FEMA FOR KIDS

FEMA FOR KIDS: PREPAREDNESS FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

OLYMPIA—The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) encourages everyone to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses, and communities. Even kids!

Welcome to FEMA for Kids, a Web site that is all fun and games – sort of. Underneath all the fun is a lot of good information that helps kids and their families become better prepared in the event of a disaster. Play games, enjoy stories, do puzzles, go through mazes, and watch videos. You can even become a Disaster Action Kid and get your very own certificate to hang on the wall!

Go to www.fema.gov and click on Kids. Meet Herman the “spokescrab” and tag along on his search for a disaster-proof shell. You'll also meet Julia and Robbie, the Disaster Twins. Wherever these two go, trouble is sure to follow. Watch brother and sister get into – and out of – all sorts of close calls, learning along the way how to be better prepared, or how to avoid danger altogether. Another link takes you to www.sesamestreet.org/ready. On this site, Sesame Street characters talk about preparing for emergencies.

The FEMA site shows that disasters come in many shapes and sizes. Some are predictable – like a hurricane. Some, like a tornado, are not. Learning about the different kinds of disasters helps everyone become better prepared. Learn the best way to keep yourself, your family and your pets safe, as you do what you like to do best – have fun!

Find out about disaster kits and learn what you need before the danger happens. Discover what you might feel during and after such an incident. Read stories from other young people your age who have been through a disaster, or tell your own story. FEMA for Kids is a tool for recovery as well as preparedness. There are even resources for parents and teachers. They can get great curriculum or safety information that can be used in the classroom or at home.

Disasters aren't fun, but learning about them can be. Plus, there's that cool certificate to hang on your wall. Give it a try, kids. Mom and dad can try too. You're never too old to be a kid – a Disaster Action Kid!

Additional information on how anyone can be prepared for an emergency is available at www.ready.gov.