Niagara has won a grant to help educate children about severe weather.
Niagara Region Emergency Management has received one of four ImpactWx Genesis Grants for the “Weather Aware & Prepared” initiative.
“Weather Aware & Prepared” is in partnership with the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society as well as the Niagara Safety Village.
The grant will allow for the development of a severe weather education program for children that will be delivered at the Niagara Safety Village in Welland.
"Using research and best practices, kids will be empowered to keep themselves and their families safe from severe weather."
Severe weather includes any destructive weather such as tornadoes, damaging winds, large hail, heavy snow, and ice storms.
A special branch of Niagara Region Emergency Management’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) will be created and trained to deliver the program, to significantly increase the capacity for severe weather public education in Niagara.
Niagara Region Emergency Management is looking for 100 new volunteers to join the CERT.
Eligible applicants have until Mar. 24 to apply.
"We are very excited to have this opportunity to develop an educational program that will empower kids by teaching them ways that they can stay safe during severe weather. Many children are really interested in severe weather. Unfortunately, many often do not know what to do when a storm threatens and are often scared. This program aims to change that." ~ Patricia Martel, Manager, Emergency Management, CEMC
"We are looking forward to this new partnership, and to be able to teach children how to be safe in severe weather. This program will compliment the already existing safety programs being delivered through the Niagara Safety Village." ~ Shirley Cordiner, Executive Director, Niagara Safety Village