The actor with the goofy-looking goggles perched atop his head asks his audience: “What's the difference between a disaster, an emergency and a hazard?” Penelope Planner and other characters of the virtual play, “Ready or Not: Preparing for Wildfire,” learn the difference between the three and other important emergency preparedness lessons as part of a partnership between Edison International, the parent company of Southern California Edison, and The National Theatre for Children (NTC).

Spoiler alert! A hazard is a source of danger that could lead to an emergency or a disaster. Emergencies require first responders while disasters affect an entire community and have the potential for an extended recovery time.

Students at Washington Elementary School in Glendora, Cypress Elementary School in Covina and White Oak Elementary School in Simi Valley tuned into the livestream show together during Wildfire Preparedness Week in May. The host guided students through chapters of the play, prompting them with discussion and trivia and answering questions in real time.

Other lessons in the play include how wildfires start, how Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) are a tool to protect communities from the threat of wildfire, what a family emergency plan is and who/where to seek help in an emergency.

Edison International has sponsored NTC since 2012 for a variety of safety plays, including electrical safety. The grant ensures the valuable lesson plans and supplements for teachers are cost-free. This is the third year NTC has provided on-demand recording or livestreams with a host due to the pandemic, pivoting from their usual in-person school plays geared for kindergarten through sixth-grade students.

“Edison is honored to have reached an incredible 10-year milestone partnering with The National Theatre for Children on safety plays and lessons,” said Caitlin Ishigooka, senior advisor of Corporate Philanthropy, who manages Edison's public safety and environment portfolios with nonprofit partners such as NTC. “’Ready or Not: Preparing for Wildfire’ has helped kids learn essential safety and preparedness skills, and we're proud to help them start that conversation in their homes.”

When the show ends, the lessons don't stop. Teachers receive posters and digital and printed materials, including bilingual student playbooks. Students can then take what they learned in the classroom back home to their families.

“The livestream show is used as a kickoff to get the students excited about the topic. The teachers can extend that lesson into the following days. The printed materials are adapted to prepare students to talk about an emergency plan with their parents,” says Eddie Eames, chief marketing officer of the National Theatre for Children. Eames says that wildfire safety is one of their most popular topics. Other play topics range from health and nutrition to water conservation, bullying prevention and more.

This year, 28 schools across SCE’s service area participated in “Ready or Not: Preparing for a Wildfire.”

For more information on SCE's wildfire safety efforts, visit edison.com/wildfire-safety.