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CITIZEN-SCIENTIST \u2013 Skill Level: Three<\/h4>\n
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Activity:<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Objective:<\/strong>\u00a0Be proactive in helping your community predict for, prepare for and respond to flooding Preparation Activities:<\/strong>\u00a0Review the suggested activities, and select one that fits with your personal goals.<\/p>\n Activity:<\/strong> Citizens play a huge role in both predicting and preparing for floods. Choose from these civic activities in order to become a part of flood awareness.<\/p>\n Initiate an Effort to Create a Public Rain Garden:<\/strong> Encourage teens to study rain gardens (see Explore More)<\/em>, to get educated about rain garden construction (see It\u2019s All Connected)<\/em> and to design and propose a rain garden to civic leaders or supporters. If appropriate, the teens can take on the challenge of developing partners and resources to build a rain garden as a club project.<\/p>\n CoCoRaHs:<\/strong> Because rain, snow, and hail are so influenced by local topography, the type of storm, and the storm location, the amount and type of precipitation can vary widely even within the same town. Having precipitation data from many different places helps us to predict floods, prepare for droughts, and make day-to-day management decisions on farms and in cities.<\/p>\n Neighborhood Mapping Service Learning Project:<\/strong> Knowing what to do in a natural disaster such as a flood, and knowing who among your neighbors can provide help and who may need help, is a great way to disaster-proof your family as well as your neighborhood.<\/p>\n A \u201cMap Your Neighborhood\u201d program<\/a> gives you a plan to follow immediately after a disaster and it teaches you:<\/p>\n – The steps to take immediately following a disaster Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program:<\/strong> Through a 27 hour training program, CERT trains citizens to:<\/p>\n – Prepare to be self-sufficient for a minimum of 72 hours American Red Cross Curriculum \u201cMasters of Disaster\u201d:<\/strong> <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n Complete this survey.<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Cloud Lab<\/a><\/p>\n Science Friday: How Often do 100-Year Floods Actually Occur?<\/a><\/p>\n National Severe Storms Laboratory: Severe Weather 101-Floods<\/a><\/p>\n CoCoRaHS<\/a><\/p>\n ARC Masters of Disaster<\/a><\/p>\n Raingarden Handbook Public Adventures Civic Engagement Curriculum<\/a> <\/p>\n 12,000 Raingardens Campaign<\/a><\/p>\nFighting a Flood<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\nLife Skill:<\/strong>\u00a0Responsibility, Communication
\nScience Skills:<\/strong>\u00a0Researching a Problem, Troubleshooting, Designing Solutions<\/p>\n
\nThe Explorer and Engager activities helped youth understand how the land influences flooding , and how scientists use historical data and observation to predict floods. Now the real question is: what can we do as citizens in the face of this kind of natural disaster?<\/p>\n
\nIn the explorations of your community youth may have discovered areas where surfaces are experiencing flooding. Rain gardens can be used to slow water down, spread it out and soak it up, thus helping to prevent local flooding. Designing and implementing a rain garden does require some special skills. Contact your local Extension office to find out more.<\/p>\n
\nCoCoRaHs stands for The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network. This is a network of volunteers of all ages who gather precipitation data in their own backyards and report it online every day to the CoCoRaHS website. This data is used by many organizations including the National Weather Service, meteorologists, hydrologists, emergency managers, city utilities (such as water supply, water conservation, and storm water)<\/em>, insurance companies, the USDA, engineers, mosquito control agencies, ranchers, farmers, teachers, and students.<\/p>\n
\nFloods can cause property damage and can endanger people who become stranded or injured by the flood. In the worst flood disasters, water supplies may become contaminated and people may become sickened as a result.<\/p>\n
\n– To develop a neighborhood skills and equipment inventory
\n– To identify areas of concern such as gas and water shut-offs
\n– To identify neighbors that may need extra help
\n– To set up a neighborhood team<\/p>\n
\nThe CERT program trains people to cope with an emergency or disaster in the event that professional emergency responders are overwhelmed or unable to reach areas isolated by road damage, flooding, or other obstructions.<\/p>\n
\n– Respond effectively to a disaster
\n– Organize teams to assist neighbors, co-workers, and the community<\/p>\n
\nYounger children can become very frightened of natural disasters, and they need to be taught how to deal with those fears and the real risks effectively. Consider using the American Red Cross Educator\u2019s Kit for \u201cMasters of Disaster\u201d to teach a class or club of younger children about disaster preparedness.<\/p>\n<\/h5>\n
Finished this Activity?<\/strong><\/h5>\n
Explore More<\/strong><\/h5>\n
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\nStep by step instructions to making long-lasting change in your community.<\/p>\nIt’s All Connected<\/strong><\/h5>\n