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May 2017
FROM THE FIELDANNOUNCEMENTSRESOURCESCONTACT US
FROM THE FIELD
Shepherding Kids Toward PreparednessOn a stormy day in Kansas in 2013, MichaelMcNulty’s German Shepherd Dog, Fred,jumped into a bathtub to take shelter. Thedog had seen McNulty’s family shelter in thebathtub during area weather warnings, sohe knew it was a safe place. McNulty took apicture of Fred that went viral, and eversince, the two have been spreading themessage of emergency preparednessthroughout the state.
Fred and McNulty visit schools, fairs, andother community events to teach kids about
preparedness and to encourage them to take the message home.
Fred carries a pack filled with an emergency kit to the visits. “Kidshelp unpack the kit and see what’s inside. As they take out theitems, we talk about each one: the flashlight, the maps, thecontact numbers, the hand wipes, the firstaid kit, etc. We also talkabout making sure family pets are accounted for in [a family’s]emergency plan,” says McNulty. He goes on to describe how thevisit impacts the kids after meeting the Preparedness Dog. Aftermeeting Fred, kids “go to their parents and say, ‘there was a dogat school today, and he had all this stuff. Why don’t we have
stuff?” McNulty believes that exposure and curiosity amongst children can “kickstart” efforts in thehome.
Fred is the official mascot for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, PreparednessProgram. Even if you are not in Kansas, Fred can help you to inspire others to be more prepared.Visit the “Fred the Preparedness Dog” website for lessons and activities—such as quizzes and acoloring book—that can get kids excited about preparedness.
You can also download Fred’s free iPad and iPhone app to get games that emphasize family andpet preparedness for all types of emergencies. Want to track Fred’s latest adventures? Follow himon Facebook and Twitter.
Happy Campers Become Engaged LeadersThe Los Angelesregion of the American RedCross serves more than 88 cities nationwide.Each August, its five chapters work together toput on a weeklong Leadership DevelopmentCamp (LDC) for nearly one hundred highschool and college students. Held at PilgrimPines in the San Bernardino Mountains, LDCteaches the fundamentals of being an effectiveleader.
The overnight camp format emphasizes timemanagement, goal setting, public speaking, diversity/cultural understanding, and marketing skillsthrough a handson, interactive approach. Want to see what it’s like for yourself? Watch clips fromLDC 2015 and 2016 here.
Jasmine Han, a firsttime camper in 2016 whowent on to serve as Youth Executive BoardPresident of her local American Red Crosschapter in the year following camp, describedher experience, “What surprised me the mostwas that the sessions…were organized byyouth themselves. [And] sessions were neverlecturebased. We were presented informationeither with a skit or taught vital leadership skillsthrough activities. Every session had new information, and I was always left amazed by the things Ilearned.”
After a successful year as president of a high school club, Jasmine reflects on what LDC taught her,such as, how to plan meetings and events, delegate tasks, work with a team, and fundraise, amongother skills. Aside from strong friendships with fellow campers, what she values most from her timeat LDC is that she can now speak in front of an audience with confidence.
LDC’s core purpose is to create a community of youth leaders who feel empowered to take activeroles to make a difference. Want to attend LDC or know a student who’d be a good fit? Make sure toapply by July 7. Get details and read camper testimonials here.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Apply for the 2017 FEMA Individual and Community PreparednessAwards Today
The application period for the 2017 FEMA Individualand Community Preparedness Awards is now open.
The awards highlight innovative local practices andachievements by individuals and organizations thathave made outstanding contributions towardstrengthening their community to prepare for,respond to and recover from a disaster.
This year, the awards feature the Outstanding Achievement in Youth Preparedness category toshowcase youth preparedness efforts. Applicants can apply for up two categories. The othercompetitive categories include:
Outstanding Citizen Corps CouncilCommunity Preparedness ChampionsAwareness to ActionTechnological InnovationJohn D. Solomon Whole Community Preparedness AwardOutstanding Private Sector InitiativesOutstanding Community Emergency Response Team InitiativesOutstanding Citizen Corps Partner ProgramPrepareathon in Action
To be considered for this year’s awards, send all applications to femaicp[email protected] byMay 30, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. EDT and feature program activities occurring between January 1, 2016and May 30, 2017. For more information on how to apply, visit: www.ready.gov/preparednessawards.
Coastal County in New Jersey Adopts Flood AwarenessCurriculum
Monmouth County, New Jersey is making a “bigsplash” in flood safety and awareness! Countyschools recently adopted the High Water Mark(HWM) initiative and posted nearly 100 signsthroughout 14 towns and 2 federal sites to educateresidents and visitors about flood risks in specificareas. Signs mark the flood levels from past severestorms—including Superstorm Sandy.
