Youth Preparedness in the United States: Assessing the Impact of the American Red Cross’s “Prepare with Pedro!” Program

Abstract: Home fires are the most prevalent and preventable disaster in the United States. It is notoriously difficult to teach disaster preparedness skills to adults. But, when their children are taught this material, households are more likely to make changes. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the impact of the American Red Cross’s “Prepare with Pedro!” youth disaster preparedness program on students’ and their families’ knowledge of and attitudes toward fire safety material. The thesis examines three research questions which focus on students’ overall knowledge, topic-specific knowledge and attitudes, and the knowledge of their adults. This thesis used an evaluation study methodology, examining the results of a pre- presentation test and post-presentation test for 12 classes in four U.S. states, as well as a 1-week post-presentation test and a family survey for three of the classes. Overall, students did significantly better answering questions after the presentation, and all but one question achieved higher scores that were statistically significant. While results were limited, the family survey found that most households had discussed the Prepare with Pedro material and made some changes at home. The American Red Cross’s Prepare with Pedro program had a generally positive impact on the students who participated and their households’ knowledge of fire safety and attitudes toward feeling prepared for a home fire. However, further research, particularly longitudinal studies and work focused on the spread of knowledge to households, is needed to expand knowledge on this topic.