6 Ways to Prepare Your Kids for Emergencies

Are your children ready to handle emergencies?

The Farmington Hills/Farmington Emergency Preparedness Commission (EPC) recommends that parents follow these tips to ensure that kids are ready for any situations that might arise: 

• Keep emergency contact information up-to-date at all schools.

• Find out where children will be taken if they are evacuated.

• Talk to your kids about fire and tornado drills and lockdown procedures. Six fire drills are required annually by the State Fire Marshal, two during the first month of school, then one fire drill per month, weather permitting. Two tornado drills are required in early spring before tornado season begins. Two lockdown drills are required, one at the start of the school year.

• Designate a friend or relative to pick up your children in an emergency and make sure the school and your children know who that person is.

• Ask school officials how they will communicate with families during a crisis.

• If your child has a cell phone, program one or more persons in the contact list using “ICE” (In Case of Emergency) before the name, so emergency workers will know who to contact. Make sure to tell the designated people that you’ve listed them as emergency contacts.