Contact: Joe Farris
In Tuesday ceremonies in Canton, officials of Mississippi State's Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems Engineering Extension Center joined national and state officials to launch a new center that will promote national highway safety. Taking part in the ceremony were (l-r) Jonathan Fleming of the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, Bill Graves of the American Trucking Association, university President Charles Lee, Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), and Dean Cotten of the Mississippi Trucking Association.
U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran [R-Miss.] today announced a $2.3 million federal contract to Mississippi State to establish and manage the Highway Watch Program's Emergency Planning and Education Center, or EPE.
The center will be located at the university's Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems Engineering Extension Center in Canton.
Cochran said the CAVS Engineering Extension Center "will be the national center for a research and training program that will help ensure a safe and secure transportation system and a safer America."
MSU President Charles Lee joined Mississippi's senior senator in the announcement.
"Mississippi State is pleased to again be able to apply its resources and expertise to an effort that can strengthen national security and improve the safety of our country's transportation system," Lee said. "This is another excellent example of the kind of public-private partnerships that MSU is helping to implement."
The EPE Center will conduct exercises with the highway industry's leading companies and organizations to assess readiness and capabilities, and to assist the sector in developing response plans for terrorist attacks and significant national emergencies. It also will develop training programs to help executives, operations managers, and line employees understand their roles in the evolving national plan for responding to emergencies of this nature.
Highway Watch originally was formed as a highway safety program by the American Trucking Associations in 1998. ATA added an anti-terrorism component following 9/11 and has become a partner with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to help law enforcement spot national security and safety threats to the highway infrastructure and transportation industry.
In addition to observing and reporting incidents to a national call center for further action, the program provides advanced safety and security training, communication, information, and mobilization for the highway sector.
Mississippi was among the first Southeastern states to enlist in Highway Watch. With the Mississippi Trucking Association in the lead, the state's transportation sector--including bus companies, school bus operators, transportation workers, and state and local police officers--are involved in the program.
A training session for new state Highway Watch volunteers was held in conjunction with Tuesday's announcement.
For more information, telephone Mike Russell, vice president for public affairs and press secretary, American Trucking Associations, (703) 838-7935 (office); (571) 215-4251 (cell).