Gulfport named CARRI Partner

Friday August 24, 2007

                                       CITY of GULFPORT

           Brent Warr
               Mayor
                                                                                                        Brian Carriere
Gary Hollimon                                                                                           Councilman, Ward Five
Councilman, Ward One
                                                                          Neil Resh
Libby Milner-Roland                                                                                     Councilman, Ward Six
Councilwoman, Ward Two
                                                                                                        Barbara Nalley
Ella Holmes-Hines                                                                                       Councilwoman, Ward Seven
Councilwoman, Ward Three
Jackie Smith
Councilman, Ward Four
                                                          "WHERE YOUR SHIP COMES IN"
                                                  Mayor-Council Form of Government
        FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                         Contact:
        [INSERT DATE]                                                                 Rebecca Kajdan, 228/868-5810
                                                                                      Warren Edwards, 865/574-8277
                  Gulfport Named a Partner in the Community and Regional
                                                     Resilience Initiative
        Gulfport, Miss. -Gulfport Mayor Brent Warr announced today that the City of Gulfport is teaming with the Oak Ridge
        National Laboratory's Community and Regional Resilience Initiative (CARRI) to capture the lessons the city and region
        have learned in the aftermath of Katrina.

        Oak Ridge National Laboratory will work closely with Gulfport's government and regional community and business
        leaders, to collect, develop, and share the essential benchmarks, tools and techniques that any community or region
        should possess to strengthen its ability to prepare for, respond to, and rapidly recover from significant natural and man-
        made disasters with minimal disruption to its way of life.

        "Since Katrina, all of us in Gulfport and all along the Mississippi Gulf Coast have faced the daunting task of putting our
        lives, our economies and our communities back together," said Mayor Warr. "By taking part in this research effort,
        Gulfport will work with leaders from Oak Ridge National Laboratory on the lessons we've learned that can help
        communities across the United States better prepare for and more quickly recover from future natural and man-made
        disasters."

        Warren Edwards, CARRI director, sees Gulfport and the south Mississippi region as a good example of communities
        that have worked tirelessly to become more resilient. "We look forward to working closely with the Mayor and other
        key leaders throughout the region to identify what they are doing well, to help them identify any gaps, and to then
        formalize and develop best practices that can potentially improve the recovery in Gulfport and south Mississippi and be
        shared with other communities across America."

        Mayor Warr said this new partnership not only shows the groundwork Gulfport and the Gulf Coast have laid in
        rebuilding after Katrina, but also the leadership role the region can play in helping communities around the nation
        become better prepared and ultimately more resilient.

        "A resilient community is not only prepared to help prevent or minimize the loss or damage to life, property and the
        environment, but it also has the ability to more quickly return citizens to work, reopen businesses, and restore other
        essential services needed for a full and swift recovery," stated Mayor Warr. "Through this partnership, we are now
        fortunate to have access to national and international researchers and practitioners who can augment the findings from
        our own community and help make Gulfport, the region and communities across the United States even stronger.

         "The citizens of Gulfport and the Mississippi Gulf Coast have persevered through the greatest of challenges and have
        become symbols of strength, hope, and grace for other Americans," said Mayor Warr. "We now have an opportunity to
        strengthen our own resiliency while helping other communities across the country.
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