Emergency Situations Helping Families Prepare for

Andrew Behnke & Nichole Huff

If there were a disaster

If there were a disaster

tomorrow

would YOUR

be ready? family

What would you be ready for?

ice

flood

hurricane

fire

tornado

drought

what is the likelihood

of each? what is the likelihood

of each? what is the likelihood

where you live

.

Are the

ready? families

you serve

simple things

make a family plan

meeting place

contact info

What’s the safest place in

your home?

safe place in home

one safe place

escape routes

power & water shutoffs

cash on hand

important documents

insurance

batteries

What can’t you do with a

trashbag?

would you know how to talk with kids? when tragedy strikes,

would they listen?

what would you say if they witnessed

this…

or this…

or if they heard about this…

or this…

could you comfort them?

could you ease their

fears?

could you help?

prepare yourself

prepare yourself

listen

prepare them

plan with them

know what

to say

when

ages & stages

preschoolers

Stick to regular family

routines

Avoid unnecessary separations

Provide extra comfort and reassurance

practice with them

Permit a child to sleep in the parents' room temporarily

Help them express themselves via

play, drawing, and story telling

Limit media exposure

ages & stages

elementary age kids

Provide extra attention and consideration

Set gentle but firm limits for

acting out behavior

Listen to a child's repeated telling of his/her experience

Point out kind deeds and the ways

in which people helped during the

event

Limit media exposure

Rehearse safety measures for future

incidents

tweens and adolescents

Provide extra attention and consideration

Be there to listen to your children, but don't force

them to talk

Encourage discussion of event

among peers

Help them serve

Healing is an evolving, but some

may need professional help

seek resources… national child traumatic stress network

http://www.nctsn.org

How are couples

impacted?

What do they experience?

fog

gy

uncertainty

conflict

starts as a couple plan A family plan really

follow…

each

other’s lead

“Some call it a blind spot, others naïveté, but Mandela sees almost everyone as virtuous until proven otherwise. He starts with an assumption you are dealing with him in good faith. He believes that, just as pretending to be brave can lead to acts of real bravery, seeing the good in other people improves the chances that they will reveal their better selves.”

seth godin

children watch how parents react and act accordingly