The deadline is March 15 for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region 10’s inaugural Youth Preparedness Camp in Stanwood, Wash. The camp runs Aug. 18-23 and will include learning about youth Community Emergency Response Teams with training in fire, medical, preparedness, psychology, search and rescue, as well as how to help until help arrives during an emergency, along with extracurricular activities such as arts, crafts, sports, games, and much more! The camp tha will bring 40 youth in grades 8 through 12 from Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska to Stanwood, is hosted and staffed by camp and emergency management professionals from different organizations including the Oregon Office of Emergency Management. Subject matter experts and local emergency responders will support curriculum delivery and introduce participants to various emergency response professions. Youth at the camp will learn to safely assist in the immediate aftermath of a disaster when a professional response may be delayed or limited. “Young people want to lead and plan, and this camp is a way to empower them to do that,” said FEMA Region 10 Administrator Michael O’Hare. “Working as a team, they will be building partnerships, learning about how to help respond in a disaster and developing the confidence to know that, as individuals, they can make a difference.” Youth participants will also identify and develop a concept for a “give-back” project where they will utilize the skills developed during the camp to improve preparedness in their communities. Application information is available at: www.fema.gov/region-x/community-preparedness. Applications will be accepted through March 15, 2019. For further information regarding the camp, please contact FEMA Region 10, Individual and Community Preparedness staff at fema-r10-communityprep@fema.dhs.gov or 425-487-4943.
