Helping kids to prepare for emergencies is not something all parents think about on a regular basis. However, teaching kids what to do in case of an emergency really is important. All parents hope their children will never need to use their emergency training, but that shouldn’t stop them from teaching their children what to do if an emergency situation does arise. Here are some great Web sites that help parents to know how to teach their kids to be prepared for, and react to, in an emergency.
FEMA for Kids – FEMA, or Federal Emergency Management Agency, has a special area of their Web site designed to get kids ready to handle themselves effectively in an emergency situation. Herman, the “Spokescrab”, explains on the FEMA for kids homepage that the Web site exists to teach kids how to prepare for disasters and prevent disaster damage. Here, kids can find educational material on the causes of disasters, coloring pages, and games. There is also a section meant for parents and teachers, with curriculum resources for teaching children about disaster preparedness.
Ready Kids – Ready Kids is a Web site set up by the Department of Homeland Security which includes emergency preparedness content geared towards children, teachers, and parents. The Ready Kids Web site emphasizes planning and preparedness, and encourages kids to create an emergency supply kit, and to work with their family to create a just-in-case plan. The Ready Kids Web site has crossword puzzles and other games and activities designed to reinforce what the site teaches about kids and disaster preparedness. This Web site also has sections geared towards teachers and parents.
XMREMeals.com – XMREMeals.com, is a leading MRE Meals manufacturer website with links to various resources for learning about disaster preparedness as it pertains to children. There are directions for creating emergency kits and emergency plans. This Web site also touches on emergency meals safety, and has additional resources for parents and teachers.
AFS – American Family Safety can be found at americanfamilysafety.com. This Web site has a great deal of preparedness information sorted by specific disaster situations. From hurricanes to blackouts, floods, and landslides, this Web site has an abundance of useful information. There are also directions for putting together a Winter kit, and a 72-hour survival kit. Additionally, there is a special section that gives direction on how to help children become more prepared for disaster and emergency situations.
No parent wants their child to ever have to face an emergency or disaster situation, but the best thing we can do is to prepare them as much as possible in case they ever are.
