BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — Experts say Louisiana’s most common natural disasters include floods, hurricanes, severe storms, tornadoes, extreme heat/drought, power outages, wildfires, ice storms, and landslides.
In view of these concerns, local authorities are constantly urging residents to prepare for natural disasters by stocking up on extra supplies, having go-bags ready, and preparing a disaster plan that the entire family understands.
But when it comes to explaining these emergency plans to children, how can parents do so in a way that won’t overwhelm young ones?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it can be helpful for parents to:
- Talk to your children so that they know you are prepared to keep them safe.
- Review safety plans before a disaster or emergency happens. Having a plan will increase your children’s confidence and help give them a sense of control.
Building a child’s confidence in the family’s ability to handle emergency situations by having a plan and sticking to it is key.
The Department of Homeland Security has a tool that can help parents do this. Its creation of a website called Ready Kids helps families create plans together and discuss other details related to natural disasters and emergency situations.
Local programs in Baton Rouge, such as Red Stick Ready, also have information for parents about how to talk to children about disaster safety; click here to visit its webpage.
Discussing plans for emergency situations as a family can become an opportunity to bond, and it can lead to the implementation of life-saving measures.