Queensland classrooms will compete for the chance to meet rugby league legend Johnathan Thurston with Get Ready Queensland’s 2022 school competition underway.
Queensland Deputy Premier and Minister responsible for the Queensland Reconstruction Authority Steven Miles said the annual competition gave students the chance to learn about the risks posed by extreme weather.
“We have already seen this year just how powerful and devastating Queensland’s weather can be, and how taking simple steps like having a plan and preparing an emergency kit can go a long way to making sure homes and businesses are ready when the worst happens,” Mr Miles said.
“The Get Ready Queensland program is a great way to engage Queensland school children, who already have an enthusiasm for learning to share critical disaster preparedness messaging.
“While we are pleased to see the number of Queenslanders with an emergency kit and plan going up, research tells us too many people are still happy to wait until the very last minute to start preparing – but by then it may be too late.”
Teachers can select from a range of activities on the Get Ready Queensland website including worksheets, a snakes and ladders style board game and an online challenge for students to complete. To enter, teachers need to take photographs of students completing the activities and submit them online.
Get Ready Queensland Ambassador Johnathan Thurston is encouraging all Queensland primary schools to take up the challenge.
“Whenever I visit a school, I’m always blown away by how much some of our littlest youngest Queenslanders know about their local disaster risks,” Mr Thurston said.
“Helping them these kids channel their natural curiosity into meaningful preparedness activities helps them, their families and their communities become more resilient.
“Get Ready Queensland’s 3 Steps to Get Ready makes it easy for everyone us to prepare, which leads to a huge difference in how families experience and recover from disasters.”
Get Ready Queensland has been supporting Queenslanders to prepare for disasters since 2013.
For competition guidelines and information on how to enter, please visit getready.qld.gov.au/schools
