If you are a middle school, high school or college student and want to do something besides sit inside and be glued to a screen. Learn how you can make a difference in creating communities safer from wildfire, learn new work skills and make new friends in your community.
Check out NFPA’s Take Action website for ideas and activities for community service projects. These projects can be completed at home, done to help a neighbor or with permission from your school and other agency meet community service project requirements. Always make sure that you take proper safety precautions. We have attached a safety tip sheet that you can download.
Some project ideas include;
- Sweeping pine needles, leaves and other material from off your porch or deck. Don’t forget to dispose of it when you are done.
- Raking underneath decks, porches, sheds and play structures. Remember to dispose the debris.
- Mowing grass to a height of four inches or less.
- This is a good math project, get out your measuring tape and see how close wood piles are located to the home. If closer than 30 feet, they need to be moved at least 30 feet away.
- Build an emergency Go bag. Tip sheet is attached to this blog.
- Volunteer to help senior neighbors build a go bag for themselves and their pets.
- Talk to your parents about what you would do if there was a wildfire or other disaster in your neighborhood or if you are at school. Then make a plan together.
- Organize an outreach campaign to babysitters in your neighborhood and the families they work about the importance of learning the family’s emergency plan.
When you have completed your project, be a good friend and neighbor and share your accomplishments on social media to encourage others you know to participate as well. The more you learn about how to prepare for a disaster and how you can take steps to make you and your family safer from wildfire the safer you will feel and be. For other great videos and information about how you can empower yourself to be safer from disaster check out all the resources on NFPA’s TakeAction webpage.