EVERETT -- Saving people's lives is not child's play, although children showed they can make adult decisions during emergency training Thursday.
Already wearing gloves and a green hard-hat, 12-year-old Navdeep Manhas ran out onto a baseball field during a disaster drill after what was supposed to be a loud explosion. According to the scenario, there was a lightning strike at a baseball field nearby and all the players were down.
Along with other emergency-response team members, Navdeep rushed to rescue the victims, some seriously injured. The students even had to carry one victim off the field in a blanket.
The training held at the Mukilteo YMCA building at Paine Field was the final step for two emergency-response teams.
One team consisted of adults, the other consisted of 13 middle- and high-school students.
"I wanted to learn how to help people, and I think I know what to do now," said Navdeep, a student at the Totem Middle School in Marysville.
A lighting strike at a sports field is not as unlikely as it may seem. Less than a month ago, 10 people were injured during a storm at a soccer game in Boston.
The student emergency response team is part of the Minority Achievers Program, which is organized by the local YMCA to support minority and immigrant students.
County YMCA director J.J. Frank said the program's primary focus has always been education, such as helping students with homework after school. This year, it sparked new interest because of the shift toward emergency management, he said.
Frank said this first class was a success and that he hopes to offer two or three more classes throughout the year.
"We are hoping some of these young people will become interested in emergency response careers," Frank said.
Regardless of what their career choices will be, young people need to learn how to respond in case of a fire or an earthquake, Frank said.
Paula Drake, who taught the class, said it's especially true of the immigrant communities, where there is a need to be better prepared for emergencies.
"This is something that gives them a skill other kids don't have," she said. "They can become leaders in their communities."
Drake said the program gives students exposure to careers they haven't necessarily thought of but also teaches communication skills, teamwork and organization.
These skills will be useful for college, said Navdeep's brother, Gagan Manhas, a 16-year-old student at Marysville-Pilchuck High School.
"I joined the program to get more opportunities and just to get more involved in my community," he said.
A way to strengthen his college resume was not the most important reason Gagan joined. He said he learned ways to save people's lives.
Melinda Thomas, who was part of the adult team, said she was very impressed with the students.
"If kids don't know how to do that, it's just not going to get done. If, in each class, there's one kid who knows how to do it, that's one more person to help the teacher," she said.
If a disaster hits, 14-year-old Daniel Reznikov said he is fully prepared to help.
"It can just teach me a lot. Not too many international families know this stuff, so I was thinking this is like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said the Marysville Arts and Technology High School student.
Drake said that's the kind of attitude instructors were hoping for.
"Kids are around emergencies as much or more than the adults. If there's a disaster, these kids are going to be leaders in their families," she said.
Reporter Katya Yefimova: 425-339-3452 or kyefimova@heraldnet.com.
