Greg Wilz, North Dakota Homeland Security Division director, is scheduled to host a discussion of emergency management issues related to the Bakken oil patch on Monday, March 24, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. at NDSU’s Memorial Union Plains room.
The discussion, presented by the NDSU Department of Emergency Management, is the first in a series of scheduled speakers at the top levels of local and state emergency services organizations.
“While oil has brought with it many positive economic benefits, it has also created or exacerbated emergency management concerns at the local and state level,” said Carol Cwiak, assistant professor of emergency management. “The Department of Emergency Management’s upcoming speaker series seeks to foster discussion about, and create awareness of, some of those concerns.”
The increase in oil industry activity in western North Dakota has increased demand on all levels of infrastructure. These demands and the introduction of new oil-related hazards make emergency management even more important for businesses, government and private entities, Cwiak said.
Cwiak said the recent Casselton, N.D., derailment and crude oil transport incidents in Canada and Alabama within six months of each other should serve as a wake-up call.
“Preparing for, mitigating against, responding to, and recovering from these incidents require the collaboration of many agencies and partners,” Cwiak said. “And creating the framework for that collaboration is the responsibility of emergency management.”
Also scheduled in the series, Paul Laney, Cass County sheriff, and Dave Rogness, Cass County Emergency Services manager, will discuss the Casselton train derailment on Tuesday, April 1, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Memorial Union Room of Nations.
NDSU is recognized as one of the nation’s top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.