Step into Incline Middle School's Room 401 on any Wednesday after 2 p.m. and you will find a disastrous group of students. Some might have their hands covered with food coloring. Others could be hiding beneath desks. Those that you talk to may use words like "wind shear" and "convection current," or tell you why Nevada is a dangerous state to live in.
They are, very literally, the Masters of Disaster, inaugural members of the newly formed Red Cross Youth Club. The club - which was implemented by the Northern Nevada Chapter of the American Red Cross and facilitated by an AmeriCorps team member working within the Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation - educates the students about disasters and trains them to become American Red Cross disaster volunteers.|
During the first half of the school year, students explore the causes and effects of natural disasters such as floods, wild fires, and winter storms through classroom activities. Hands-on experiments help to demonstrate the scientific principles underlying disasters-two plastic bottles taped together and filled with water simulates a tornado forming, while a light bulb, aluminum foil, and string can help display the concept of heat rising. Questions are asked, answers are proposed, and week by week the students' understanding of natural phenomena grows.
The second half of the school year is devoted to taking the students through American Red Cross Disaster Action Team (DAT) training, during which they will learn about providing mass care, sheltering disaster victims, and servicing clients. By the time that the students are released for summer vacation in June, they will be certified to respond to any disaster - including wild fires, house fires, and winter storms - that occurs within the Tahoe basin.
Considering that the Northern Nevada Chapter of the American Red Cross has noted the need for trained disaster volunteers in Tahoe, the creation of this program - and the army of young, capable volunteers that it will produce - adds an invaluable element to the safety of our community.
Community members interested in receiving Disaster Action Team (DAT) training should contact the Northern Nevada Chapter of the American Red Cross. The Incline Village Service Center can be reached by phone at (775) 298-0131 or by email at statera@nevada.redcross.org.
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