Guam Part of National Youth Preparedness Initiative; Volunteer Instructors Needed

Guam was recently included in a nationwide youth preparedness initiative called MyPI, short for “My Preparedness Initiative.” MyPI is a four-time, national award-winning youth preparedness/youth leadership program designed to enhance individual, family, and community preparedness as well as a variety of leadership development characteristics.

Guam is to be included in the initiative and join the now expanded MyPI with 33 other states and territories.

The Offices of Guam Homeland Security and Civil Defense (GHS/OCD) are working closely with the MyPI National to create the new MyPI Guam, Guam Youth Preparedness Initiative, with the overarching theme, “Fostering Emergency Preparedness, Civil Responsibility, and Leadership in Teens.” MyPI Guam will be an innovative, multi-faceted program for teens that is facilitated by trained and certified instructors from the community in order to help Guam’s youth prepare themselves, their families, and their communities for emergencies.

Volunteers Needed for Instructor Pool

To begin the initiative, GHS/OCD, working with MyPI National is hosting Instructor Certification and Training Workshops at the GHS/OCD facility at the following separate dates:

Tuesday, January 28, 2020, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Wednesday, January 29, 2020, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Thursday, January 30, 2020, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Volunteer Instructors will be certified and trained to deliver disaster preparedness training such as Community Response Team Training, First Aid, Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation with Automated External Defibrillator, Hazard Identification, Leadership Skills, and more.

Anyone 18 years of age or older can apply to be a Volunteer Instructor but there are limited slots available. Applicants will be vetted accordingly.

For applicant information, contact MyPI Guam Program Manager, Jaimie Cruz at (671) 475-9600 or via email at jaimie.cruz@ghs.guam.gov.

X Flooding is a temporary overflowing of water onto land that is normally dry. Flooding may happen with only a few inches of water, or it may cover a house to the rooftop. There are many possible causes of floods including heavy rain, coastal storms and storm surge, waterway overflow from being blocked with debris, or overflow of levees, dams, or waste water systems. Flooding can occur slowly over many days or happen very quickly with little or no warning, called flash floods.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/floods

Wildfire

Regularly clean the roof and gutters.
Maintain an area approximately 30’ away from you home that is free of anything that will burn, such as wood piles, dried leaves, newspapers and other brush.
Connect garden hoses long enough to reach any area of the home and fill garbage cans, tubs, or other large containers with water.
Review your homeowner's insurance policy and also prepare/update a list of your home's contents.

Fire Weather

Turn on your TV/radio. You’ll get the latest weather updates and emergency instructions.
Know where to go. If you are ordered to evacuate, know the route to take and have plan of where you will go. Check-in with your friends and family.
Keep your car fueled, in good condition, and stocked with emergency supplies and a change of clothes.

Drought

Conserve water

Take shorter showers.

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving.
Run the washer less frequently and only when you have a full load.
Water your lawn less frequently and do so when the temperature is cooler in the early morning or late evening.
When you run the tap to heat or cool water, keep a pitcher to store the water and use it to water plants.
Avoid washing your car.

Practice fire prevention

Don't set off fireworks when conditions are dry.
Deposit cigarette butts in the proper receptacle to avoid starting a
Pour water over camp fires and backyard fire pits to ensure they are completely out before leaving them unattended.

Follow directions from local officials. If there are restrictions on water usage, be sure to heed them.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/wildfires and https://www.ready.gov/drought

X
Typhoons/Hurricanes are massive storm systems that form over the water and move toward land. Threats from typhoons/hurricanes include high winds, heavy rainfall, storm surge, coastal and inland flooding, and rip currents.

“Hurricanes” form in the Atlantic Northeast Pacific region and “Typhoons” form in the Northwest Pacific Region. These large storms are call cyclones in other parts of the world.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.