With emergencies often being unforeseeable there is more risk of chaos and injury if ill-prepared. Whether it be natural or human-generated disasters, preparedness is key to recover from these events.
Natural Disaster: EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS
With the recent seismic activity that has devastated Haiti and Chile, communities prone to earthquakes should be reminded of the necessity of preparedness. Any earthquake, big or small, can cause emotional stress, sparking fear in our children. Children are very aware of the devastation, panic and fear a quake can cause by simply turning on the news or by reliving their own recent experience with the temblor. This fear might impede a child's sense of security so it is important to prepare them for such a disaster. In a preschool setting, conduct earthquake drills so children can know what to do during an earthquake. In association with the Red Cross's plan for preparedness follow three simple steps to be prepared: get a kit, make a plan and be informed.
During an earthquake drill, designate a word, such as "DROP", which would signal the children to duck and cover under the nearest table, pulling their knees under them and covering their heads with their hands to avoid debris that may fall as a result of the quake. Once given the all clear signal from the person in charge swiftly exit the building and take a quick head count to determine who may be trapped or missing. Set up areas that offer a quick sign-out of children to their guardians, offer first aid and deliver emergency supplies as necessary. If someone is missing and the building is okay to re-enter, sweep the building to try to evacuate missing/trapped persons. It is important to stay calm in order to avoid further chaos and panic among the children.
To further assist staff in allowing for a child to be prepared, upon registration, supply a packet, to the families served, that includes emergency procedures. Update your emergency supplies monthly. It is also helpful to have community workers, such as firemen and policemen come to your class to help reinforce the safety procedures during an earthquake.
In a home, secure large items and shelves to prevent them from falling during a quake. Conduct a monthly family earthquake drill and show your children designated areas in the home that can be used to duck and cover. Store all your supplies in one convenient location. Also, allot a designated evacuation plan and a specific, safe meeting place outside the home to meet after an earthquake occurs.
For a suggested list on how to make your own preparedness kit visit the following link: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/earthquakes/archive/ready.dtl
Human-Generated Disaster: VIOLENCE PREPAREDNESS
If your home or child care center resides in an area where violence, specifically gang-violence, occurs, you must also be prepared for this type of disaster. There have been cases in some communities where individuals evading police have circled neighborhoods where preschool centers exist during high speed chases. These individuals are often unpredictable in their own behavior, so your center can devise a plan to be as prepared should you encounter a violent individual or individuals.
One of the simplest ways to keep your safety during a violent act is to impose a lock-down procedure. If children are outdoors, quickly usher them indoors. Once all the children and staff are secure in their respective buildings, one designated person in each buildings will then lock all the doors, to prevent anyone with violent intent from coming in. Make use of walkie-talkies to communicate with each other instead of tying up the phone lines should there be a need to call 911 or to correspond with other emergency personnel. Also, during this procedure, make sure all surrounding gates are locked by security staff to secure your center. No one, whether it be staff or parents, should be allowed into the center until an all clear is given from local police department or it is deemed safe by the person in charge.
If a violent situation like this occurs while at home, gather all the family into a secure room. Make sure a phone is handy to call the proper emergency personnel. Do not leave the secure room until the emergency personnel have deemed it safe.
It is also important to remember the emotional state of your children during and after any disaster. There is never a way to predict the behavior or reaction of the children during any emergency situation or how they will deal with after. According to Cathie Robertson in Safety, Nutrition, and Health in Early Education, “Adults often tend to ignore the emotional needs of a child once safety has been established” (p. 201). One specific complication that could occur during these situations is panic. A child may become overly anxious and succumb to a panic attack. It is important for everyone to remain calm and to have a designated area for the person suffering to be treated away from the group in order to avoid mass hysteria.
After any disaster, natural or human-generated, it is important to follow through with extra help and care to the children, if needed. Crisis counselors are important individuals during time of disasters. It is also beneficial to keep the routine and providing positive experiences after a disaster in order to keep stability and reduce stress in a child's environment. Hopefully these preparedness strategies and your dedication to the children will help to maintain a healthy and safe environment for the children no matter what disaster should arise.
Have a blessed day!
**References**
American Red Cross. (n.d.). American Red Cross. Retrieved March 21, 2010, from
http://www.redcross.org/
Robertson, C. (2010). Safety nutrition and health in early education (4 ed.). Albany: Delmar Cengage Learning.
Hi Tommy,
ReplyDeleteYes, these preparedness strategies you offered in your posting were quite specific and enormously informative. Hopefully, I will never encounter any of these or any other disasters with or without children. My fear is how one would manage with children who are disabled, toddlers or infants in disasters like this. Now that scares me, but that's exactly why being prepared and informed is so extremely imperative in circumstances like this. Thanks for the information.
That was a great post, alot of very good information. I hope I am never hit with such disasters, I only deal with hurricanes and snowstorms, never an earth quake. It is true that being prepared and informed can keep everyone safe and calm. Knowing what to do in a disaster is very important for the lives of everyone involved.
ReplyDeleteHi Tommy,
ReplyDeleteMaking use of "walkie talkies" is certainly an excellent source for communication during such disasters. Even cell phones should be considered as well in a school for easy contact. At the beginning of the year our school provides each staff member with contact information of the entire staff just for these purposes. It gives us a sense of security and relief for all of us here at the school.