This week in on the Oklahoma State University campus in Stillwater, the initial delegation of instructors within the Oklahoma Youth Preparedness Initiative, MyPI Oklahoma, completed a comprehensive certification and training workshop led by the MyPI National Coordination Team, and became the 30th state/territory-level program to train instructors under the national project umbrella.  According to Mr. Jim Rhodes, the MyPI Oklahoma Program Manager, “I believe that youth can teach other youth and families to be better prepared for emergencies. As people are more prepared for emergency situations, they will not necessarily require assistance from the emergency responders. Youth can provide leadership for community events to promote emergency preparedness. If youth can help Mom and Dad make emergency preparedness plans, that will strengthen Oklahoma communities.” Added Rhodes, who also serves as the West District 4-H and Youth Development Specials for Oklahoma State University Extension, “Oklahoma teens will have the opportunity to teach those in their own household and other families as well. They will help these families create their emergency supply kit and develop their family communication plan. I am excited to see how Oklahoma 4-H educators and volunteers as well as our local assets will make a difference in families being more prepared through participation in this program. Our instructors are appropriately positioned to educate our clientele and enable them to be of assistance in emergencies and disasters, not just a liability.”

Over the next year, MyPI Oklahoma will be offering this innovative and engaging youth preparedness program to teens who will assist families and communities in a variety of locations throughout Oklahoma.  This program, based on a national award-winning model developed and delivered in Mississippi through the Mississippi State University Extension Service enhances individual, family, and community preparedness for disasters, while at the same time, strengthening youth leadership, communication skills, teamwork, decision making, self-esteem, civic responsibility, and empowerment, along with family communication and cohesion. “The underlying missions of MyPI National are to reboot youth preparedness across our states and territories, to capitalize on the energy of our teens, and to set the new standard for how we engage our teens in sustainable preparedness endeavors as we move forward in the face of a variety of threats and hazards that we continue to see on seemingly a daily basis, regardless of geographic location.  From the large urban areas to the smaller rural towns and villages, emergencies and disasters do not discriminate.  We have to be aware of all possible risks and hazards and educate all citizens, including our youth. We have seen fantastic success for many years in Mississippi and have seen the same impact within our partners under the MyPI National umbrella.  As our MyPI National team works with the initial cohort of MyPI Oklahoma instructors, we will continue the process of fostering relationships and networks that will hopefully ensure the success of this program for years to come, which is yet another very achievable outcome and one that these great citizens, families, and communities deserve,” said Dr. C. Ryan Akers, MyPI National Project Director and MyPI Mississippi Program Coordinator.

Added Akers, “MyPI offers a tremendous, multi-faceted approach to youth preparedness with rich learning and leadership opportunities for teens and enhanced preparedness levels for families and communities.  There is a definitive focus and energy necessary as we move into the next phase of MyPI Oklahoma, where the real work is carried out and the real impact is seen. On a personal and a professional level, I look forward to seeing these new instructors respond to the challenge and become the catalyst for positive change and impact across the state.  It is clear from this week that the instructors have a strong passion for disaster education and preparedness, the development of their youth and safety of their families, and the livelihood of these communities, which is wonderful to see.  The manner in which these educators and Extension personnel have met the multitude of challenges related to the recent extreme weather events in Oklahoma has been inspiring. They have answered the call for their community. I know they will continue to do the same through MyPI. Who knows when we will see the next emergency or major disaster? But we do know that it’s not a question of if…it’s a question of when. The program that our instructors will deliver and the work our teens will do provides an invaluable and perhaps life-saving service across their communities and for their people. We expect a positive impact for all involved and will continue to work with the instructors, the Program Manager, and community partners to ensure its success over the long-term.”

Lead Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Instructor for MyPI National, Dave Nichols, added, “It has been interesting to be in a state that experiences many of the same types of disasters we experience in Mississippi. It has been an enjoyable experience to watch these future MyPI instructors grasp exactly what we are trying to accomplish through CERT and MyPI. I look forward to seeing the valuable and impactful work that is accomplished by these educators as well as the MyPI teens here in Oklahoma.”

