MADISON, Wis. – When disasters strike, family members need to be ready to respond. To help students across the state learn about how to be prepared, Wisconsin Emergency Management this week opened another year of the Student Tools for Emergency Planning (STEP) program.
“For more than a decade, the STEP program has offered fourth and fifth grade students across Wisconsin an opportunity to learn more about how to be prepared for severe weather, fires, and other disasters,” said Wisconsin Emergency Management Administrator Greg Engle. “We are excited to have educators throughout the state continue to offer this program to kids.”
The STEP program provides schools and other educational settings with a curriculum created by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The lessons taught through the STEP program cover topics such as identifying hazards in their area, what to do during an emergency, and how students can create an emergency plan and kit with members of their household.
Wisconsin Emergency Management’s STEP program provides schools with free materials, such as a backpack and flashlight, to help students build their own emergency kits.
Since launching in 2011, more than 90,000 students across the state have participated in the STEP program. This year, close to 5,800 students in more than 100 classrooms and other educational settings are registered to participate in STEP.
Wisconsin educators interested in offering the STEP program to their 4th and 5th grade students can find more information at https://readywisconsin.wi.gov/step/.
STEP is part of Wisconsin Emergency Management’s ReadyWisconsin campaign, which seeks to improve disaster readiness across the state. You can find more information about ReadyWisconsin at https://readywisconsin.wi.gov or by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
