Disaster Ready Kids Program Preparing for Summer

RANSON —  The Jefferson County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (JCHSEM) will be sponsoring their Disaster Ready Kids Program this summer for the 14th year in a row.

The program serves as a way for volunteers from the department to educate Jefferson County youth on how to appropriately handle a dangerous situation involving the weather, a power outage, a fire, or any other type of emergencies they may face.

Public Information Officer for the department, Brandon Vallee, says the children always surprise him with their maturity, and is happy to know they don’t find the material scary.

“We can have an adult conversation about tornadoes even though it’s a 5 or 6 year old, and I just find that very reassuring that the messages are getting out there. They’re very intelligent and able to grasp the topic. We don’t present it in a scary way but they are totally understanding the ramifications of it,” he explained.

Vallee is also excited to report that they currently have over ninety books and DVD’s on various disaster topics for use, including a special cartoon featuring mascot Mimi Mouse for the kindergartners.

Mimi teaches the younger children that talking with their parents about being prepared for emergencies is a vital part of staying safe.

The program doesn’t have a set schedule, but rather Vallee and his fellow volunteers will make appointments with various schools and organizations in order to bring the message to them.

He is proud to announce that they typically educate about 250-300 children every year with the program on emergency safety, and have taught over 3,000 kids overall.

If you would like a volunteer to bring the Disaster Ready Kids Program to an area near you in Jefferson County, contact Brandon Vallee at [email protected].

For more information about the program in general, visit the JCHSEM website.