U.S. Rep. Fallin to Speak to First Responders at Seminar

Local Terrorism Institute Draws Hundreds of First Responders to Learn from Minnesota Bridge Collapse

EDMOND, Okla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hundreds of Fire, Law Enforcement and Emergency Managers from a three state area are expected to attend the Minnesota Bridge Collapse Seminar, hosted by the Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism (MIPT), to be held November 30 at the Nigh University Center on the University of Central Oklahoma campus from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

“The Minnesota Bridge collapse provides lessons learned for all who must confront disaster”

U.S. Rep. Mary Fallin (R-Oklahoma City), who sits on the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, will open the seminar with remarks to the first responders on infrastructure and preparing for emergencies as part of the day long event.

The seminar is the first of its kind since the eight-lane bridge for I-35W collapsed into the Mississippi River on August 1, 2007.

“The Minnesota Bridge collapse provides lessons learned for all who must confront disaster,” said Don Hamilton, MIPT Executive Director. “Whether accidental, as in this case, or from a terrorist attack, most of the challenges for the response and medical communities are the same.”

MIPT is bringing together key experts who responded to the collapse to learn from those who lived the tragedy.

Highlighted speakers include:

• Minneapolis Fire Chief Jim Clack
• Minneapolis Deputy Police Chief Robert Allen
• Associate Medical Director for EMS Services at Hennepin County Medical Center

(Media availability upon request)

The world’s largest single source of information on terrorism is at www.MIPT.org. MIPT is a non-profit, nationally recognized think-tank creating state-of-the-art knowledge bases.