Families should always practice and be prepared for an emergency. Many events like a large earthquake, a storm or an explosion could create chaos in the middle of the night. Children who take an active role in family emergency planning are much better prepared for any situation that might occur. All children should know and understand four important pieces of information.
Personal Information
Children should have all personal information memorized. This includes first and last name, phone number and address. It is helpful to teach children how to spell his or her last name as well. Other important information that might be necessary includes any serious allergies, medical conditions and the names of any siblings. This information could be invaluable if an emergency occurs that separates the child from the rest of the family. It is also helpful on a daily basis if the child becomes lost.
Family Plan
All families should have at least a basic plan in the event of an emergency. This plan should include exactly what everyone will do if a fire occurs, if a natural disaster damages the home or if something unexpected happens outside the house. Children should know and understand this plan. Two essential components are a gathering place and a relative or friend outside their immediate area. A gathering spot is somewhere the whole family will gather if everyone is separated. This could be a street corner or a neighboring house. Children should also know the phone number or contact information for a person outside of their local area. This will provide a common contact for everyone if an emergency makes it impossible to get to the gathering spot.Outdoor Safety
Some time should be spent teaching children about outdoor safety. A sudden emergency could place a child in a confusing situation outside of the home while alone. Outdoor safety includes avoiding strangers who are not police or firefighters. It should also include basic steps such as avoiding running into wild areas or the desert and yelling if the child becomes trapped. These simple lessons could prevent a child from getting into a dangerous situation when escaping an emergency.
Nearest Emergency Services
As an example, if you’re in the Reno area, chospital in Reno. A child who can get to a Reno emergency roomincreases the odds of surviving injuries due to a disaster by a significant amount. Police and fire stations are good to know just in case some event like a massive storm or a gas main explosion makes it impossible to remain in the area around the home. Doctors, firefighters and police will be able to use personal information in order to find and reunite all the members of the family after a disaster.
