Fifth-graders Learn About Emergency Preparedness

Wednesday’s devastating tornadoes in Massachusetts may have come after local fifth graders learned about emergency planning but drive home a point made by Adam B. Libros, the town’s fire marshal and director of emergency management.

The area is not immune to disasters like tornadoes, fires and blizzards and families should be prepared, he recently told students. 

Libros recently visited each fifth-grade class at Canton Intermediate School and presented Student Tools For Emergency Planning, or STEP, a program developed and funded by the Federal Emergency Management Association.

Libros talked to the students, showed some video clips and provided some handouts so students could learn about emergencies, wider-spread disasters and actions families can take to be prepared.

And Libros told the students that planning was not something they could leave to parents, who may be too busy or have become complacent.

“You guys need to take charge in this,” he said.

Disasters like tornadoes and blizzards a very real threat in town and families should take action with such initiatives as an escape plan, a predetermined place to meet during emergencies, an escape route and a emergency kit.

To help them start such a kit, the program even included a free bright yellow bag with a whistle, flashlight and energy bar. Libros talked with students about items to include, which can vary for each family. 

Students learned about other aspects of planning as well, such as the town’s ability to use the community center as an emergency shelter.

“It’s such a great program,” Principal Dr. Jordan Grossman told  students in teacher Jennifer Stevens’ class recently. “I see it as very beneficial to our school and our students.”

Students in the class, one of the last to receive the training, said they did learn from the session. 

“I never knew there was a shelter at our community center,” student Elizabeth Moran said.

Max Sparks said he learned several useful tips. 

“This program will be good for all the kids it will help,” Sparks said 

“I think it’s important to get under a table and hold the legs in a tornado,” student Dawson Roberts added.

The program is a logical follow-up to fire safety training students get at Cherry Brook Primary School And CT fire prevention contest fifth-graders participate in, Libros said.

The STEP program does have some follow-up features itself and lessons that can be incorporated into additional classroom subjects, Libros said. He hopes to expand it in the future.