The Disaster Tough Podcast is for emergency managers, by emergency managers. We share stories, lessons learned, and tips to help you make informed decisions. Our host, John Scardena is a former Federal Emergency Response Official with Type 1 response experience. He now leads Doberman Emergency Management, from which this is being recorded. Our guests are also field experts who provide their insights in our conversation based podcast. Discussions with emergency managers revolve around the entire disaster life-cycle. We provide solutions based on training and backed by data. We share experiences of emergency response and identify the lessons learned through our own version of after action reporting. This is conversation mode activated. We are known for flipping from serious to humor without warning. Try to keep up in our weekly podcasts! About Doberman Emergency Management. We provide customized plans, mitigates hazards, delivers training, and supplies emergency products to meet the unique needs of clients. We identify and solve the Nation’s most complex incidents. That’s our job.
All content for Disaster Tough Podcast is the property of The Readiness Lab and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
The Disaster Tough Podcast is for emergency managers, by emergency managers. We share stories, lessons learned, and tips to help you make informed decisions. Our host, John Scardena is a former Federal Emergency Response Official with Type 1 response experience. He now leads Doberman Emergency Management, from which this is being recorded. Our guests are also field experts who provide their insights in our conversation based podcast. Discussions with emergency managers revolve around the entire disaster life-cycle. We provide solutions based on training and backed by data. We share experiences of emergency response and identify the lessons learned through our own version of after action reporting. This is conversation mode activated. We are known for flipping from serious to humor without warning. Try to keep up in our weekly podcasts! About Doberman Emergency Management. We provide customized plans, mitigates hazards, delivers training, and supplies emergency products to meet the unique needs of clients. We identify and solve the Nation’s most complex incidents. That’s our job.
Erik Kramer | National Center For Urban Operations
Disaster Tough Podcast
52 minutes
2 months ago
Erik Kramer | National Center For Urban Operations
Looking for more DTP content? Check us out here: https://www.thereadinesslab.com/dtp-links
In this episode of the Disaster Tough Podcast, host John Scardena interviews Erik Kramer, a 26-year U.S. Army Special Forces veteran, tech innovator, and senior leader with the National Center for Urban Operations (NCOU). Erik brings decades of experience in counter-drone warfare, urban operations, and emerging threat environments, with direct insight from years spent training Ukrainian forces and advising on counter-unmanned systems.
Kramer explains how drones and unmanned systems are fundamentally transforming warfare and crisis response — creating a “revolution in military affairs.” Drawing from his time in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Ukraine, he shares how decision-making is shifting from senior leaders to junior operators who must act instantly under drone threats. He warns that the U.S. and local agencies remain woefully unprepared for a September 11th–style event involving unmanned systems, and stresses the urgent need for counter-UAS training, decentralized decision-making, and survivor-first leadership.
Beyond drones, Kramer highlights the often-overlooked risks of subterranean operations in cities — from tunnels and underground infrastructure to complex dense-urban terrain — and how NCOU is working with ports, first responders, and military units to build awareness, create tailored counter-drone strategies, and deliver advanced training.
This episode connects lessons from Ukraine, Special Forces culture, and emerging technologies directly to emergency managers, first responders, and policymakers who must adapt to an era where drones, cyber, and underground threats redefine homeland security.
👉 Listen now to learn how Erik Kramer and NCOU are helping leaders and responders for the future of urban conflict and crisis.
National Center for Urban Operations: https://ncuo.net
The Disaster Tough Podcast is for emergency managers, by emergency managers. We share stories, lessons learned, and tips to help you make informed decisions. Our host, John Scardena is a former Federal Emergency Response Official with Type 1 response experience. He now leads Doberman Emergency Management, from which this is being recorded. Our guests are also field experts who provide their insights in our conversation based podcast. Discussions with emergency managers revolve around the entire disaster life-cycle. We provide solutions based on training and backed by data. We share experiences of emergency response and identify the lessons learned through our own version of after action reporting. This is conversation mode activated. We are known for flipping from serious to humor without warning. Try to keep up in our weekly podcasts! About Doberman Emergency Management. We provide customized plans, mitigates hazards, delivers training, and supplies emergency products to meet the unique needs of clients. We identify and solve the Nation’s most complex incidents. That’s our job.
