HomeMy WebLinkAboutCentral Texas Floods 1981 12
PILOT PROJECT: TEXAS SCHOOL CHILDREN CAN
LEARN ABOUT DISASTERS
Representatives from the Texas Education Agency jects covered would include hurricanes, tornadoes,
learned June 29 how Texas school children, from floods, fires and others. Success of the program is
kindergarten through 12th grade, can receive based on letting teachers decide where the pro -
valuable instructions on natural and man -made gram information can best be fitted into curriculum
disasters. they already plan to teach. FEMA teaching aids in-
clude "disaster" picture books geared to elemen-
At a Regional Training Workshop in Denton, tary school levels, and includes fiction and non -
Christine Unger of the Federal Emergency Manage- fiction methods.
ment Agency Training and Education Division
described the project's success in North Carolina's Do an Division of Emergency Management
public schools and explained FEMA's plan for a Training Officer from DPS in Austin, attended the
pilot project in Texas. The program is based on cur- meeting and plans to "pilot" test the public
riculum guides and material provided by FEMA schools disaster education program in five areas of
which could enable teachers to include "disaster" the state during the 1981-82 school year.
information in existing courses. The workshop also included a presentation entitled
"Learn Not To Burn" by Roy McNight of the Fort
Goals of the program are to teach children all Worth Fire Department, a teaching technique
phases of disasters: hazards, survival techniques, which Fort Worth has used to teach fire safety to
prevention, response and recovery methods. Sub- school children.
ytyht*********** tit******* yt*yttt**** *yt*titirytyt*ytyt** *ytirytytyt******irytyty *********
College credits for fire If flood waters rise...
courses...
FEMA News reports that students of the There are no absolute rules to follow when
Federal Emergency Management Agency's faced with rising water while in your car or
home, but here are a few precautions to con -
National Fire Academy may now be able to sider in such an emergency.
gain college credits for courses completed
in the Academy's resident program. At the If you are in your car when flash flooding
conclusion of an American Council on starts:
Education (ACE) accreditation review in July, • Avoid low-water crossings, under -
all National Fire Academy resident courses passes and flooded streets.
• Don't waste time trying to start your
were awarded an ACE college -level credit car if it stalls. If you're stuck in a foot or two
recommendation. of water, leave the car head for higher
ground.
Fred J. Villella, FEMA's Associate Director of
Training and Education in Emmitsburg, Md., If you are at home when heavy rains start,
cited the announcement as a major step for- take the following precautions:
• Rely on radio and television reports for
ward in advancing the professional develop- information about flash flooding.
ment of firefighters and emergency manage- • Abandon your home when water covers
ment specialists. the street and climbs the curbs.
/te (- /