As 8,000 screaming fans filed into Miller Park Wednesday morning, they could see the Milwaukee Brewers Famous Racing Sausages on the field, smell the fresh green grass and hear the music pulsing through the stadium. But these were no ordinary fans – they were all students and teachers from southeastern Wisconsin attending Weather Day at Miller Park.
Weather Day provides students an opportunity to learn about seasons, precipitation, climates and storms in a fun environment. Participants are divided into two teams, and questions were asked on the jumbo screen, along with videos and demonstrations on the field. The event was sponsored by the Milwaukee Brewers and WTMJ-TV, whose meteorologists were the hosts.
“This is pretty cool,” said student Annie Bartosz from Hartland, Wis. “My team has been getting a lot right!”
Wisconsin Emergency Management introduced the STEP Program at this year’s Weather Day, which stands for Student Tools for Emergency Planning. STEP is designed to teach students how to prepare for various emergencies including tornadoes, flooding and storms and encourages them to share information with their families and to develop their own family emergency plan.
The STEP program has held events at 150 schools across the state this year.
“The STEP program is the basic building block to emergency preparedness when you get kids involved,” said Lt. Col. Max Brosig, operations officer for the Wisconsin National Guard’s Domestic Operations, who also attended Weather Day. “Many people asked why I was here in uniform, and I explain how the Guard partners with Wisconsin Emergency Management and STEP.”
After the Weather Day presentation was over, students and teachers were able to attend the Brewers’ Science Fair, which had exhibits from Discovery World, The Milwaukee Public Museum and the Mitchell Park Domes. Wisconsin Emergency Management set up a booth with games, giveaways and information about preparedness kits.
“Weather Day with the Milwaukee Brewers is a great event to teach kids about the importance of being prepared for any disaster or emergency,” said Wisconsin Emergency Management Administrator Brian Satula. “The STEP program provides students with the tools and knowledge they need to know what to do and where to go in an emergency situation to help keep them safe.”
