The Madison Lane Apartments community is now better prepared to face an emergency situation thanks to the work of three students who spent the spring semester surveying residents and developing an emergency preparedness plan.
Seniors Halle Kuhar-Pitters ’24, Daniel Nothaft ’24, and Nick Marsh ’24 took on the research project as part of their ENST 450 - Community-Based Study of Environmental Issues course taught by Andy Pattison, associate professor of environmental studies.
"Our project's purpose was to raise awareness of the need for individual residents to be prepared for emergency situations — whether that be a localized incident or simply a bad weather event,” said Mid-York Senior Homes Director Sami Martinez who partnered with the students on the project. “Halle, Daniel, and Nick interviewed residents, making contact with many more than I expected, treating them with kindness and respect.”
Pattison said the students started the project by knocking on every door in the community to request the residents fill out a survey the students had designed, based on the established literature in the field of community preparedness assessment.
"This project-based, interdisciplinary course examines current environmental issues in the context of community-based learning,” Pattison said. “Students get practical experience working in interdisciplinary teams to examine environmental issues to develop relevant recommendations."
The Madison Lane apartment complex is a 72-unit housing complex for adults 62+ or disabled adults of any age, which is privately owned and managed by the nonprofit Mid-York Senior Homes, Inc., the organization that operates Madison Lane.
As part of the project, the students also designed emergency preparedness kits for the residents, and they presented their final report to the Madison Lane community at their apartment complex on May 3. Residents were informed about how they could be self-sufficient during an emergency by making sure to have close access to basic necessities for at least three to five days and having a solid plan for getting beyond the initial days of the emergency.
Students took into account that residents on limited incomes may face additional financial challenges when preparing for emergencies such as the cost of stocking additional items and possible lack of a car or other transportation to travel for necessities in an emergency.
"Halle, Daniel, and Nick were a delight to work with — both in managing the presentation planning and respectfully interfacing with residents,” said Martinez. “The presentation was in-depth but not overwhelming, their manner and delivery were professional and compassionate. The result was a fine-tuned project that can be replicated in the future. We're grateful for their steady work and deep concern."