Keynote Speakers
School is in Session: Preparedness and the Joplin Schools’ Promise to Open on Time
Dr. C.J. Huff, Superintendent, Joplin Schools
Speech: Tuesday, April 10th from 9:00 am – 9:50 am, followed by a Q&A workshop from 10 am – 10:50 am
Joplin schools opened August 17, 2011 - 87 days after a massive EF5 tornado struck Joplin, Missouri on May 22. The Joplin area schools lost seven students and one staff member. Six schools were destroyed, with three others damaged. On May 24, Dr. C.J. Huff, Joplin Schools Superintendent, reassured families and staff that school would begin on August 17, as scheduled. Reconstruction began May 26, with temporary locations for every building by June 9. Dr. Huff will discuss the importance of school preparedness, partnerships, and perseverance in meeting the challenges of a catastrophic event.
Dr. C.J. Huff arrived in Joplin in July 2008 and is currently in his fourth year as the Superintendent of the Joplin Schools. Prior to accepting this position, Dr. Huff served four years as the Superintendent of Schools in the Eldon School District, near Lake of the Ozarks. He has also served as a principal in the Nixa, Springfield, and the Bolivar School Districts and as an elementary classroom teacher in Bolivar, MO and Pleasanton, KS.
Dr. Huff received his two associate degrees from Labette Community College (Parsons, KS), a BS in Elementary Education from Pittsburg State University (Pittsburg, KS), a Masters and Specialist Degree from Missouri State University (Springfield, MO), and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.
In addition to his administrative responsibilities with the schools, Dr. Huff remains active in the Joplin Community through his participation on the Joplin Chamber of Commerce, United Way Board of Directors, Bright Futures USA Board of Directors, and serves as a “lunch buddy” through Big Brothers/Big Sisters.
Dr. Huff was born and raised in Southeast Kansas near the town of McCune. Prior to becoming an educator he was a farmer for 8 years and attributes much of the success he has achieved to a strong work ethic and values instilled in him by his family. He has been married 14 years to his wife Jennifer. Together they have three children, of whom he is very proud, Savannah, age 12 Keaton, age 10, and Julianne, age 3.
Workshop Objectives:
- 1. Explore methods to increase emergency preparedness in schools.
- 2. Discuss ways to develop partnerships in advance of a disaster.
- 3. Provide perspective on post-disaster recovery actions.
Responding to the 2011 Joplin Tornado: An Intimate Perspective on Preparedness
Mitchell Randles, Fire Chief, Joplin Fire Department
Wednesday, April 11th from 8:00 am – 8:50 am, followed by a Q&A workshop for first responders from 9:00 am – 9:50 am, and another workshop for all other attendees from 1:30 pm – 2:30pm.
Joplin (population: 50,000) and surrounding Jasper County have a robust history of planning, training, and exercising together, yet they had never exercised a scenario that included a trail of destruction ¾ mile wide, 6.5 miles long, with structures that were destroyed or severely damaged, including 7,500 homes, 500 businesses; two fire stations; a large regional level 2 trauma center; and five schools, with over 160 fatalities. Chief Randles discusses how preparedness, relationships and other critical factors support response hindered by power outages, loss of cell phone towers, and massive amounts of obstructive debris.
Chief Randles is a 20 year veteran of the Joplin Fire Department and has been in the emergency response field for over 25 years in both paid and volunteer departments. He has worked as a Firefighter/Paramedic, Driver/Engineer, Captain, Fire Marshal and Deputy Chief before assuming the role of Fire Chief in August 2010. His education includes a MBA, BSBA in Management, AA in Fire Science and is a graduate of the National Fire Academy's Executive Fire Officers program.
Workshop Objectives:
- 1. Provide first responders (9-9:50am) with an informal discussion on the issues they face during a catastrophic disaster.
- 2. An open workshop (1:30-2:30pm) for all attendees to get a first-hand perspective on catastrophic response issues.
- 3. An open workshop (1:30-2:30pm) for all attendees to gain insight on how their organization could support catastrophic disaster response.
Recovering from Disasters: Partner Before the Storm
Luther Harrison, Vice President, North American Ministries, Samaritan’s Purse
Thursday, April 12th from 8:00 am – 8:50 am, followed by two Q&A workshops at 1:30 pm – 2:50 pm and 3:00 pm – 4:50 pm.
A team of five Samaritan’s Purse staff members landed in Kansas City for the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) Conference two hours before the Joplin tornado struck. They immediately drove down and identified a church as their base of operations and later toured Joplin’s devastation with Governor Parnell. They remain partners in Joplin for the next two years as they continue to rebuild. Luther Harrison discusses the importance of building partnerships in advance of rebuilding efforts.
Luther Harrison is the Vice President of North American Ministries for Samaritan’s Purse, where he began his career 15 years ago. He has been involved in the Samaritan’s Purse Disaster Relief program since 1998.
He leads a dedicated team of 25 staff, who work with volunteers to respond to natural disasters all across the United States, including Alaska. In 2011, Samaritan’s Purse Disaster Relief staff coordinated over 18,000 volunteers who traveled to 20 storm areas to assist their “neighbor”, in their time of need.
Since 2005, they have also led volunteers in rebuilding numerous homes for families who are uninsured and had no means of starting over. This phase of Samaritan’s Purse Disaster Relief began after Hurricane Katrina, and has continued in several states over the years, most recently in Alabama, Missouri and North Carolina following the tornadoes in the spring of 2011, as well as Alaska, following the ice jam in Crooked Creek.
Harrison was born and raised in Boone, North Carolina, where he has served the community as a volunteer fireman, and prior to joining Samaritan’s Purse, he worked for 14 years with the Boone Police Department as an officer and detective.
Harrison is married to his wife Michelle, who also works at Samaritan’s Purse, and has two daughters, Kristin and Hollie.
Workshop Objectives:
- 1. Provide a voluntary agency perspective on catastrophic issues (1:30-2:50pm).
- 2. Informal discussion on the issues they face during a catastrophic disaster (1:30-2:50pm).
- 3. A look at Samaritan’s Purse base and operations in Alaska and internationally as well (3:00-4:50pm).
