The eighth annual HazMat Explo Conference took place at the Orleans Hotel & Casino the week of November 15-19, 2004.  Coordinated by the Clark County Office of Emergency Management, the symposium incorporated training and workshops including tracks specific to professionals in the medical field, environmental response, radiological response, first responders, emergency planners and industry professionals.  As with previous years, the conference enjoyed a tremendous return rate of conference attendees, and this year an additional 300 newcomers attended.  Total attendance exceeded 700 participants.   HazMat Explo has proven, once again, that the pursuit of up-to-date course material and the latest programming trends in these distinct tracks is what makes this conference a success each year.

A few highlights from this year’s conference included:

v     Keynote speaker, Mr. Larry Kryske, an executive development professional, who motivates his audience members towards “Creating Your Finest Hour.”  His unique presentation style merged an audiovisual display coupled with his artist talent in painting in oils while demonstrating that things don’t always seem as they appear.  Courage, vision, and determination are the keys to success.

v     An overview of the recently released National Response Plan and the National Incident Management System was a hot new program, as those charged with integrating these new federal programs into local plans vied to learn the intricate details of these massive new programs.

v     As always, the Thinking Like a Terrorist workshop proved to be a popular draw, as more than 230 attendees filled the room to catch an update on the motivations of terrorists and the tools of their trade.

v     More than 40 vendors were on-hand in the exhibit hall to demonstrate their wares, answer attendees’ questions, and give away great prizes through a free drawing.

Support for this conference was made possible by the coordination efforts of, and training grants through, the Clark County Local Emergency Planning Committee, Clark County Fire Department, the Nevada State Emergency Response Commission, the Nevada Division of Emergency Management, the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, the Nevada Association of Counties, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the US Department of Transportation, and the US Environmental Protection Agency.