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Website by: Jared Warner |
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Below are some helpful tips when
talking to your kids about emergencies.
It is important that you communicate these often difficult situations
with your children and prepare them to respond according to your family’s
preparedness plan. 1. Talk
with your child’s school teachers to determine what topics might have been
covered in class. Often, this
information can be useful in determining the amount and level of information
to present to your child. 2. Give
older children an active role in planning by assigning tasks and activities
to them during your planning process. 3. Remain
calm when talking to your children about emergencies. Kids are very good at picking up on the
moods of adults. If you do not panic,
they are less likely to do so. 4. Be
open to questions and be as honest as possible when answering them. 5. Develop
your message appropriately for your child’s age and level of development. 6. Take
your children to appropriate emergency preparedness displays. Fair booths, libraries, schools, and other
agencies often provide public safety days for children to attend and learn
about law enforcement, fire departments, hospitals, and emergency medical
services. For more information, visit:
American
Academy of Pediatrics: Four Steps to Prepare Your Family for Disaster
Federal
Emergency Management Agency: Helping Children Cope With Disaster
American
Red Cross: Helping Young People Deal with Terrorism and Other Tragic Events |
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Talking To Kids |
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In
an emergency, it is important that your family has decided ahead of time how
to contact one another if phones are unavailable. Designate a friend or
family member who lives in a different location to be a contact. Instruct your family to contact that person
if separated in an emergency. The designated contact person can keep
track of who has and has not contacted them. During an emergency, it is also important
to have a designated meeting area. If normal modes of communications
are not operating, instruct your family to meet at this location. For example, you may decide that your
family will meet at the local church if the emergency is minor and localized,
such as a chemical leak. For larger
emergencies, a relative’s house outside of the affected area may be
appropriate. Take
some time to discuss with your family what could happen in an emergency, and
develop a family preparedness plan. By knowing how to care for yourself
and your family, you are letting emergency workers focus on helping others in
need. For more information, visit the
following links: |
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Family Crisis Communication |