2018 Service Learning, Youth and Community Preparedness Summit

The Guam Department of Education (DOE), in collaboration with the Offices of Guam Homeland Security and Civil Defense (GHS/OCD), the Guam Youth Preparedness Program, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), will host the 2018 Service Learning, and Youth and Community Preparedness Summit:

"Service Learning, and Youth and Community Preparedness Summit" for educators and community partners in training – Wednesday & Thursday, Jan. 17 & 18, from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Guam Community College, Multi-Purpose Building.

"Service Learning, and Youth and Community Preparedness Summit" for students – Friday, Jan. 19, from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Westin Resort Guam

This year’s theme is “Preparing for a Safer and Sustainable Guam,” to promote youth and community preparedness for all-hazards that affect the region.

The summit includes two tracks: Wednesday, January 18, and Thursday, January 19, focusing on educators and community partners, which helps teachers integrate service learning into their classes. The two-day session topics include the perspective on resiliency and the local environment, resilient communities as it pertains to health, infrastructure and natural resources, service learning and youth preparedness, and a presentation on sustainability and geo-literacy connections from keynote speaker, Dr. Ming Wei Koh, Eco-literacy Senior Specialist at Pacific Resources for Education and Learning.

Friday, Jan. 19, will focus on students and opportunities to engage in community preparedness work, connect community partners with students and educators, and review a plethora of topics including leadership, civic responsibility, and youth preparedness. Presentations will be provided by the National Weather Service, the Guam Fire Department, the Micronesian Youth Services Network, along with Yvette Ibanez, Business Development Specialist, Pacific Human Resource Services, Inc. Gen Tamura, Preparedness Analyst, from FEMA Region IX, Pacific Area Office will be the keynote speaker.

"Service Learning is a great tool to promote social responsibility," stated Charles Esteves, Office of Civil Defense Administrator. "Each year during the summit, we are proud to see the youth of the community make the connections with the subject matter experts and the resources made available to them."

For more information, contact GHS/OCD Public Information Officer, Jenna G. Blas at (671) 489-2540 or via email at jenna.g.blas@ghs.guam.gov.

X Flooding is a temporary overflowing of water onto land that is normally dry. Flooding may happen with only a few inches of water, or it may cover a house to the rooftop. There are many possible causes of floods including heavy rain, coastal storms and storm surge, waterway overflow from being blocked with debris, or overflow of levees, dams, or waste water systems. Flooding can occur slowly over many days or happen very quickly with little or no warning, called flash floods.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/floods

Wildfire

Regularly clean the roof and gutters.
Maintain an area approximately 30’ away from you home that is free of anything that will burn, such as wood piles, dried leaves, newspapers and other brush.
Connect garden hoses long enough to reach any area of the home and fill garbage cans, tubs, or other large containers with water.
Review your homeowner's insurance policy and also prepare/update a list of your home's contents.

Fire Weather

Turn on your TV/radio. You’ll get the latest weather updates and emergency instructions.
Know where to go. If you are ordered to evacuate, know the route to take and have plan of where you will go. Check-in with your friends and family.
Keep your car fueled, in good condition, and stocked with emergency supplies and a change of clothes.

Drought

Conserve water

Take shorter showers.

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving.
Run the washer less frequently and only when you have a full load.
Water your lawn less frequently and do so when the temperature is cooler in the early morning or late evening.
When you run the tap to heat or cool water, keep a pitcher to store the water and use it to water plants.
Avoid washing your car.

Practice fire prevention

Don't set off fireworks when conditions are dry.
Deposit cigarette butts in the proper receptacle to avoid starting a
Pour water over camp fires and backyard fire pits to ensure they are completely out before leaving them unattended.

Follow directions from local officials. If there are restrictions on water usage, be sure to heed them.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/wildfires and https://www.ready.gov/drought

X
Typhoons/Hurricanes are massive storm systems that form over the water and move toward land. Threats from typhoons/hurricanes include high winds, heavy rainfall, storm surge, coastal and inland flooding, and rip currents.

“Hurricanes” form in the Atlantic Northeast Pacific region and “Typhoons” form in the Northwest Pacific Region. These large storms are call cyclones in other parts of the world.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.