PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Sept. 10 marks the the official start to peak hurricane season.
WATCH BELOW: 'They learn what they need to do before, during and after a storm,' Scott McDermott tells WPTV's Christy Waite
For nearly two years, students at Inlet Grove Community High School have been learning critical skills ahead of any storm. The career focused charter school in Rivera Beach, allows students to turn their classrooms into a training ground for emergencies. Students get to experience all the different workshops no matter what discipline they are studying.
Students from the medical department learn how to treat abrasions, burns, and broken bones. These future nurses also learn now to make splints from things like sticks and household items. Meanwhile, the culinary students learn how to cook without power, how to properly store non perishable foods, and how to get safe drinking water.
The schools television production class is learning how to document valuable personal items for insurance claims. They also learn what documents to take in the event of flooding or emergency evacuations.
WPTV's Christy Waite sat in on the workshops and she spoke with nursing student Sydney Lagonda. She said the workshops give her the confidence to know she can help her family in the event of an emergency.
"Going through these classes and knowing that I have the preparation and the knowledge to help in the event of an emergency makes me feel safe," Lagonda said. "In case something happens to my mom or my dad, I am able to help."
Scott McDermott is the coordinator of Career Programs with Inlet Grove, he said the hurricane workshop makes learning fun all while preserving history.
"The kids in all of our academies learn what to do, how to be prepared and the things that they need to get ahead of time, what they need to do during a storm and what they need to do after a storm," McDermott said.
Nearly 100 years ago, hurricane Okeechobee tore through Palm Beach County leaving hundreds of people dead. That same hurricane destroyed the original Inlet Grove School.
Today, Inlet Grove Community High School is home to the hurricanes. Allowing students to learn from the past and prepare for the future.
