TUPELO — State and local leaders, utility officials and emergency management professionals will gather in Tupelo for the next two days for a summit focused on preparing Mississippi communities for future disasters.
The “From Recovery to Resilience: Mississippi Storm Preparedness Summit” will take place Tuesday and Wednesday, June 23-24, at the Tupelo High School Performing Arts Center. Hosted by the Mississippi Public Service Commission, the event is free and open to the public.
Organizers said the summit was inspired by lessons learned during Winter Storm Fern, which struck Mississippi in January and left many communities without power, heat and water for days. Utility crews worked around the clock while local officials navigated emergency decisions, funding challenges and federal disaster recovery requirements.
“This summit is for anyone who serves this state, and anyone who was sitting in the dark when the lights went out,” organizers said.
More than 35 speakers and panelists are scheduled to participate in 14 sessions over the two days. Topics include utility restoration partnerships, communications during winter storms, water system resilience, emergency coordination between utilities and local governments, and municipal emergency aid and storm shelters.
Tuesday’s keynote address will be delivered by Matt Laubhan, chief meteorologist with WTVA, on the foundations of preparedness. Other sessions will feature representatives from electric cooperatives, state agencies, the National Weather Service, county governments and disaster relief organizations.
Wednesday’s keynote speaker will be Danny Raines, a former lineman and member of the National Lineman Hall of Fame. Additional panels will address critical cyber infrastructure vulnerabilities, county recovery planning, emergency response coordination and lessons learned from Winter Storm Fern.
Former Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn is scheduled to speak Wednesday afternoon on state leadership during times of crisis.
Organizers said the goal of the summit is simple: to ensure Mississippi communities, utilities and local governments are better prepared for whatever storm comes next.
