Emergency Plans & Severe Weather

Hurricane preparedness for families with children

Hurricane preparedness for families with children

Begin with a family hurricane plan Start planning well before a tropical storm or hurricane is forecast. Check how your community communicates warnings, including local emergency alerts, weather radio broadcasts, and official evacuation notices. Decide in advance whether your family would evacuate, shelter at home, or stay with relatives or friends outside the affected area. […]

Tornado safety rules children should know

Tornado safety rules children should know

Understand the warning and act without delay Children do not need to become weather experts, but they should understand that a tornado warning means dangerous weather has been detected or observed and that people should take shelter immediately. A tornado watch generally means conditions could support tornado development; a warning requires action. Families should explain […]

Preparing children for severe weather warnings

Preparing children for severe weather warnings

Start with a calm, age-appropriate explanation Children often notice a warning before they understand it. A phone alert, emergency broadcast, darkening sky, or hurried adult conversation can trigger fear. Begin when everyone is calm, rather than waiting for an active warning. Explain that severe weather is a powerful change in the environment and that warnings […]

Practicing a family emergency drill without frightening children

Practicing a family emergency drill without frightening children

Start with the purpose: practice, not prediction Before scheduling a drill, explain that families practice safety plans in the same way they practice crossing a road or learning a fire-escape route. A child-friendly explanation might be: “We are going to practice how our family stays together and gets help. This is practice, and everyone is […]

Teaching children how to call emergency services and give clear information

Teaching children how to call emergency services and give clear information

Start with a calm, simple definition of an emergency Children need a clear definition that they can remember under pressure. Explain that an emergency is a situation in which someone is in immediate danger or needs urgent medical help. Examples include a fire, choking, severe trouble breathing, a serious accident, or a person who is […]