Contact: Allison Matthews

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State hosted a team of instructors this week from Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service that conducted an intensive, three-day crisis management training session.

The TEEX team administered the Federal Emergency Management Agency course Crisis Management Affecting Institutions of Higher Education: A Collaborative Community Approach. Course participants included MSU leaders and representatives from other regional universities, as well as law enforcement, health care and other first-responder organizations.

Instruction covered various potential events and incidents, including case studies of emergency scenarios. Participants discussed prevention and protection, risk management and mitigation, crisis communication, response and recovery, among other topics.

“This training has given participants the chance to learn about best practices for emergency operations, including standards for collaborating with local and federal agencies in scenarios ranging from severe weather disasters to crimes and acts of terrorism,” said Regina Hyatt, vice president for student affairs, who also leads MSU’s Crisis Action Team. “We make preparedness and training a top priority so we can best respond to emergencies as they arise. While severe weather is the greatest threat we face, we want to prepare for a range of potential situations.”

MSU participants included personnel who work in emergency management, student affairs, public affairs, diversity and inclusion, campus services, transportation, housing, counseling and mental health, among others.

Learn more about emergency guidelines at MSU at www.emergency.msstate.edu.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.