Contact: Allison Matthews

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State University’s emergency manager is among the first class in the state to complete the National Emergency Management Basic Academy.

Brent Crocker graduated earlier this month with more than 30 other participants from across Mississippi after completing four intensive weeks of study. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency administered the training.

“The National Emergency Management Basic Academy provided a strong foundation for those new to emergency management and those with years of experience,” Crocker said.

“Training consisted of lectures, scenarios, teachbacks and group work. In addition to learning from the Emergency Management Institute instructors, we built strong relationships with colleagues from across the state,” he added.

Specifically, Crocker and other graduates completed 152 total course hours consisting of foundations of emergency management, science of disaster, planning for emergency operations, exercise design, and public information and warning. For more on the training, visit https://training.fema.gov/empp/basic.aspx.

Crocker was named MSU’s emergency manager at the beginning of the year, filling a position created to administer the university’s emergency management efforts.

As a part of MSU’s Division of Student Affairs, he reports directly to Vice President of Student Affairs Regina Hyatt.

“Safety and security are top priority for Mississippi State, and Brent’s participation in this critical training will help him as he continues to evaluate and update the university’s emergency management plan,” Hyatt said.

Crocker spent 14 years as a staff member in MSU’s Department of Recreational Sports and played an active role in emergency management, including establishing a monthly training and assessment program. He also has spent 10 years serving as a part-time emergency medical technician with OCH Regional Medical Center.

Crocker holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in information systems, both from MSU’s College of Business.

For more on MSU’s emergency preparedness guidelines, visit www.ready.msstate.edu.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.