Texas weather can be beautiful one moment and deadly the next, and that's why Frisco teaches their elementary students about severe weather safety.
Firefighters and educators put Frisco Independent School District fourth graders through a 90-minute "Severe Weather & Disaster Preparedness" program each year at Frisco Fire Safety Town.
Leslie Girdner, community education coordinator, says off-duty firefighters are the perfect match to teach the students. They already look up to the firefighters, “so they have a role model teaching them and that means a lot to them," she said.
“It’s an awareness class and makes them look at the possibilities that this really could happen to them,” Girdner said. “In this program we teach watch them about the weather, warnings, where to go and what supplies to have in their safety room.”
Students learn about safe locations to ride out a storm, such as the first floor, or an area with doors that can be closed, like a stairwell or closet and always to keep away from windows.
For personal safety, they learn the “duck and cover” method that helps protect their face from flying debris.
Girdner says the highlight for many is the showing off the “disaster bag” that is similar to FEMA’s disaster preparedness kit. They are taught to have the bag ready to go, and filled with a flashlights and batteries, water, food and a NOAA weather radio. They remind students that other family necessities, such as diapers for younger siblings, activities for children or medications for adults.
"If it happens late at night they need to remember coats and shoes for their feet, otherwise they can get cuts,” Girdner said. “We’re always talking about the worst case scenario.”
In late October, fourth grader Presli Quinn joined her classmates at Frisco Fire Safety Town for their severe weather class.
After Quinn participated in the class, she told her mom that they needed to create a severe weather plan and emergency kit. She agreed and let her Presli handle it.
The kit, Girdner says, was almost a mirror to the ones they were shown in the class, including the same snacks and treats.
It was two weeks later when many many Frisco residents were woken up by tornado sirens as a storm packing high winds blew through the area.
"Quinn was being watched by her grandmother at the time, and her grandmother wasn’t familiar with tornadoes,” Girdner said.
Presli’s grandmother said Presli “knew exactly what to do.” She grabbed her emergency bag and escorted her siblings and grandmother to their safe spot under the stairs.
High winds caused wide-spread damage, but nothing too serious.
“Her grandmother said she remained calm the whole time and that was really the remarkable thing,” Girdner said. “The more knowledge that they have, the more ability they have to stay calm and remain cool during these stressful times,” Girdner said.
Girdner has been working at Frisco Fire Safety Town for five years and said this was the first success story that has been reported by a student's family member.
“It is gratifying,” she said. “It makes the day-to-day coming to work an honor and I’m glad it’s not just a field trip...it’s something they will take the rest of their lives.”
