• Include your children in family discussions and planning for emergency safety.

• Teach your children their basic personal information so they can identify themselves and get help if they become separated from a parent or guardian.

• Prepare an emergency card with information for each child, including his/her full name, address, phone number, parent’s work number and out of state contact.

• Know the policies of the school or daycare center your children attend. Make plans to have someone pick them up if you are unable to get to them.

• Regularly update your child’s school with current emergency contact information and persons authorized to pick up your child from school.

• Make sure each child knows the family’s alternate meeting sites if you are separated in a disaster and cannot return to your home.

• Make sure each child knows how to reach your family’s out-of-state contact person.

• Teach children to dial their home telephone number and Emergency 9-1-1.

• Teach children what gas smells like and advise them to tell an adult if they smell gas after an emergency.

• Warn children never to touch wires on poles or lying on the ground.

• