We’ve all heard news stories about children who save their families by staying calm, calling 9-1-1 and following directions. Being prepared can save lives. Children are able to help when they take an active role in emergency preparedness planning. Following are some ideas to help prepare your child for an emergency.
Establish and practice home emergency plans. Everyone in the family needs to be aware of potential disasters and know what to do if they occur. Start family emergency planning with a brainstorming session— no idea is too big, too small or too silly. Pull out the most effective ideas and make a family plan and post it in a visible place. Put plans into action by rehearsing drills. After each drill, evaluate performance to improve upon the plan. Through these activities, children have the opportunity to practice their responses and actions, giving them a sense of control even when emergencies are out of their control.
Youth programs. Community youth programs teach important life skills. These programs prepare children by reinforcing lessons learned at home and school. Organizations such as the American Red Cross, Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts U.S.A. promote emergency preparedness and often provide drills and exercises to practice at home.
First aid. Teach, review and practice basic first aid with children. Discuss more complicated procedures, such as CPR, even though children may not be able to perform the required steps. Exposure and awareness is beneficial for understanding such procedures if they observe them during an emergency, reducing fear and anxiety of the unknown.
Community service. Promote a sense of belonging, responsibility and service within your family by participating in city-wide clean-ups or other service projects. Involvement teaches children that many hands make light work and that we all need to help each other to get a job done. If there is ever a need for community work during an emergency, children will know how to help and work together.
Health and fitness. Having a strong mind and a healthy body aids a person in a disaster. Being able to react and withstand challenges is an important part of physical readiness. Youth can help with tasks such as sandbagging, shoveling, and cleaning if they have been physically active.
Laughter, the best medicine. Humor reduces stress and anxiety by releasing feel-good hormones in the brain and promoting positive thinking and emotion. Make humor a part of everyday life. Children will better handle the stress associated with an emergency if they can have the healthy outlet of laughter.
Emergency preparedness increases the confidence, knowledge and skill of children of all ages. Because emergencies can cause high stress and have a negative impact on lives, especially those of children, it is important to take the necessary steps to prepare them for such situations. Also, remember that children react to the emotions of those around them and can sense fear, stress or anxiety in others. The best way to help a child in an emergency is to be prepared to deal with the situation yourself.
Week #13 of the American Red Cross 21 Weeks to prepare program
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