The Army National Guard’s new tool gives students a firsthand look at disaster response

Terry Gerton I am so excited to hear about this. I want you to tell us about Disasterville. What is this from the National Guard’s perspective?

Adam Szabo So Disasterville is actually where, it’s going to be an implementation through the form of virtual reality headsets and simulations for high school students, faculty, anybody that, you know, will be involved on site. But it’s gonna be kind of a mock disaster relief situation that’s going be taking place on high school gymnasiums across the country this spring. So in the form of earthquakes, flash floods, and wildfires, these high school students are gonna run through three 10-minute simulations that. Are gonna mimic and show what the National Guard responds to and how we support local community, our state, and we even have, there’s different obstacles that they have set up, missions. We even have an inflatable zodiac, inflatable boat. So in teams of five, they’ll be working through these simulations, trying to rescue citizens, pets. They’ll be sitting in the boat acting like they’re paddling oars, even picking up, like the fire hose and also putting out wildfires and clearing debris. So this will all be taking place in high school gymnasiums throughout the country this spring.

Terry Gerton This sounds like a pretty high tech adventure. What motivated the National Guard to create something like this and then roll it out?

Adam Szabo So we noticed there was kind of a gap. A lot of these high school students, they may be unaware of the different missions that the Army National Guard specifically handles. So one of our main responses, and unfortunately in the last couple months, last few years, natural disasters are more frequent than ever, sadly. But the Army national Guard’s always ready to answer that call, so we wanna show them that side of helping out our fellow citizens too, and anybody in the area that we can assist with these natural disasters. So. With these three focuses, they get a chance to feel for that through virtual reality.

Terry Gerton There’s gotta be a recruitment angle to this as well, right?

Adam Szabo Yes, absolutely, too. Because we’re looking for those uncommon individuals, too, that maybe want to be a part of a mission or an objective or just a focus that’s bigger than themselves in the form of helping their fellow citizens. So, absolutely. And we would like to, if they’re looking to get involved, this is what we have to offer. And this is a really great side of the National Guard that I’ve personally been a part.

Terry Gerton I’m sure that you must have tried this out before you’re getting ready to take it on the road. What does the experience look and feel like when you’re actually in the middle of it?

Adam Szabo I can tell you this is my first time doing a virtual reality headset. I’m not a big videogame person per se, but trying this out with the rest of my staff, it’s a lot of fun. But it’s not too, too realistic where it makes the students nervous. It’s enough where they get excited about it too, and you see them smiling ear to ear with their friends, even the teachers that are coming by their staff. They’re having a great time. We got to try it out at the D.C. armory, I believe, two weeks ago. And I’ve never seen, well not never, but I’ve seen kids just so happy and they were just having the best time with it. So we’re looking to bring that energy throughout schools this spring.

Terry Gerton What kind of questions are you getting from the students?

Adam Szabo They’re just, they’re asking, hey have you done this before? You know, how frequent, you know, hey can we do it again? Can we do it again. That’s always a question too. Can we go through it again? More just asking about, you know since it since this was activated in D.C., there,  what the three focuses of earthquakes, wildfires, and flash floods, I guess it wasn’t relevant to the disasters itself, but more so just, hey, have you down this before too and what’s it like?

Terry Gerton And how about the response from teachers and school administrators? What have they been saying?

Adam Szabo I mean, what I’ve seen too, and after speaking with a few of them, they were just appreciative the kids were having fun with it. It’s a nice field trip. So after talking to them and seeing our staff interact too, they’re happy to see the kids having fun too and enjoying it.

Terry Gerton So you mentioned that this is done through virtual reality, but you also said like, well, they get to paddle a boat. How are the physical demands replicated in these kinds of adventures?

Adam Szabo For this event, too, it’s not really physically demanding. So you’re actually simulating, so you’ll have the headset on and you’ll see a paddle oar or the jaws of life, but it’s not actually lifting up heavy, simulating like a chainsaw or anything, but it feels like it’s right in your hand with the headset onto. So when you have, with it all being in virtual reality, it feels it’s a simulation, but it not necessarily physically demanding for this. So really anybody could do it. And it’s not, there’s no physical setbacks on this.

Terry Gerton You mentioned the three scenarios. Do they change as you go to different geographical areas?

