The Student Exercise

Education is the first line of defense against dangerous and potentially catastrophic disasters such as hurricanes, tornados, severe winter storms, floods and flash floods, extreme heat, wild fires and earthquakes – or those that are manmade. Teaching young people is an essential step in informing families about the vital kinds of preparation needed to prevent damage to property and, most importantly, protect people against injury and save lives.

StormZone is a school-based educational program that helps students understand the importance of advance preparation when confronted with a disaster. This is an emergency preparedness simulation program for the classroom that lets students...

  • Form their own local government
  • Learn the organizing principles used by emergency managers
  • Make the decisions necessary to respond to a disaster in their community
  • Develop, plan and coordinate a disaster recovery plan

Through this classroom experience, students learn about the importance of individual responsibility, organizational collaboration and project management skills when confronted with a disaster. The program is also interdisciplinary where students learn about natural sciences, government, economics and sociology.

Moreover, students learn, first-hand, the importance of preparedness. Through their StormZone experience, they take home to their families' vital information that will help them become "disaster prepared".

From the classroom, these weather emergency preparedness simulations can be reenacted at local Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) or at a school facility such as a gymnasium.

This outline is designed to provide science and social studies teachers' instructions on how to conduct a simulation in the classroom, as well as coordinate a disaster response reenactment at the school gymnasium or at the local EOC.

Student Exercise Photo Gallery

  • 2019
  • 2018
  • 2017
  • 2016
  • 2015
  • 2014
  • 2013
  • 2012
  • 2011
  • 2010
  • 2009
  • 2008
  • 2007
  • 2006

  • HAMILTON MIDDLE SCHOOL
    Harris County (Texas)
    October 9, 2019
    Hurricane Nicole

    MCREYNOLDS MIDDLE SCHOOL
    Houston, Texas
    October 11, 2019
    Hurricane Jasmine 

    JFK MIDDLE SCHOOL
    Miami, Florida
    October 15, 2019
    Hurricane Dorian 

    DEERFIELD BEACH MIDDLE SCHOOL
    Deerfield Beach, Florida
    November 5, 2019
    Hurricane Dorian

    		 Student EOC 2019

  • WESTGLADES MIDDLE SCHOOL
    Parkland, Florida
    October 15, 2018
    Hurricane Irma

    WEST MIAMI MIDDLE SCHOOL
    Miami, Florida
    October 17, 2018
    Hurricane Irma

  • AVENTURA WATERWAYS K-8
    Miami, Florida
    October 30, 2017
    Hurricane Irma

    PLANTATION MIDDLE SCHOOL
    Plantation, Florida
    November 6, 2017
    Hurricane Irma

  • LAWTON CHILES MIDDLE SCHOOL
    Miami, Florida
    October 20, 2016
    Hurricane Patricia

    APOLLO MIDDLE SCHOOL
    Fort Lauderdale, Florida
    October 25, 2016
    Hurricane Monique

    		 Student Exercise 2016

  • PARKWAY MIDDLE SCHOOL
    Fort Lauderdale, Florida
    October 20, 2015
    Hurricane Michelle

    SHENANDOAH MIDDLE SCHOOL
    Miami, Florida
    October 21, 2015
    Hurricane Carlos

    LAKE WORTH HIGH SCHOOL
    West Palm Beach, Florida
    November 6, 2015
    Hurricane Vincent

    		 Student Exercise 2015

  • SOUTH MIAMI MIDDLE COMMUNITY SCHOOL
    Miami Florida
    September 18, 2014
    Hurricane Suzanne

    NORTH FORK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
    Plantation, Florida
    September 24, 2014
    Hurricane Elisa

    BOYNTON BEACH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL
    Boynton Beach, Florida
    November 18, 2014
    Hurricane Nicole

    		 Student exercises 2014

  • EPIPHANY CATHOLIC SCHOOL
    Miami Florida
    November 5, 2013
    Hurricane Patricia

    NEW RIVER MIDDLE SCHOOL
    Fort Lauderdale, Florida
    October 10, 2013
    Hurricane Barbara

    PINE JOG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
    West Palm Beach, Florida
    September 12, 2013
    Hurricane Fred

    		 2013

  • DADE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
    Miami Florida
    October 16, 2012
    Hurricane Cathy

    NEW RIVER MIDDLE SCHOOL
    Fort Lauderdale, Florida
    November 14, 2012
    Hurricane Barbara

    		 2012

  • DEERFIELD BEACH MIDDLE SCHOOL
    Deerfield Beach, Florida
    June 3, 2011
    Hurricane Suzy

    		 2011

  • EPIPHANY CATHOLIC SCHOOL
    Miami Florida
    October 12, 2010
    Hurricane Monica

    CHRYSTAL LAKE MIDDLE SCHOOL
    Fort Lauderdale, Florida
    October 27, 2010
    Hurricane Michael

    		 2010

  • CORAL GABLES HIGH SCHOOL
    Miami Florida
    November 4, 2009
    Hurricane Margaret

    DEERFIELD MIDDLE SCHOOL
    Deerfield Beach, Florida
    November 5, 2009
    Hurricane George

    		 2009

  • SOUTH DADE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
    Miami Florida
    November 13, 2008
    Hurricane Jaime

    CHRISTA MCAULIFF MIDDLE SCHOOL
    West Palm Beach, Florida
    October 30, 2008
    Hurricane Christa

    		 2008

  • RICHMOND HEIGHTS & EUGENIA E. THOMAS MIDDLE SCHOOLS
    Miami Florida
    October 30, 2007
    Hurricane James

    FOREST GLENN AND SUNRISE MIDDLE SCHOOLS
    Fort Lauderdale, Florida
    November 5, 2007
    Hurricane Jason

    DON ESTRIDGE HIGH TECH MIDDLE SCHOOL
    West Palm Beach, Florida
    November 14,, 2007
    Hurricane Zach

    		 2007

  • RICHMOND HEIGHTS MIDDLE SCHOOL
    Miami Florida
    October 24, 2006
    Hurricane Jason

    CHRYSTAL LAKE & NEW RIVER MIDDLE SCHOOL
    Fort Lauderdale, Florida
    October 19, 2006
    Hurricane Jaime

    BOYNTON BEACH HIGH SCHOOL
    Boynton Beach, Florida
    October 26, 2006
    Hurricane Zach

    		 2006

storm images