April 20, 2011

 

Contacts:

MSU Billings Downtown, 896-5890
Dan Carter, University Relations, 657-2269

 

Disaster preparedness conference takes a look at lessons learned from tornado and collaboration for the future

 

MSU BILLINGS NEWS SERVICES — Nearly a year after a tornado struck the heart of Billings and left a path of disaster through MetraPark and the Billings Heights, lessons are still being learned.

 

And during a special conference in May, those lessons will be shared by county, state and national experts to benefit others in Montana in the public and private sector.  

 

“Montana Ready: Disaster Preparedness 2011” takes place May 25-26 at the Montana State University Billings Downtown campus, 2804 3rd Ave. N., on the southwest corner of Broadway and 3rd.) Registration is $75 for those who register before May 13 and $85 for any who registers after that date. The registration fee includes all materials, a reception on Day One, and breakfast and lunch on Day Two.

 

The conference is open to anyone interested and involved in emergency preparedness and is especially designed for county commissioners, city officials, policymakers, healthcare experts, first responders, insurance professionals and emergency communications specialists.  While much of the conference will focus on the June 2010 tornado in Billings that destroyed Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark, it will also have new information on insurance, communication and planning.

 

Sponsors include the Yellowstone County Commission, Hoiness Labar Insurance, City of Billings, ExxonMobil, RiverStone Health and MSU Billings Downtown.

 

Special guest presenter will be the Honorable Sally A. Heyman, Miami-Dade (Fla.) County Commissioner who is also a member of local, state, and federal Public Safety, Emergency Management and Homeland Security organizations.

 

Heyman was elected to the board in September 2002, after serving in the Florida House of Representatives for four consecutive terms. Prior to being elected to the Florida Legislature in 1994, she 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.

 

Heyman has an educational and professional background in criminal justice and law enforcement that includes a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Florida, a Master of Science degree from Nova University and a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Miami. In addition to being a member of the Florida Bar, she holds state and national certification in crime prevention. She is a crime and loss prevention specialist and attorney, and has her own consulting firm specializing in premises liability and criminal victimization, and is an Adjunct Professor.

 

Heyman’s presentation will add context to the conference that also highlights the need for collaborative response in any manmade or natural disaster.

 

Officials say collaboration is most important in rural communities where local resources may be limited.  In a 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 address those issues — and bolster the capacity to effectively and seamlessly work together — the Yellowstone County Commissioners designed this conference. Critical information and invaluable insights from first-hand accounts of the June 2010 tornado will be shared for all emergency planners and those who interact to respond to disasters.  Issues such as mobilizing resources, managing insurance and how to make the most of funding resources available will be addressed.

 

Through presentation of a variety of real and simulated events, participants will hear from local and national experts in the field of disaster management.  And they will have an opportunity to communicate one-on-one with responders from surrounding areas who may be a valuable resource in a disaster.