Video game teaches teens to stay calm in a weather emergency » Yale Climate Connections – GWC Mag

By playing a new video game, teens are learning how to navigate various weather disasters and how to stay calm — even amid confusion and chaos.

Lee: “The game is really all about, throughout the process, saying ‘I can do this.’”

Jane Lee is with I-Thrive Games. Her company partnered with FEMA to create “Disaster Mind,” a simulation video game that prepares teens for extreme events, which are becoming more common with climate change.

In the game, Disaster Mind players choose to face down a blizzard, wildfire, or flood — either at home alone with their younger sister or while working at a community center with elderly people.

As the disasters get worse, players have to make quick decisions and learn how to navigate challenges like evacuation orders and power outages.

Lee hopes the game encourages teens to talk with their families about emergency plans.

And by offering advice on how to reduce panic and anxiety, the game helps players learn strategies to stay confident during stressful situations in real life.

Lee says she hopes the game helps players feel more prepared for extreme events.

Lee: “How can we empower teens to feel strong and independent and competent, capable, and also know that they can get through things that are really hard?”

Reporting credit: Ethan Freedman / ChavoBart Digital Media