ADEPT has identified teachers as strong proponents of Disaster Preparedness in the Tsunami affected communities. Teachers are directly in touch with children, parents, and other members of the community. They are therefore important stakeholders for Community Based Disaster Preparedness. ADEPT has trained Headmasters/Headmistresses/senior teachers from 33 schools in 3 Educational blocks in Cuddalore District. The objectives of the training were
-To create awareness among the teachers to understand the current situation, problems, tasks and solution for disaster management in schools.
-To create situations to exchange the experience and opinions and to sensitise the schoolteachers and children on disaster management.
-To create awareness on the importance of disaster preparedness in schools.
-To train the teachers in resource mapping and its utilization.
-To create knowledge on the evacuation methods and first Aid to be followed during any disaster.
-To impart knowledge on the Government role and importance of networking in Disaster Management.
-To orient the teachers ion Disaster & Safety Preparedness education of children
Content:
Session I: Introduction to Disasters- Nature, types and Impact of Tsunami
The participants brainstormed on types of disasters and shared experiences. The impact of tsunami and damages that occurred due to it set the need to prepare the community for another disaster.
Session II: Vulnerable people of the community and effects of disasters on children
Various vulnerable groups such as women, differentially-abled, elderly and children were discussed. The impact of disasters on children and their emotional reactions in particular 6-12 year old children, a child's view of death at various developmental stages, the role of teachers in helping children to recover from depression and loneliness, the importance of giving information on disasters that is prevalent in our communities and how children can be trained to face a disaster in future were discussed.
Session III: Resource Mapping and Evacuation Map of School
The concept and importance of resource mapping and steps to be followed in identifying and mapping the resources in the village were discussed. The trainer explained School safety measures and the need for a School Evacuation Map in each school mentioning safe and unsafe zones in the school and evacuation route in case of any disaster.
The participants came together to draw a School Map and marked the safe and unsafe zones and Evacuation route.
Session IV: Disaster Preparedness
The ADEPT trained Village Emergency Response Team (VERT) handled this session. They described the roles of the five teams of a VERT and demonstrated the evacuation methods for various disasters. The teams were
1.Early Warning
2.Communication
3.Protection
4.Evacuation and Rescue
5.First aid and Relief
The VERT team then gave a first aid and evacuation demonstrations showing how people should rescue and give first aid in situations like
-A house on fire
-A drowning person
-Persons with various kinds of injuries, Fractures etc.
Session V: Role of Government in Disaster Preparedness and Importance of Networking during Disasters.
The trainer discussed the role of government in Disaster managemen and the various departments involved in disaster management, who come under the leadership of District Collector. The participants raised their queries on how to build relationship and form a local network between the community and these departments.
Session VI: Disaster Preparedness training for Children
The UNDP colouring book was discussed. The participants felt that there was a need to go beyond the existing book and design a Safety and Colouring book for children. The contents were discussed.
Other techniques of educating children on Disaster Preparedness were discussed. Simple ways to get the concepts on Disaster Preparedness across to children, were discussed. The importance of play, which facilitates skill development as a medium of instruction was discussed. Skill developed through play activities will make the participants understand concepts easier and one should know what play suits a particular age group. Other informal training methods like story telling, clay work, drawing, painting, and playing with animals, and puppet shows and worksheets activities were also discussed.
The participants participated enthusiastically and welcome this session saying that this was helpful in building their skills to educate the children on disaster preparedness.
Summing up and Programme Evaluation
After this, post evaluation was conducted and feedback from the participants was collected. One of the participant's compared this training to the one that they had already received and said that ADEPT's training was comprehensive, lively, practical and application oriented. Another said that the trainers tuned the participants to disaster situations and made them feel how they have to react and evacuate the vulnerable and needy people. The participants requested ADEPT to come and implement the various activities that were discussed to create awareness on Disaster Preparedness.