"EVACUATE THE AREA IMMEDIATELY!"

- What we read last night – How Do Dinosaurs Clean Their Rooms, by Jane Yolen and Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten, by Joseph Slate.

I know, I know. If I'm going to have a blog I gotta blog. I'll get better.

One of the scariest and toughest things for kids to understand about emergencies is the need to leave home, and their stuff, and evacuate to a safe location. There is no negotiation when it comes to family safety so we must prepare children by helping them understand what will happening and letting them take part in the preparation process.

In my last blog, we had a scavenger hunt to pack a ready kit/bag. That should help kids understand an evacuation is for a while, not forever. The next step is to explain where you will go during an evacuation and why. Don't beat around the bush - use very basic and simple terms to explain the dangers of violent weather and the consequences of not taking the appropriate precautions. Kids understand the need to take action and want to participate in any process that will keep the family safe.

Use pictures and videos to explain the types of weather events that require an evacuation. Next, use a map and pictures to show children where you will go to be safe during an emergency. This discussion can include the pictures of family members you may stay with and kids they can play with, brochures showing the hotel pool where they'll swim, or the website of a nearby amusement park they can visit one day while away. Evacuations are vital to a family's safety and can be scary, but there is no reason they cannot also be smoothly coordinated and made "almost" enjoyable.

Also explain your plans if an evacuation is not permissible. If a hurricane, tornado, flood, or other event occurs quickly, explain where you will take shelter near or within the house and how you will stay safe. Describe the conditions you will likely encounter and how things may look once the event has passed. Children are incredibly resilient, but more so when they understand what is going on and what to expect.

It is our jobs to have a plan, be prepared, and protect our families. If you include your children in those plans, everyone will all benefit when the plan is put into action.