MyPI Oklahoma is a component of the National Youth Preparedness Initiative, MyPI National, a partnership of 37 states and 3 US territories.  MyPI National’s Phase 1 pilot began in 2015 with 8 state-level programs. In September of 2017, MyPI National was awarded the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Individual and Community Preparedness national award for “Outstanding Achievement in Youth Preparedness.”  Capitalizing on program success and momentum, MyPI National began a Phase 2 expansion of the program which enabled the inclusion of 10 new states. In 2018, in addition to winning FEMA’s national CERT award for “Preparing the Whole Community”, MyPI National received additional federal funding for a Phase 3 expansion that added 11 new state partners and 2 US territories. In 2019, the MyPI model was recognized with the National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals’ Citizenry in 4-H Youth Development national award, it’s fourth national award in five years. Finally, in 2022, MyPI National obtained federal funding from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture for a fourth expansion of the program, of which Oklahoma is a partner.

Regarding Oklahoma’s program, Akers stated, “Our MyPI National Coordination team has literally travelled to all corners of the nation and across the world with this project.  This week, we were excited to be back in FEMA Region VI, where we have been looking to enhance our programmatic footprint and outreach in areas that have been hit hard by natural disasters. I can confidently say that the MyPI Oklahoma instructors have displayed
the kind of engagement and motivation that is characteristic of our most productive partners throughout MyPI National.  We are looking for that definitive ‘zest’ and ‘passion’ to move these projects forward and that was the case here this week in Stillwater. As a National training team, we hope to entertain the level of discussions that clearly project the instructors are thinking long-term, not just the initial deliveries.  That was certainly the case this week and I believe this program has quite a bright future.  As the National Project Director, I can assert that this certainly makes administering this program and being a productive program incubator so much easier and more enjoyable when you have a cohesive unit that already has a vision for delivering MyPI.  Oklahoma teens, families, and communities are in for a treat on multiple levels due to the work of these great professionals, educators, and preparedness advocates.  Much like their colleagues across the nation, the instructors in Oklahoma truly exude a passion to change lives and to educate their communities, particularly their teens, through this program.  It was indeed a pleasure for the MyPI National team to be able to spend some critical training time here this week. This initial cohort of instructors and Jim Rhodes, the MyPI Oklahoma Program Manager, will prove to be a great asset for our overall program goals and will guide the program with the motivation that we have come to expect, and that our program and stakeholders demand.  We are excited about this great partnership with Oklahoma State University Extension and we are already seeing a developing relationship between the program and the instructors. We look forward to seeing the program eventually become a state-wide outreach campaign.  It was quite clear among the National team members that once MyPI Oklahoma takes root, it will progress and flourish in large part because of their efforts and dedication.”

The MyPI model offers a flexible and comprehensive, three-component program.  In Component A, teenagers will complete the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency-certified CERT training and corresponding modules focusing on Disaster Preparedness, Fire Safety and Utility Control, Disaster Medical Operations, Light Search and Rescue, CERT Organization, Disaster Psychology, and Terrorism and CERT.  In Component B, the Add-On Catalog features certification opportunities in CPR and AED usage, along with a technology track comprised of awareness programs focusing on HAM Radio, NOAA Weather Radio, Smoke Alarm Maintenance, and Smart Phone App and Social Media in Emergency Preparedness.  The Add-On Catalog also includes a disaster simulation, a school safety/active shooter awareness program, an extreme weather awareness program, a public health awareness and mitigation program, and a career track that focuses on public safety, fire service, and emergency management careers.  The final element of the program, Component C, includes a comprehensive family and community service project entitled PREP+6 in which each participant helps develop emergency supply kits and emergency communication plans for their family AND 6 additional families or households. This component allows for significant enhancement in individual, family, and community preparedness and resilience.  To graduate from the program, students must complete all components.

