This week in Red Bluff, California, the initial delegation of instructors within the California Youth Preparedness Initiative, MyPI California, completed a comprehensive certification and training workshop led by the MyPI National Coordination Team, and became the 28th state/territory-level program to train instructors under the national project
umbrella. According to Nate Caeton, the MyPI California Program Manager, and who serves as the 4-H Youth Development Advisor for Shasta, Tehama, and Trinity Counties, “MyPI is a program that is most impactful by equipping young people with the knowledge and skills necessary to take ownership of not only their own preparedness, but also the preparedness of those around them. Essentially, they will have a direct hand in improving the resilience of California’s communities. I felt it was important to involve UC ANR and the 4-H Youth Development Program because of our tested network of researchers, educators, volunteers, and youth, who work together to improve the lives of others. These programs are tailor-made for each other.” Added Caeton, “One of the many aspects of the program that was attractive to me and will be for our stakeholders is that it actively invites, engages, and empowers young people in a space that is typically dominated by adults and professionals.”

Over the next 2 years, MyPI California will be offering this innovative and engaging youth preparedness program to teens who will assist families and communities in a variety of locations throughout northern California. 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 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 California 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 California, 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 northern California first and eventually 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. 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.”

Mississippi Citizen Corps State Program Manager and Lead Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Instructor for MyPI National, Dave Nichols, added, “It seemed a bit surreal, but also rewarding to come back to the state where CERT originated, and I spent the first half of my childhood. But being back in California reminds me of the resiliency and ‘can do’ attitude of its citizens. I look forward to seeing the great work this group of instructors performs and the mark MyPI California leaves on this great state.”

MyPI California 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.

Regarding California’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 IX, where we have been looking to increase our programmatic footprint and outreach in areas that have been hit hard by natural disasters. I can confidently say that the MyPI California 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 Red Bluff. 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 here. 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. California 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 California 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 training time here this week. This initial cohort of instructors and Nate Caeton, the MyPI California 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 the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources and the California 4-H Youth Development Program, 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 California 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.

Jacki Zediker, 4-H Regional Coordinator for Siskiyou, Plumas/Sierra, Modoc, Lassen, Humboldt, and Del Norte Counties, and a newly certified MyPI California Instructor, believes in the importance of teens engaging in community preparedness as a means of enhancing individual, family, and community preparedness. According to Zediker, “Empowering teens to engage in emergency preparedness efforts can build stronger and more resilient communities with members that can respond in emergency situations. Communities rebuild and become resilient when they are prepared. This includes involving all members of the family and the community. We are stronger together.” Zediker strongly encourages students and instructors alike to explore opportunities within MyPI California. “For prospective students, this program is a great way to connect to your community through civic engagement. Take a chance to be a trained community member in a disaster situation. And for potential instructors, this program provides opportunities to empower youth to learn life skills that enhance self-esteem, work in teams effectively, and build leadership and communication skills,” added Zediker.

Kathy Johnson, 4-H Club Leader in Trinity County and a newly certified MyPI California Instructor agrees with Zediker. According to Johnson, “For students, this program can be a way for you to take control of the planning and preparing that will keep your family and neighbors safer when something happens. For those interested in becoming an instructor, you can be a part of giving the next generation the tools to succeed in emergency situations and you will have a great opportunity to network and improve your own skills.”

Johnson was initially attracted to the program as a community leader and educator that works with and mentors youth. “MyPI has a unique way of connecting the student with the educator and first responders in their area. Participating in the program leads to more confidence. Engaging teens in youth preparedness is life changing for them and for the greater community. MyPI brings the curriculum, methods, experiences, and resources to the community. It engages and encourages youth, while empowering and enabling them to make a difference in their communities through emergency preparedness and outreach education,” added Johnson.

Ben Bowers, a 4-H Project Leader in Shasta County, also believes in MyPI’s ability to enhance individual, family, and community preparedness and resilience. According to Bowers, who also serves as a MyPI California Instructor, “By teaching teens basic emergency skills they can feel empowered to help their friends, family, and neighbors in a disaster or emergency situation. Instead of feeling panic and overwhelmed in a disaster, they can feel calm and prepared by relying on the training MyPI provides. The community service component of MyPI gives youth the knowledge to assist their family along with six other families with the development of a disaster preparedness kit and a family communication plan. This increases, exponentially, the number of families in the community that will be more prepared to deal with disasters in their community.”

Katy Zulliger, another 4-H Project Leader in Shasta County recently completed MyPI California Instructor certification and believes in the emergency preparedness and youth leadership constructs and principles that are inherent within MyPI. According to Zulliger, “Our Shasta Community will benefit from this program because our teens will be educated in emergencies and how to deal with them before the professionals arrive. The youth who graduate through this program will be citizens who will continue to give back to our community the rest of their lives. It’s such a dynamic program because it teaches teens to be upstanding citizens who can communicate, be responsible, have leadership qualities and much more.”

The partners in 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 California, including areas that the program will be delivered initially, please visit the MyPI California website at http://mypicalifornia.org and contact Nate Caeton, MyPI California Program Manager at nwcaeton@ucanr.edu or 530.224.4900. 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 “My PI California” and “My PI National” respectively.