Nashville, Tennessee --- Tennessee Department of Safety Commissioner Dave Mitchell will be participating in Vigilant Guard ’08, a training exercise being hosted by the Tennessee National Guard. The exercise, which includes participants from Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois and Missouri, will be in response to a simulated 7.6 Richter magnitude scale earthquake along the New Madrid fault-line.

WHO:        TDOS Commissioner Dave Mitchell

WHAT:      Vigilant Guard ‘08

WHEN:      April 19-23, 2008

WHERE:    Naval Support Activity (NAVSUPPACT) Mid-South
                 Millington, Tennessee

Commissioner Mitchell is scheduled to leave Smyrna, TN, the morning of April 21, 2008, with Major General Gus Hargett to the simulated disaster area near Memphis, TN.

More than 1,700 National Guard personnel from Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois and Missouri will join local and state first responders to take part in the exercise. Although the majority of troops will be in the Millington area, operations will be conducted in Nashville, Smyrna and Knoxville.

The Tennessee Department of Safety's mission is (www.tennessee.gov/safety) to ensure the safety and general welfare of the public. The department encompasses the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Office of Homeland Security and Driver License Services. General areas of responsibility include law enforcement, safety education, motorist services and terrorism prevention.