 |
 |
 |
|
 |
The Missouri Hope Disaster Response Field Training Exercise, an intensive three-day domestic disaster relief field training exercise that is required for students studying majors or minors in emergency disaster management (EDM), takes place at Mozingo Outdoor Education Recreation Area (MOERA) and the Mozingo Youth Camp.
Missouri Hope is sponsored by Northwest’s emergency and disaster management program and the Consortium for Humanitarian Service and Education. Partner agencies include Maryville Public Safety, Nodaway and Buchanan County Emergency Management, Nodaway County Ambulance District, LifeFlight and LifeNet Air Ambulances, SEMA Region H Marine Hazmat Team and the 1-129th Field Artillery Battalion Missouri Army National Guard.
Participation in the hands-on disaster response training is available to all Northwest students, regardless of major or minor. Students do not need to receive academic credit to participate, but credit may be earned by any student who desires it.
The domestic disaster response exercise challenges students to overcome their fears and hone their skills as emergency responders. Students work together in teams faced with mass casualty situations, high-angle rescues and water rescue operations.
“These are our future in emergency response and emergency management, which is truly a young profession,” Blair Shock, director of emergency management for Clinton County, Mo., said. “I didn’t have this luxury, moving into this profession. These students do, and it’s an outstanding thing that will not only increase the effectiveness of emergency managers. It’s truly growing the profession, growing the professionalism within our profession and increasing not only the abilities of our local, regional and national agencies, but the effectiveness of these students to empower and enable them to perform well when they move onto the professional world.”
Due to an increased need for trained professionals in the crisis response field, Northwest launched its unique EDM program in 2009 as an interdisciplinary minor. The program expanded to be offered as an academic major in 2012. Course instruction is provided by Northwest faculty and staff who have regional and national roles in emergency management. For more information about Northwest’s Emergency and Disaster Management program.
