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STEP

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STEP class with trooper

Student Tools for Emergency Planning (STEP)

The STEP program developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and launched in Michigan in 2011, has educated over 40,000 fifth grade students in Michigan schools to date. 

Emergencies can strike without warning. These events can be frightening to adults but they can be traumatic for children who may not know what to do. The STEP program teaches students strategies they can implement at home to prepare for emergencies. Equipping students with this knowledge can lessen the anxiety they feel during disasters, give them the sense of control in a disaster situation, and can save their lives.

STEP has three main learning objectives:

  • Students will learn about the disasters, emergencies, and hazards common in their community and strategies to appropriately react to those situations.
  • Students will learn how they and their family can assemble emergency preparedness kits.
  • Students will learn to create a family communications plan.