EMPOWER Girl Scouts Public Service Announcement

Description

Girl Scout Troop 5127 of Potomac, Maryland knows a thing or two about being prepared. They recently earned the "Be Prepared" patch and created a public service announcement (PSA) to spread the message throughout the Greater Washington Region. The Girl Scout "Be Prepared" patch program provides critical emergency preparedness information and activities for children of all age levels. The patch program was developed by the Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital (GSCNC) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"Girl Scouts are taking the lead in preparing and educating their families and other young people about potential disasters," said Lidia Soto-Harmon, GSCNC Acting Executive Director. "We want to empower youth of all ages to act with confidence in an emergency situation."

Girl Scout Troop 5127 took the patch program further and not only earned their Emergency Preparedness patch, but also their Bronze Award. The girls created the slogan, "Don't Be Scared, Be Prepared", and produced and starred in their own public service announcement with the help of EMPOWER, an emergency management organization for women. The Girl Scouts were able to professionally record their PSA for television, radio and online distribution channels.

"People are drawn to the emergency management field for a variety of reasons: a strong desire to help others; a sense of civic duty; an opportunity to manage a wide range of responsibilities; and a passion to improve how we respond to and recover from disaster events," noted EMPOWER President Kelly Discount. "Troop 5127 demonstrated all four of these characteristics, plus an energy and exuberance that made the initiative fun for everyone involved. By engaging with groups like the Girl Scouts, we hope to empower kids to live the motto of "Be Prepared," and possibly inspire the next generation of emergency managers."

For additional information regarding EMPOWER or the Girl Scouts Chapter of the Nation's Capital please visit www.empower-women.com or www.gscnc.org