New England Schools Take a 'STEP' to Prepare Kids
FEMA Region I Launches School Preparedness Initiative
The Student Tools for Emergency Planning (STEP) program, built through a partnership between the region's External Affairs, National Preparedness and Management divisions, is an education project aimed at teaching students basic emergency preparedness skills. With the support of emergency management agencies from all six New England states, STEP launched its pilot program in 36 schools in September 2008.
"Students at the 4th grade level will be armed with strategies for dealing with various types of emergencies," said FEMA Region I Administrator Art Cleaves. "They will act as agents to share this awareness with family members - one of our Vision 2010 goals."
Students will be taught useful information that could save lives. They will be instructed on how to build an emergency kit for their home and how to make a family communications plan. Both units require family involvement.
As STEP was being developed, 4th grade teachers from North Providence participated in a focus group where they gave feedback and ideas for the final product.
"We are looking forward to unveiling the STEP program in our schools," said Dr. Donna Ottaviano, Superintendent of North Providence School District-the first and only district in Rhode Island to include STEP in their curriculum. "Our teachers are enthusiastic about the materials they helped to create and we all agree that being prepared is an important message."
FEMA employees with teaching backgrounds built lessons around a 14-minute film called "The Adventures of the Disaster Dudes,"produced by FEMA, with support from the American Red Cross. As the movie is played, the teacher stops frequently to have class discussions about topics introduced in the video. STEP's teacher guide provides discussion questions, along with worksheets and homework assignments to accompany the movie.
The ready-to-teach format is not only easy for teachers to implement, but it opens the potential for other methods of delivery. FEMA is pursuing partnerships with Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) volunteers, college students enrolled in emergency management degree programs, and local police and safety officers to deliver STEP materials across the region.
Understanding that there is diversity in teaching methods; the STEP materials offer supplemental lessons that will allow for some flexibility. Each teacher will be given a list of books, art and theater elements, and other resources they may use to expand their lesson, as well as an "Adventures of the Disaster Dudes" game. Schools will also be supplied with a "Masters of Disaster" educator's kit-a teaching resource on disaster preparedness and safety for children-made by the American Red Cross.
One of the most notable aspects of the STEP program this year has been the learning tools students will receive. Each student will be equipped with an informative refrigerator magnet and their very own 'starter' kit-a carrying bag equipped with a water bottle, snack bar, emergency whistle, and an emergency blanket.
"We want our students to be prepared for life," said Rich Abramson, superintendent of Maranacook Area Schools in Maine-one of the largest school districts for the pilot year. "Emergencies are part of life and it's important for students and families to think about situations before they happen."
The STEP program will reach over 2,500 fourth grade students in New England during its pilot year and FEMA plans to expand the program region-wide thereafter. To achieve these ambitious expansion goals, the program will first look to districts recommended by the pilot schools and then to larger urban districts in each state.
The original goal of STEP was to pilot the program in one school in each state; however, the overwhelming positive response received by school administrators and educators led to such a significantly larger list of participating schools. FEMA is optimistic that STEP's ongoing momentum will break through to other regions quickly, building prepared communities and creating a legacy of student who are prepared, year after year.
To learn more about STEP, please contact Michelle Collins at Michelle.Collins@dhs.gov or 617-956-7544.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 05-Nov-2008 17:55:58 EST