If an emergency or disaster strikes, does your child know what to do? Most types of disasters and medical emergencies can be frightening for adults. But for children, they can be downright overwhelming in the moment and traumatic long-term.

By giving your children guidance ahead of time, you can help reduce fear and empower them to respond before, during and after an emergency.

Tips for Preparing Your Child for a Disaster or Medical Emergency

Here are some emergency preparedness tips to help your family navigate these difficult conversations.

• Calmly talk with your children about prepping for natural disasters and other emergency situations. Discuss common scenarios like what to do when responding to a house fire, severe weather, active violence, and medical emergencies within your home.
• It’s important to provide a realistic picture with action steps your child can take to stay safe.
• Use disaster preparedness online resources specific to your child’s emotional needs and age to help illustrate what to do in case of an emergency. Younger children can learn basic lifesaving skills or simple steps, such as how to call 911 or follow instructions to run next door to get help.
• Contact your children’s school to learn what emergency topics have been discussed and to request additional resources. You can reinforce these discussions at home and provide your child with a safe space to ask questions.
• Make sure both young children and older children can relay important details to emergency responders, such as their family name, address, and emergency information.
• Prepare as a family by taking a CPR, AED, and First Aid training course together. This can help eliminate feelings of fear and ensure that your entire family knows what to do. You can then incorporate practice into your monthly, weekly, and daily routine for better overall retention.

CPR Training in Action

Families of all backgrounds and sizes can benefit from learning lifesaving skills. To help this become the norm, celebrities like Nicole Kidman are helping to spread the word while also preparing their own family members to respond to emergency situations.