Projects for Generating Awareness on Disaster Management

FEMA, or the Federal Emergency Management Agency, encourages everyone, from school children to the elderly, to be aware of how government agencies manage disasters and what the community can do to help. The FEMA website states, "Every citizen in this country is part of a national emergency management system that is all about protection--protecting people and property from all types of hazards." One way schools and organizations can help is to develop educational programs.
  1. Families and Elementary Schools

    • Arrange a school-wide safety fair where police officers and volunteer firefighters talk to students and parents about safety preparations. Remember to have fingerprinting stations and information available for parents to assemble a child identification kit. You can also coordinate with local schools to develop science and history lessons discussing types of emergencies and how they are handled; or hold a fundraiser to raise funds for a school in a disaster recovery zone.

    Middle Schools and High Schools

    • Develop a lesson plan discussing various types of emergencies and assign book reports or speeches about past emergencies and how responding organizations handled them. You could then hold a county-wide student summit for students to discuss what they can do to help and offer extra credit for students who volunteer for community service. Contact local organizations which respond to emergencies to arrange positions for your students or even consider forming a Community Emergency Response Team, or CERT, at your high school.

    Community Organizations

    • Contact the local Red Cross branch and offer your organization's services to help with a community blood drive or fundraising event. Some branches offer programs that train non-emergency personnel to help with answering phones, removing debris or assisting the elderly and disabled to safety during a crisis. You might also arrange a charity event with the proceeds designated to help rebuild after a disaster or to fund a regional response team.

    Local Governments

    • Develop a disaster response plan that includes specific personnel to contact for information collection, care of the elderly and disabled, evacuation protocols and media contacts. Have business leaders give input on economic concerns and areas likely to experience flooding or looting. The rest of the community can help by providing information about individuals with special needs such as supplemental oxygen or limited mobility; hold community meetings to discuss current plans and request feedback.

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