Donna Patterson, Extension Educator for Agriculture/4-H and Community Economic Development in Rogers County, believes in the power of youth inclusion in emergency preparedness. According to Patterson, who also serves as a certified MyPI Oklahoma instructor, “This program will enable our youth to make their safety and that of their family
and friends a priority. When we are prepared for a disaster, we mitigate the hazard and protect ourselves and our community. We, of course, know that disasters can and do happen, so it’s our responsibility to be prepared for them as best we can. This national award-winning program allows youth to engage in a program that will enable them, and their community members, focused on emergencies and disasters, and help make them more disaster aware.  MyPI is a program that is highly needed and can be beneficial to everyone. One of the best ways to get preparedness messages home to the families is though the youth and this is one of the central features of this program.”

Becky Walker, Extension Educator for 4-H Youth Development in Pontotoc County and a newly certified MyPI Oklahoma Instructor, agrees with Patterson. According to Walker, “You can’t put a value on preparing yourself, your family and community for emergencies or natural disasters. Knowledge is power. Program participants learn to be prepared for their families and neighbors and to be confident in providing leadership during difficult times.  The service project that is critical to MyPI success, PREP+6, gets youth out into the community assisting families to prepare disaster preparedness kits and communication plans when needed at critical times. The impact can be great for sure for the students and a great investment for instructors and communities. You can never have too many educational tools in your toolbox as an educator. This award-winning program can truly make a difference.”

Brian McDaniel, Emergency Management Director for Murray County, was initially attracted to the comprehensive nature of the program and its ability to focus on youth who can engage in the community. According to McDaniel, “This program is targeted towards our youth, teens specifically, and it empowers them to become involved in their community. MyPI will benefit youth and the overall community by giving them the knowledge and tools to assist themselves and their neighbors during a small emergency or natural disaster. The program will also have a domino effect on awareness of potential hazards and how to safely handle them. This will ultimately create a safer, more resilient community.”

Debbie Sharp, Extension Educator for FCS/4-H and Youth Development, also from Murray County, indicated that she wanted to be a MyPI Instructor in order to assist citizens in the place she calls home. According to Sharp, MyPI will continue to “raise awareness of the importance of being prepared because we have seen it firsthand this summer and you never know what the future holds. The program’s service project is also a component that makes MyPI unique.” Added Sharp, “The domino effect created by successful completion of the PREP+6 service project will create profound awareness, increased engagement, and positive impact of an exponential nature.  We have 11 instructors here this week in Stillwater in this initial cohort of instructors.  If each of these instructors graduates 20 students in their initial program deliveries, that means among other things, each student has worked with 7 total families to create emergency supply kits and family communication plans.  Using that formula, there will be enhanced preparedness in over 1,500 households.  And that’s just the beginning.  Imagine multiple deliveries in multiple counties over a period of years.  The
potential outcomes and impacts are fantastic for the youth doing the work and the households participating, not to mention the entire communities represented.”

The partners within MyPI National are replicating the model created and delivered in Mississippi.  In 2014, the Mississippi Youth Preparedness Initiative was named FEMA’s national award winner for Outstanding Youth Preparedness program. It also received an Honorable Mention recognition for “Preparing the Whole Community.” In 2015, MyPI Mississippi was named one of the first entities to be named an official Affirmer of the new National Strategy for Youth Preparedness Education. As such, MyPI is an engaged and recognized component of a nationally supported, progressive approach to preparing youth for emergencies and disasters.  MyPI National is also recognized as an Affirmer of the national strategy.

For additional information regarding MyPI Oklahoma, including areas that the program will be delivered initially, please visit the MyPI Oklahoma website at http://mypioklahoma.org and contact Jim Rhodes, MyPI Oklahoma Program Manager at jim.rhodes@okstate.edu or 580.233.5295. For more information regarding MyPI National, please visit the MyPI National website at http://mypinational.extension.msstate.edu or contact Dr. Ryan Akers, MyPI National Project Director at cra20@msstate.edu or 662.325.5914.  You may also reference both programs on Facebook. Those profiles can be found by searching “MyPI Oklahoma” and “My PI National” respectively.