Everyone has a boss. Emergency managers are no exception. Sometimes the position of emergency manager reports to a senior appointed official like the public works director or the fire chief. Others report directly to an elected official, mayor, fire chief or county commissioners. I was fortunate to work for a senior appointed official—a Deputy County Executive. This podcast is an interview with Paul Tanaka, my former boss. In this episode I probe Paul, who is retired now, for information about how he viewed emergency management as a function and what the relationship should be between an emergency manager and his direct supervisor. I also asked Mr. Tanaka about people who think that being an emergency management director brought with it certain political risks for their employment that they are concerned about. 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.