
Group of young children along with a teacher standing in front of a chalkboard. (Photo courtesy of Getty Images/UnSplash).
Wisconsin’s Student Tools for Emergency Planning (STEP) program is helping prepare young students for potential emergencies in their communities. The program, specifically designed for fourth and fifth-grade students, provides essential emergency preparedness education through their schools.
Building preparedness skills
The STEP program delivers critical emergency response training through an engaging curriculum developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Wisconsin Emergency Management Administrator Greg Engle highlights the program’s impact: “Teaching young people about disaster preparedness empowers them to protect not only themselves, but their families and their communities. With STEP, we’re not just giving teachers and students knowledge, we’re giving them the confidence and the tools to make a difference.”
The Federal Emergency Management Agency-developed curriculum teaches students key emergency preparedness skills, including identifying hazards in their area, understanding emergency response actions, and creating emergency plans and kits with their families. To support this learning, Wisconsin Emergency Management provides participating schools with materials like backpacks and flashlights to help students build their own emergency kits.
Growing reach and resources
This year’s program has enrolled nearly 4,500 fourth and fifth-grade students across 85 classrooms and educational settings. Since its launch in 2011, STEP has reached an estimated 107,000 students throughout Wisconsin.
The program receives valuable community support, including a recent $10,000 grant from TC Energy through its “Build Strong” social impact program. TC Energy’s state government and community relations advisor Craig Summerfield explains: “At TC Energy, safety is our number one value. A key part of this commitment is fostering a culture where everyone adopts a safety-conscious mindset and takes ownership.”
Community support and partnerships
STEP operates as part of Wisconsin Emergency Management’s ReadyWisconsin campaign, which works to improve disaster preparedness across the state. Wisconsin educators interested in bringing the STEP program to their fourth and fifth-grade classrooms can find more information on Ready Wisconsin’s website.
This story was generated in part by AI and edited by The UpNorthNews staff.
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
READ MORE: 7 Wisconsin sports teams to support in 2025

‘Mr. Baseball’ Bob Uecker, Brewers announcer, dies at 90
The Milwaukee native, Brewers icon, and radio voice of the team for 54 years was also a nationally-known TV commentator and comedic actor. MILWAUKEE...

Wisconsin mom brings holiday cheer to children in cancer treatment
Wisconsin mom Laura Shea is giving back this winter, bringing joy to children who are spending the holidays in the hospital. Shea founded the MACC...

Stay healthy this holiday season with vaccines & preventive measures
DHS urges Wisconsinites to get vaccinated against flu, RSV, and COVID-19 before holiday gatherings to protect themselves and others. As Wisconsin...

The 4 most financially rewarding career paths in Wisconsin
Explore Wisconsin's top-paying careers and their perks. From healthcare to tech, discover rewarding paths offering competitive salaries and...