Adam Szabo Correct, so with these three different, it’s basically three stations, so the reason we chose the earthquakes, the flash floods, and the wildfires, just because we feel like those are the most prevalent here that we respond to, but yeah, so you’ll stop, you’ll do one for ten minutes, take a quick break, set up to do the flash flood, about ten minutes, the mission and then you’ll set up for the wildfire for 10 minutes.

Terry Gerton I’m speaking with Staff Sgt. Adam Szabo, who serves in the Marketing and Advertising Branch of the National Guard Bureau. So Sgt. Szabo let’s kind of dig into a little bit more about this. How does putting students in the middle of the mission really help them understand what the Guard does?

Adam Szabo I would say it’s just, it’s more so just to get them to show another great side to what we do. You know, I come from the Michigan Army National Guard. So, you know, ice storms, a lot of flash floods, too. And those were a lot of flash floods that — not a lot — but they were over five years ago, too, that happened. So that new generation, you know, that uncommon individuals that we’re looking for, it’s like, hey, this affected your community not too long ago, so if anything happens, this is the organization you could potentially be a part of helping your neighbors, your friends, your family. And those are several of my peers and colleagues. So that’s kind of what we’re looking to achieve with this too. Just like, hey, it may not have happened when you remembered, but this is always something we’re willing to be activated for and answer that call.

Terry Gerton Is that an explicit message to the students as they participate or is it just really in response to questions that might come up?

Adam Szabo Probably in response to questions that come up too, you know. Because like I mentioned too, for example, the activation that we were on in D.C., or building this disaster bill event, you know, the earthquakes aren’t too common, but they’re just curious too, to see, hey, do you guys actually respond? It’s like, yes, in some states, some areas, regions we do.

Terry Gerton Have you noticed any difference in students who maybe come from military backgrounds versus those who haven’t had much exposure to the military?

Adam Szabo I guess, well we had, so in D.C. We actually had the JROTC group that came in too, so speaking to the faculty, the cadre there too. Yeah you noticed they were so excited to do it too from that background, so that was great to see.

Terry Gerton Has anything really surprised you in the way that the students approach these simulations?

Adam Szabo They definitely have fun with it too, just like myself. I wouldn’t say anything surprise because you feel like you’re actually there and it’s the group of five, so they’re bumping around, maybe hitting each other on the shoulders on accident too, because the simulation, they try to make it somewhat accurate too, but I wouldn’t say anything out of the ordinary too, same as myself reacting to it.

Terry Gerton What do you hope that students take away and remember from this experience?

Adam Szabo We would like for the students just to show that, hey, if you’re looking to be a part of something bigger than yourselves, a different organization that promotes teamwork, camaraderie, and is there for that selfless service, taking care of others, this is a great organization and great team to be a part of that we’re thankful for and we’re looking for those uncommon individuals to join us.

Terry Gerton As you roll this out and you are taking it literally on tour across the country, are there metrics that you’re going to be tracking to evaluate whether or not this is a success? Other than just, it seems like everybody had a great time.

Adam Szabo That’s something my team is working on too, and they could better answer that than me, but that’s something they’re monitoring too and I’ll be tracking that as well.

Terry Gerton Because I would think, you know, tracking whether or not any of the students who participate ultimately come back around to a recruiter would be a key piece of this.

Adam Szabo Right, and then we’ll have National Guard representatives there on site too, so if they are interested in learning more. But even if kids aren’t interested in joining, I mean obviously we’d love to get those individuals to join our organization, but it’s more so just, hey, this is what we do and if there’s something that comes up in your community, the Army National Guard is going to be there to assist.

Terry Gerton Are you imagining a version 2.0 of this or is this just sort of a one-time shot and then we’ll see what happens.

Adam Szabo I see this happening, definitely us making adjustments, too. I can’t speak for that personally, too, on that decision that’s above my head, but I can see this going a long way in the future, just with the short success that we’ve had and the feedback we’ve gotten.

Terry Gerton Perhaps bringing in different kinds of scenarios.

Adam Szabo It’s definitely been discussed, but like I said too, I wish I could make that decision, but we’re still, this is a start. But I mean, it’s definitely been the discussion for sure.

Terry Gerton Are you getting to go on the road with Disasterville?

Adam Szabo I’m trying to, my schedule’s a little busy at the moment too, but hopefully I can get in some trips, because they’re actually in Michigan right now, my home state. So yeah, I had a little bit busy week too, so yeah, they’re back home, right by my brother, so that would have been cool, but, hopefully in the near future I can.