Prepare Your Pets for Disasters

First came the deadly tsunami in Thailand in 2004. A year later, Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana. These two disasters propelled Lauralee Koziol on the path to becoming FEMA's National Advisor on Children and Disasters.

“The catastrophic nature of these disasters, which resulted in the separation of children from their parents and guardians, lit a fire inside, pushing me to do whatever I could to help in avoiding a similar scenario from happening in the future,” says Koziol.

For the last eleven years, Koziol has been responsible for leading FEMA's work to ensure that the needs of children are part of disaster planning, preparedness, response, and recovery. She notes that many resources and processes have been developed throughout FEMA to better address children's disaster-related needs.

These include providing infant and toddler supplies, developing technology (Unaccompanied Minors Registry) and national guidance on reunifying family members after a disaster, and allowing for child coordinators in the Crisis Counseling Program. Koziol says her goal is to work with partners both inside and outside of government to ensure this help is built into training, preparedness plans, exercises, and other field resources.

At the same time, families must work together to prepare for disasters, she says.

“Like most things, disasters are less scary when you [understand] them and the knowledge of steps you can take to protect yourself. Teaching children and youth about disasters and the basics of emergency preparedness can help to ensure a child's safety and well-being. It can also encourage family members to be better prepared, empower and build confidence in children of all ages, and help to alleviate anxiety in the event of a disaster,” she says.

Koziol offers this advice to families to prepare for disasters:

• Create a family communication plan , and share it with family and friends who live locally and out of town. This is especially important if you live in an area that may experience disasters that strike with very little notice like earthquakes and tsunamis. Ensure that everyone has the most important phone numbers memorized.
• Know the evacuation and reunification plans of your child's school or daycare, and make sure that they have your current contact information.
• Build an emergency preparedness kit , and be sure to include age-appropriate supplies, such as infant formula, baby food, diapers, wipes, medicines, electrolytes, and hand sanitizer. Have your children help by asking them to include a favorite stuffed animal or book. You may not have internet or electricity, so include playing cards or a favorite game. It may also be helpful to include fidget toys, like squishy balls, to calm anxiety.
• Encourage kids to talk and ask questions. Discuss their concerns and explain as simply as possible what is happening. You may want to limit television and media coverage. Listen for any underlying fears that your children have, while reassuring them that you are taking steps to keep them safe.

Interested in learning more about how you can engage your kids in helping to prepare? Visit www.ready.gov/kids where you can find free tools, resources, games, and more, designed specifically to help children learn on how to stay safe. 

From coloring pages to matching games, Pedro the penguin now helps children learn about disaster preparedness in six languages. The Prepare with Pedro : Disaster Preparedness Activity Book is available for free digital download and mail order in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, and both Simplified and Traditional Chinese.

The Prepare with Pedro Disaster Preparedness Activity Book was created in partnership with the American Red Cross . In the book, kids can follow Pedro around the United States as he learns safety advice for disasters. The 28-page book teaches young children about staying safe in thunderstorms, earthquakes, and other hazards. It also shows them the basics of making an emergency kit and family communication plan. Kids can learn about these topics through crossword puzzles, mazes, games, and more. Read more...

With summer approaching, learning about preparedness doesn't need to end because school's out. The updated Student Tools for Emergency Planning (STEP) curriculum and digital hazard lessons can be used at home on your computer or tablet. They also can be a part of scout, camp, or community activities.

STEP helps youth understand a variety of hazards, from tornadoes to pandemics, and how to stay safe. Lessons are tailored for students in the fourth and fifth grade but can be adjusted for older and younger students alike. Read More…