(JACKSON, Miss.) - Local emergency management and related officials participated in an emergency management showcase at the Mississippi e-Center @ JSU April 7 demonstrating the latest available technologies for decision support, training and communications.
The Center of Excellence for Natural Disasters, Coastal Infrastructure and Emergency Management at Jackson State University hosted the event.
Representatives from Mississippi counties including Washington, Leflore, Yazoo, Newton, Madison, Lee, Quitman, Bolivar and Grenada were briefed on advanced systems from a variety of national companies and the U.S. Army's Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC)/Software Engineering Directorate at Redstone Arsenal. Jackson State's Center for Defense Integrated Data and the National Center for Biodefense Communications also led demonstrations.
The event consisted of interactive, real-world demonstrations of current systems used for planning, training and disaster response. Specific sessions focused on:
" Training simulation by U.S. AMRDEC's America's Soldier;
" scenario simulation for emergency management training by Lockheed Martin;
" communications interoperability by TelesUSA, SBC and Cisco Systems;
" resource and manpower tracking by the U.S. Army's Blue Force Tracker;
" intelligent decision support for emergency operations by JSU's Center for Defense Integrated Data and Radiance Technologies, Inc.;
" data visualization by JSU's National Center for Biodefense Communications (NCBC); and
" advanced "smart phone" cell phone based responder access by PeopleTech.
Feedback from the attendees illustrated the need for local Mississippi agencies to be prepared for such events as tornados, hurricanes, hazard material leakages and floods.
This showcase was just the beginning of a series of multistate disaster training scenarios. For additional information, call Jackson State's Center of Excellence for Natural Disasters, Coastal Infrastructure and Emergency Management at 601-979-1807.
- JSU -
About Jackson State University: Challenging Minds, Changing Lives
Jackson State University, founded in 1877, is a historically black, high research activity university located in Jackson, the capital city of the state of Mississippi. Jackson State's nurturing academic environment challenges individuals to change lives through teaching, research and service. Officially designated as Mississippi's Urban University, Jackson State continues to enhance the state, nation and world through comprehensive economic development, health-care, technological and educational initiatives. The only university in the Jackson metropolitan area, Jackson State is located near downtown, with three satellite campuses throughout the city. For more information, visit www.jsums.edu.
