Prepare Your Kids
Your children should be active participants in your family disaster planning. Getting them involved early will help alleviate their fears as well as prepare them to act should an emergency occur. The more they help plan, the more ready they will be.
Some things you can do:
- Teach them how to use the phone, and when it's appropriate to call 9-1-1.
- Make sure young children know their address, phone number, and their parents/caregivers' first and last names.
- Have them help when assembling your emergency supply kit. Make sure everyone in the family knows where the kit is located.
- Get them involved in creating your family emergency plan.
- Practice your evacuation plan as a family on a regular basis (part of your family emergency plan).
- Discuss where the family should meet in the event you are separated in an emergency. Go over this information often.
- Talk about how you will take care of any pets you may have if you need to evacuate or shelter in place.
- Make sure they know who your family's emergency contact person is, and have them carry their contact information with them at all times. Put the information, along with your home, work and cell phone numbers in their school bag, wallet or purse, or program it into their cell phones.
In the wake of a traumatic event, kids can have a difficult time coping with what has occurred. The Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center has some resources available to help your child recover from such an event. Click here to access their website.
