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Be Prepared: How To Plan For Disasters
In the event of a disaster, your first thought is to immediately find, protect, and comfort your children, and to see first-hand that they are safe. You have probably already thought about how to keep your child safe when the family is together at home. It is also important to prepare for a disaster that occurs while you are at work and your children are in child care or school. Make sure that your family has an emergency response plan in place that includes the children's school or child care provider.
All schools and child care providers - centers, family child care homes, relatives or nannies, should also have an emergency plan that includes you, and that you know about. Talk to your school and child care provider about their emergency plan, and make sure they have emergency contact information and procedures for your family.
The resources listed below can help you work with your school or child care provider on disaster planning and response. Resources for creating your family's disaster plan are also included.
Selected Disaster Planning and Response Resources
Ready to Respond Emergency Preparedness Plan for Early Care and Education Centers (Bright Horizons Family Solutions)
The intent of this plan is to assist the center director and staff in responding to emergency situations, provide information that can be used with family members concerning emergency planning, and provide a basis for restoration of services.
Homeland Security Advisory System Recommendations (American Red Cross)
One page lists of Homeland Security Advisory System recommended actions for individuals, families, schools, business and neighborhoods to take based on each of the color coded alert levels.
Terrorism - Preparing for the Unexpected (American Red Cross)
This booklet provides an overview of disaster planning. Sections include: 1) creating an emergency communications plan, 2) establishing a meeting place, 3) assembling a disaster supplies kit, and 4) checking on the school emergency plan. Also includes a first aid primer and additional sources for information.
Facts About Sheltering in Place (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Public Health Emergency preparedness and Response)
"Sheltering in place" is when people make a shelter out of the place they are in. It is a way for people to make the building as safe as possible to protect themselves until help arrives. This provides information on how to prepare to shelter in place; how people will know if they need to shelter in place; what to do; and how to get more information on the subject.
Family Disaster Planning (American Red Cross)
A short, easy-to-read, guide to disaster planning. Appropriate for families
and in-home, relative, and family child care providers.
Disaster Supply Kit (American Red Cross)
Describes what should be included in a disaster supply kit. Appropriate
for families and in-home, relative, and family child care providers.
Your Evacuation Plan (American Red Cross)
Provides guidance on developing an evacuation plan.
Recommended Emergency Supplies for Schools (American Red Cross)
Information on what emergency supplies to store, how much to budget, how
much to store, and where to store supplies. Includes lists of recommended
supplies for individual kits, an individual classroom, and for the whole
school. Appropriate for center-based providers.
Model Marin County School Emergency Disaster Preparedness and Incident
Plan (Marin County Office of Education, CA)
Provides a framework for protecting students, staff and school facilities,
as well as to describes the responsibilities of staff members, for a wide
range of emergency and disaster situations that may occur. Includes a
fact sheet for parents on children and anthrax.
Disaster Relief Links (World Wide Disaster Aid and Information Via the Internet - Sponsored by American Red Cross and CNN)
Provides direct links to all state emergency management offices, as well as links to other governmental and non-governmental disaster relief agencies and information services.
Selected Resources for Helping Children Deal with War, Conflict, and Tragic Events
What is Happening Now to the World? Talking to Children about a War in Iraq and Terror (Bright Horizons)
Strategies for helping children understand and cope with war and terror. Includes age-specific guidelines, information on promoting tolerance and comforting children, and links to additional resources.
How Families Can How to Help Children After a Disaster
(Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration - SAMHSA)
Provides tips for parents on how to talk to children about the terrorist events.
Helping Children Deal with Scary News by Fred Rogers (PBS Kids)
An audio clip for adults on talking to their children about their fears.
A War in Iraq: Tackling Tough Issues with Kids (New York University Child Center Study)
A comprehensive guide to discussing the war with Iraq. Sections include how to talk about war, handle television watching, and recognize if children are having trouble coping.
Supporting Young Children During War and Conflict (National Association for the Education of Young Children)
Ideas and tools to help early childhood educators and families provide comfort, reassurance and stability to young children during war and conflict.
Healthy Parenting Tool Kit (Department of Defense Healthy Parenting Initiative)
User-friendly materials designed to help military families with young children handle issues including deployment, relocation, and dangerous work, as well as general parenting information.