The HWM initiative is more than simply postingsigns—it’s about education and resilience. Various activities were designed to target different gradelevels and to complement math, science, and reasoning skills that are already being emphasized ineach grade. For instance, a math homework activity provides data about special flood hazard areasand then asks questions about percentages and other calculations. Each activity stresses theimportance of being prepared for floods, and students are encouraged to take action to know andreduce risks.
Your local schools can jump into the HWM initiative! Ask questions and get tips when you emailVincent Brown at [email protected]. You can also learn more about floods by visitingFEMA’s Flood Preparation and Safety website.
Get Involved in Hurricane Preparedness Week 2017
It only takes one storm to change your life and community. The time to prepare for storm season isbefore it begins. Hurricane Preparedness Week is a great time to prepare for a tropical storm orhurricane. The National Weather Service will issue daily tips and resources to help you, your family,and your community get ready. You will be encouraged to take action to help lower your risk of injuryand potential damage to your home with tips like how to develop an evacuation plan, assembledisaster supplies, and schedule an insurance checkup. Learn how you can join the#OnlyTakesOne and #HurricaneStrong movement here.
Register for Free Hurricane WebinarDo you know teachers or students in 4th–6th grades who livenear the coast or are interested in weather? Encourage them toregister for a free, live webinar on May 10th at 10:30 a.m.Eastern Time. The National Hurricane Center and the NationalOceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are teamingup with the Hurricanes: Science and Society team at theUniversity of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanographyto raise awareness about hurricanes before the 2017 hurricaneseason begins. Schools/classes must register in advance. Learnmore and register here.
Join Discussion on Children’s Needs at NVOADSave the Children would like to invite you to aspecial discussion at the NVOAD Conference(Houston, TX) on how the VOAD community canwork together to address children’s needs inemergencies. The conversation will include gapsin children’s disaster programming, partners in thefield, and how you can champion children’s issuesin your own community. For more information,email Cameron Lewis [email protected].
RESOURCES
American Red Cross Home Fire CampaignOrganization: American Red CrossAudience: All agesTopics: General preparedness, FireWebsite: http://www.redcross.org/gethelp/prepareforemergencies/typesofemergencies/fire/preventhomefire#ResourcesDescription: This website covers a wide range of fire safety topics, such as how to prevent andprepare for home fires, pet fire safety, fire safety for kids, fire safety equipment, what to do if a firestarts, and many others.
Children and Climate Change ELearning ModuleOrganization: UNICEFAudience: Government officials and development partnersTopics: Climate changeWebsite: https://unccelearn.org/?lang=enDescription: This free, online course presents how children and youth can be impacted by climatechange. It also addresses how to boost their resilience. The module takes approximately two hoursto complete.
HERricane ArlingtonOrganization: Arlington, VirginiaAudience: Girls aged 13–17Topics: General preparedness, Leadership skills, Professional developmentWebsite: https://departments.arlingtonva.us/oem/herricane/Description: This weeklong camp and professional development opportunity encourages youngwomen to pursue careers in emergency management.
Keeping Your Friends and Family HealthyOrganization: Department of Health and Human Services, Assistant Secretary for Preparednessand ResponseAudience: YouthTopics: General preparednessDescription: These free, downloadable, and printable materials empower youth to focus oncommunity health resilience in order to strengthen readiness for all residents.
Youth Activity GuideYouth BrochureYouth InfographicYouth Activity Sheet
Planning for the Needs of Children in DisastersOrganization: FEMAAudience: Emergency managers and children’s program directorsTopics: General preparednessWebsite: https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS366.aDescription: These seven lessons and a resources toolkit address how to meet the unique needsthat arise among children as a result of a disaster or emergency. The courses span six hours andthere are no prerequisites. Counts as .6 continuing education units.
CONTACT USEmail: FEMAYouth[email protected]
Online: http://www.ready.gov/youthpreparedness
Archived Issues: Click here
Subscribe: Click here
Disclaimer: The reader recognizes that the federal government provides links and informational data on variousdisaster preparedness resources and events and does not endorse any nonfederal events, entities,organizations, services or products. Please let us know about other events and services related to youthpreparedness that could be included in future newsletters by contacting FEMAYouth[email protected].
Disclaimer: Privacy Policy | GovDelivery is providing this information on behalf of U.S. Department of HomelandSecurity, and may not use the information for any other purposes