or click this link to book a meeting with me.

"The launch of the U.S. Emergency & Disaster Management Congress, is directly in response to the federal government’s abdication of its role leading national policy and guidance per its Executive Order: Achieving Efficiency Through State and Local Preparedness."

Arthur J. Simental is a Homeland Security and Emergency Management Professor Researcher, Consultant, and Emergency Management Historian. Mr. Simental is the Founder and CEO of Simental Industries, LTD, and Disaster Gaming, an Emergency Management Consulting Firm and Disaster Research Collaborative.

Mr. Simental is also a research associate for Sam Houston State University's Institute for Homeland Security and a former public health advisor for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mr. Simental has over 16 years of service in government, homeland security and emergency management and emergency services across all levels of government and the private and nonprofit sectors in homeland security, emergency management, healthcare, public health, space and defense, security, education, and critical infrastructure. Wow. Mr. Simental is a published author, disaster war gaming creator, and certified emergency manager with the Colorado Emergency Management Association and International Association of Emergency Managers.

In this episode, we talk about Arthur's new concept of a United States Emergency & Disaster Management Congress to advance the professionalization of emergency management through a unified national standard and shared governance.

To learn more about the Congress, you can visit the website or fill out this interest form.

You can get 50% off your subscription to State of Disaster and watch the video of this episode + read the enhanced show notes with everything we talked about in this episode by clicking this link by June 1st 2025: https://stateofdisaster.substack.com/congress. A percentage of all subscription revenue is donated directly to disaster relief. The episode's full transcript is also hosted at stateofdisaster.com. If for any reason you have difficulty accessing it, please email matt@stateofdisaster.com

Alysha Kaplan is the current president of the Washington State Emergency Management Association. She's been an emergency manager for almost 20 years, and she's also the Deputy Director of King County Emergency Management. In this episode, we start with her incredible journey through the field, her experience coordinating with FEMA to manage disasters locally, and of course, the (potential) power of your local emergency management association.

When we recorded this interview, the Washington State Emergency Management Association was striving for 300 members. I am so thrilled to announce that they have since surpassed that goal and continue to grow.

State of Disaster Episode 2, with Anthony S. Mangeri, MPA, CPM, CEM

In my conversation with my friend Anthony, we discuss the capabilities, funding, and authorities needed to enable disasters to be managed effectively at the local level. Anthony has worn so many hats in government and emergency management, that it provided a perfect opportunity to dig into how Anthony the Town Manager could collaborate with Anthony the State Hazard Mitigation Officer, and all the other Anthonys that play into the disaster paradigm. From local capital funds to grants like BRIC (RIP) to insurance policies, we explore what today’s emergency manager needs to understand about ensuring the longevity of their operations.

In a continuation of Eric Kant’s discussion about the Local Emergency Managers Alliance, we discuss the urgent need for emergency managers to conduct local and regional capability assessments. We also try to look on the optimistic side of the frustration and confusion that we’re experiencing from the federal government - there are opportunities to redefine and improve the way that we approach the work that we do locally.

From my perspective, I think the most important piece of this conversation is the need for a shift in culture, where all sectors are integrating risk mitigation and resilience into all aspects of our communities, starting from the design phase. I even find an opportunity (as usual) to mention the need for marketing to help the public understand the work that we do and the funds we need to do it right.

My final question was for Anthony the professor: “What do students looking to break into the field right now need to be focused on?” Listen to this episode to find out what Anthony’s answer is to this question, and make sure to catch next week’s episode when I interview Sarah Miller, PhD and Darcy Leutzinger, PhD on what prospective students should look for when selecting an emergency and disaster management degree program.

When it comes to emergency and disaster management, experience is everything - or is it? In this episode, Doctors Sarah K. Miller, Darcy Leutzinger, and I dive into the often-debated value of higher education in the emergency and disaster management field(s). With more colleges and universities offering “emergency management” and “homeland security” degrees, how do you know which programs are worth your time and money?

We talk about how diverse emergency management has become, how once reliable federal trainings and the science that empowered them are disappearing, and why it’s more important than ever to strive for industry professionalization. In this context, we explore what makes a high-quality program, what to look for in your professors, and whether the fruit of higher knowledge is worth the squeeze of your wallet. I have an MPA in Emergency & Disaster Management, and I’ve been an emergency management professor for many years. That said, I’ll be the first to agree that your mileage may vary depending on the program you choose, the stage of your career, and your desired results.

Whether you’re a student, a skeptic, or somewhere in between, this episode is for you.

This episode is unabridged and ad-free for paying subscribers at StateofDisaster.com! You’ll hear why and how my guests pursued their PhDs in emergency management, and much more that you won’t see or hear anywhere else. You can receive your 30-day free trial with a .edu email here: https://stateofdisaster.substack.com/4ca84ae3