• Involve children in disaster preparations ahead of time. Formulate a plan and discuss it as a family, often.
  
• Assemble a 72-hour kit for every child in the family. Have children choose clothing, a few small toys, a book and paper and pencils or crayons for their kits. Having a few familiar items will greatly reduce a child's stress.
  
• Remain calm. Don't race around grabbing items to evacuate and ignore a crying child. Don't drive erratically trying to beat a light or a neighbor out of the driveway. Remember nothing is more important than your children. Everything else can be replaced or done without. Would grandma really want her grandson crying while you search for her wedding ring?
  
• Talk, talk, talk. Your children will need to voice their fears. Admit that you are afraid too but remind them that you are all together and you will help each other. As you talk, you can clarify any misunderstandings and questions. Answer all questions honestly and admit when you don't know the answer. Keep answers short and simple. Children will let you know when and if they need more information.
  
• Be prepared when you evacuate. See Meridian article, “Prepare to Evacuate!” (http://www.meridianmagazine.com/) Take familiar music to play in the car, be prepared with favorite snack, and bring along books and games to pass the time on the road. Make your evacuation trip as normal as possible, like a vacation trip!
  
• Hug and touch your children. This simple act will reassure children or adults that you are aware of them and their needs.
  • When you return home spend extra time at bedtime to talk, read, sing, just allow time so they will feel free to share their feelings.
  
• Get back to a normal routine as soon as possible. Even when you are evacuated you can continue your normal bedtime and bedtime routine. Arrange play dates and restablish contact with family and friends. Limit your child's exposure to media reports and discussions concerning the emergency.
  
• If there is cleaning up to do, give each child a responsibility. Children need to feel needed and a part of the solution.
  • When the time is appropriate, evaluate your evacuation experience together. Decide what worked, what didn't work and what you should change in case you ever have another emergency.
  
• Use your support network. Since children are concerned about upsetting you, they will often feel more comfortable talking to a grandparent, teacher, or bishop. Seek professional help. Do not assume you can always handle your child's fears and doubts. Children as well as adults often need help to identify the underlying cause of their confusion and concerns.
  
• Remember preparing for disaster ahead of time helps everyone accept the fact that disasters happen. When people feel prepared, they cope better and so do their children. After all, preparing for whatever comes is not just about the 72-hour kit, the food storage, or the evacuation plan. It's about your peace of mind, your emotional well-being, and your spiritual preparation, too.
  

Carolyn Nicolaysen grew up in New Jersey and joined the Church while attending Central College in Pella, Iowa. With a degree in home economics, she later worked as a high school teacher, then served a term as an elected trustee on her local school board. Carolyn has taught Personal and Family Preparedness to all who will listen. Having lived in areas that were threatened by hurricanes and tornadoes, and now living in an earthquake-prone area, she has developed a passion for preparedness. Carolyn started her own business, TotallyReady.com, when she saw the need for higher quality emergency kits that could truly sustain families in a disaster.

Carolyn and her husband, Don, are the parents of four children and grandparents of seven. They live in Oakdale, California.

Emergency Preparedness Archive