Rose State Gives Teens Emergency Response Training During Youth Preparedness Camp Published July 2, 2019 by Daniel Beck

Midwest City, Okla. – Rose State College welcomed a new group of students to campus last week as over twenty middle school students from around the State of Oklahoma to campus for the Oklahoma Youth Preparedness Camp. Hosted as part of the Teen CERT program as a joint partnership between the Oklahoma State CERT program and Rose State College, the Youth Preparedness Camp provided students with hands-on training and exercises, as well as in-class training from first responders and emergency management professionals. Participants were allowed to participate in search and rescue, medical emergency, and night search and rescue exercises, with nineteen campers also receiving Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training. During the training, participants received guidance from individuals in fire and rescue, law enforcement, and emergency management, sharing real-world experiences and expertise

The CERT, or Community Emergency Response Team, program provides education for volunteers regarding disaster preparedness and basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. The goal is to provide a consistent approach to volunteer training and organization nationwide, giving professional responders training they can rely on during disaster situations.

“The camp was a fabulous success,” said Jackie Wright, Director of the Emergency Management Program at Rose State College. “The students were all eager to learn new skill sets and that 7th and 8th grade is not too early to begin learning self-reliance in emergencies.”

Of the fifty states, thirty-seven have a CERT program, with only seventeen attempting a Youth Preparedness Camp similar to Oklahoma’s.

Members from across the state combined to make this camp a success, including EMSA, the Midwest City Police and Fire Departments, the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security, the Oklahoma City Police Department, and members from the Norman, Moore, Oklahoma City and Oklahoma County Offices of Emergency Management.

For more information on the Oklahoma Youth Preparedness Camp or the Rose State College Emergency Management Program, contact Jackie Wright (jwright@rose.edu).