The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1950-07-27
te-Wide Disaster
Preparedness Conf.
To Be Held

Holmes Red Cross
Chapter Officials
Will Be Present
Governor Fielding Wright to-
Cay announced speakers and pam
al discussion leaders for the state
wide disaster and preparedness
relief planning conference to be
held in the Heidelburg hotel at
Jackson July 81.
The meeting mill be attended
by Mrs. Fanny Lumpkin, execu-
tive secretary of the Holmes
county chapter of the American
Red Cross, and Mr.. T. A. Lail,
county chapter president.
On the agenda are some of Mis-
sissippTS most experienced state,
county, and municipal officials in
the handling of major disaster
emergency operations, and also
number of representatives of the
American National Red Cross who
are widely experienced in admin
istration of disaster relief.
Governor Wright will deliver
the keynote address for the one
day meeting, which is expected
to be attended by about 700 rep
resentatives of governmental and
private agencies of the state hav-
ing responsibility in time of ma
jor catastrophe.
Brig. Gen. B. E. McDearman of
Cleveland, who is coordinator for
all the states departments in dis
aster activities, will discuss disas-
ter responsibilities and resources
of the state government.
Gen. McDearman gained ex-
perience in handling disaster
emergencies while in service with
the Mississippi State Guard and
earlier, with the states national
guard.
Biloxi's Mayor C. B. Cousins, a
veteran in the handling of Biloxi's
tremendous relief job during the
l947 Gulf Coast hurricane, will
discuss responsibilities of NUM-
cipal governments in time of dis
aster.
A similar address on county
functions will be given by How
ard Cameron of Meridian, who is
chancery clerk of Lauderdale
county. Mr.. Cameron Is former
chairman of the Lauderdale Coun-
ty Red Cross Chapters Disaster
Preparedness and Relief Commit
tee.
The Red Gross job during the
emergency days Of q disaster will
be discussed by E. c. Bryant of
Atlanta, director of Disaster Ser
vice for the Red Cross Southeast
ern Area, who directed flood and
tornado relief operations in Mis-
sissippi this past spring, headed
up the organizations relief job in
Mississippi, Alabama and Louis
lana in the wake of the 1947 Gulf
Coast hurricane, and also had adj
ministrative experience in Texas
City, Iowa Flood, and other big
relief operations.
The rehabilitation job Of the
Red Cross, which often extends
for weeks or months after the
emergency days Of a big disaster
have passed, will be the subject
of an address by Dewitt Smith of
Washington, D. c., the organiza-
tons national vice president for
Social Welfare Services and for
merly national director of all Red
Cross domestic and disaster relief
operations.
Laurels Mayor Carroll Gartin
and Robert c. Lewis, the latter
manager of the Red Cross
Southeastern Area. will lead a |
panel discussion on developments
in planning for civilian defense.
Gartin, a World War II veteran,
is a member Of boards Of trustees
Of various state institutions in Mis-
Lewis gained disaster |
relief administrative experience |
during the 1887 Ohio Mississippi |
Valley floods, was American Red
Cross commissioner for the Far
East Command in 1946-48, and
Turing World War II was director
IF all ARC operations in the CHI
heater. !
Jaclxson's Mayor Allen CT
Thompson win deliver the con-
welcome address and win
Governor Wright. r.
:. Stanton, chairman Of the Kinds
Red Cross Chapter, win
The Rev. H. w. F.
chaplain of the veter-
ans Administration hospital in
Jackson, will deliver the invoca-
ion.