Students Train for Disaster Preparedness

Six students have been participating in a School Emergency Response Training program, which prepares them for any disaster-related issues at school and home. Pictured are (back row, from left) Woody Beardsley, Robert Chambers, Tymon Horn; (front) Arial Leeper, Paul Fisher, and Shelbie Mosley.

Six students from Mackinac Island Public School have been training to be certified in a School Emergency Response Training (SERT) seminar, which prepares them for catastrophic disaster or crisis.

Sophomore Woody Beardsley, freshmen Robert Chambers and Arial Leeper, and eighthgraders Shelbie Mosley, Paul Fisher, and Tymon Horn were trained from three local emergency response departments, Police Chief William Lenaghan, Fire Chief Dennis Bradley, and ambulance personnel Rick Linn, Kris Roguska, and Sam Barnwell.

The group's 11 sessions covered disaster preparedness, fire safety, medical assistance, light search and rescue operations, disaster psychology, and terrorism.

"It gives the students confidence and expertise in areas like first aid and emergency response for home and school," said Mr. Lenaghan. "It teaches how to handle themselves and others during an emergency."

Chief Lenaghan said a SERT program at the Island school is meant to assist teachers

and administrators during a crisis. He said the SERT program began in Michigan at Ypsilanti two years ago. The program is one of the volunteer opportunities offered to the public under the Citizen Corps, a national disasterresponse volunteer group.

He said the city plans to continue the training program annually and hopes to expand it to include all community members.

The six SERT students will be presented with certificates at the school's award banquet May 23.