How pandemic lessons could help Washington prepare for next earthquake Glenn Farley Replay Video UP NEXT We may not think of COVID-19 as a disaster in the traditional sense like an earthquake or a hurricane, but Washington state is treating it like one and for good reason. “The impact to individuals, the impacts to our society – there’s absolutely no question this is a huge disaster,” said Robert Ezelle, director of Washington’s Emergency Management Division (EMD), which is part of the state’s military department. No buildings have fallen down, no bridges collapsed, the power grid didn’t go out, but a lot of supplies need to be acquired and moved. There’s a lot of coordination going on and communications facilitated between the federal government, the Washington State Department of Health and other government agencies.