Are your kids ready for an emergency?

Be sure to consider the needs of your children as you are planning for emergencies. If your children are in school or daycare, talk to the staff about their emergency plans. (If they look at you like a deer in the headlights, have them call our office to get help creating a plan!) Ask the staff how they will communicate with parents during an emergency and what plans they have in place if it becomes necessary to evacuate the children. Also, make sure they have at least 3 days worth of emergency supplies for staff and children. It is also a good idea to keep immunizations up-to-date. Immunizations can provide protection from certain diseases. During an emergency, some diseases may spread more easily due to crowded conditions in a shelter or contaminated food or water. Keep copies of your child's immunization records with your emergency supplies. When you are building your emergency supply kit, make sure to include items such as: books, puzzles, games, a soft blanket, a special toy and pictures of family. You might also consider creating a child ID card. If you and your child are separated during an emergency, this information can be used to help find him or her. Include: date of birth, height and weight, hair and eye color and any distinguishing features such as a birthmark. Keep the ID card and a picture of your child in your emergency supply kit. Be sure to update the card every year. It's really not helpful if Jimmy's ID card shows him as a tow-headed toddler when he is now a sullen pre-teen.