Thinking, talking and learning about preparedness is not the most exciting thing to do in our lives. We know this based on research that suggests that about 80 percent of our population is not prepared for a disaster, whether big or small. Research also tells us that every dollar spent on preparedness education saves us $7 in post-disaster recovery.
One segment of the population that we have found receptive to preparedness education is elementary school-aged children. Their minds are open to almost any subject, but seem to be very tuned to the idea of being prepared for emergencies.
With that in mind, the American Red Cross has partnered with Disney to put together two very important programs that focus on those young, open minds in an effort to capitalize on what seems to be a natural desire to learn and to help.
The first program is called the Pillowcase Project. Red Cross volunteers go into the classroom armed with pillowcases, color markers and learning materials. The students work through the learning materials and learn how they can create an emergency evacuation kit in the pillowcase. The idea is that students will take the pillowcase home, create the emergency kit and talk about the preparedness process with other family members. To learn more about the Pillow Case Project, visit www.redcross.org/colorado-prepare.
The second program seeks to capitalize on young minds, ages 7-11, who love to be challenged by video games on tablets and smartphones. The Red Cross recently announced the availability of a new game that is not only fun to play but also provided preparedness education. The app is called “Monster Guard” and is set in the “Monster Guard Academy.” The young app user is a recruit who trains to prepare for disasters and practices what to do if one happens. Users can role-play as various monster characters, go through the initiation and engage in interactive training episodes for hazards such as tornadoes, floods and hurricanes. If a player completes all the episodes, he or she will graduate and become a member of the “Monster Guard.”
To download the new Monster Guard app, visit redcross.org/monsterguard or to an app provider, such as iTunes or Google Play.
Eric Myers is executive director for the Red Cross in Western Colorado. Reach him at eric.myers@redcross.org or (970) 242-4851.