Richard Kearns, the school district’s security director, was recognized by the Federal Emergency Management Agency this week for his work helping students in Seymour get prepared for emergencies.
The three elementary schools in Seymour were among 26 pilot schools for a FEMA program called Student Tools for Emergency Planning (STEP).
Kearns took the program and molded it into a model FEMA wants to use when it expands the program across the country.
“Mr. Kearns not only represents all of New England, we asked him to come down to Washington D.C. to help launch the program nationally,” said Daniel McElhinney, the deputy federal preparedness coordinator for FEMA Region 1. “Hopefully one day we can make this a national program.”
McElhinney and Connecticut Homeland Security Commissioner Peter Boynton presented Kearns and the Seymour district with plaques for their work with the program at an assembly at Bungay Elementary School Monday. Kearns was the only person out of 3,000 people in New England to be recognized.
He received three separate nominations for the award.
The STEP Program
FEMA provides yellow backpack, stocked with emergency items like water bottles, flash lights and batteries.
The pilot schools took the backpacks and some informational material and shaped the program to fit their needs, according to Michelle Collins, the program services specialist for FEMA Region 1.
“We really tried to design the program to make it easy for classroom teachers,” Collins said.
In Seymour, Kearns decided to use firefighters and police officers, instead of teachers, to teach emergency preparedness to students.
The students are taught what items they need to keep in their bookbags, including weather-appropriate clothing.
Students also learn how to create emergency plans with their families.
The goal is to reach the larger community through students in an attempt to help people be prepared for any disaster — including tornadoes, fires and earthquakes.
“You can help your community to prepare for a disaster,” Boynton told the students at Bungay. “You can help create a culture of preparedness.”
Click the video below to see some of the learning material from the STEP program.