November 15, 2010

 

Contacts:

Kim Schweikert, Senior Programmer, MSUB Downtown 896-5888
Bill Kennedy, Yellowstone County Commissioner, 256-2701
Dan Carter, University Relations, 652269

 

MSU BILLINGS NEWS SERVICES — The success of any response to a disaster, natural or human-made depends on the ability of response systems to work together. That collaboration and the positive results that come from that is the focus of a two-day conference being co-hosted by Montana State University Billings.

 

“Montana Ready: Disaster Preparedness 2010,” will be held Dec. 14-15 at the MSU Billings Downtown Campus, 2804 3rd Ave. N.  The conference is being hosted by the Yellowstone County Commission and MSUB Downtown.  Sponsors include the City of Billings, Hoiness Labar Insurance, RiverStone Health and  Exxonmobil.

 

The cost is $75 per participant for individuals who register prior to Dec. 3 and $85 after Dec 3.

 

Keynote speaker will be Sally A. Heyman, commissioner of the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners.  Heyman served in the Florida House of Representatives for four terms, served as an elected council member for the City of North Miami Beach for seven years, and worked for the City of Miami and North Miami Beach Police Departments. She has an educational and professional background in criminal justice and law enforcement.

 

The conference will focus on the capacity to address disasters, especially in rural areas. In any disaster, Montana’s health care industry, law enforcement, city and county administrators, elected officials, first responders and emergency services will bear the burden of caring for Montanans while the event is occurring and in its aftermath. 

 

To bolster the capacity to effectively and seamlessly work together for their communities, the conference will share critical information for all emergency planners and those who interact to respond to disasters in the region.  Workshop participants will gain valuable insight from first-hand accounts about making emergency operations plans a reality, mobilizing resources, managing insurance and making the most of funding resources.

 

Law enforcement officials, elected city, county and state officials, first responders, medical personnel, federal and state agency representative and  livestock management personnel are encouraged to attend.

 

To register call (406) 896-5890.