Contact: Kenneth Billings
Mississippi State is entering the final phase of a two-year process to attain official designation as a Disaster-Resistant University through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has approved MSU's plan pending adoption.
The public is invited to review the university's new hazard mitigation plan and participate in a public meeting Thursday [Dec. 2] in MSU's Bost Theater from 3-4:30 p.m.
According to Jim Jones, the DRU advisory committee co-chair for Mississippi State, the plan identifies natural, manmade and technological hazards and mitigation strategies.
Jones explained, "This helps us pinpoint hazards that may not have been easily seen and minimizes their impact should a disaster occur. It's a road map that's necessary to correct known hazards, while also enabling us to apply for and receive federal hazard mitigation grant funds."
The work on this project was completed under the guidance of a steering committee with representatives from MSU, the City of Starkville, Oktibbeha County, Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning.
Others from the Oktibbeha County Emergency Management Agency, City of Starkville, county and city law enforcement departments, Oktibbeha County Regional Medical Center, and response agencies also served on the advisory committee.
MSU's effort is part of a larger endeavor directed by the IHL Board of Trustees, with the goal of all eight public universities in Mississippi being designated as disaster resistant.
Kacey Strickland, campus director of regulatory compliance and safety, is the local committee co-chair. The plan was written by MSU geosciences department associate professor Mike Brown and professor Charlie Wax, who both used data collected from numerous sources and information from the advisory committee.
Funding for the program is provided through a grant to the IHL from the Mississippi Emergency Management and Federal Emergency Management agencies.