Teenagers in Emergency Management
Youth are the future of emergency management but are often left out of the present-day disaster preparedness conversation. This session will focus on hearing about the FEMA Youth Preparedness Council (YPC) and, more importantly, from two accomplished teenagers who participate in the program. FEMA’s Youth Preparedness Council brings 9th – 12th grade students together to learn about emergency management, develop professional skills, and lead preparedness-building activities in their communities. These students work hard to engage populations that are traditionally harder to reach for emergency managers. The audience will have an opportunity to get feedback and thoughts from two accomplished students and think critically about how we can engage children and teens in disaster preparedness.
About the Presenters
Samantha Robinson is a Community Preparedness Specialist for FEMA Region 10. She specifically manages the FEMA Region 10 Youth Preparedness Council, which brings together 8th-12th grade students from across Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington to empower them to complete community preparedness projects while learning emergency management and professional skills. Samantha has also deployed to disasters in North Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Texas, and Puerto Rico when she was a FEMA reservist and during her AmeriCorps NCCC Service Year. She graduated from the University of Missouri – Columbia with a degree in Human Development and Family Studies.
Viswa Karthic is an 11th grade student who is currently serving as a FEMA Region 10 Youth Preparedness Council Co-Chair. He is active in the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program and is a Police Explorer, where he strives to make stronger connections between emergency responders and the public. He has a deep interest in school safety and preparedness and successfully advocated the Lake Washington School District to implement Stop the Bleed kits and trainings, a yearlong endeavor that he is extremely proud of.
Suniti Srinivasan is a 10th grade student who served two years on the FEMA Region 10 Youth Preparedness and is now on the National FEMA Youth Preparedness Council, one of fifteen students selected from across the country. As a child in India, Suniti experienced a devastating flood, which has motivated her to help communities prepare for disasters. She volunteers with her county’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and is a certified Stop the Bleed and CPR/First-Aid instructor. She also recently developed a preparedness book for elementary school students from diverse backgrounds.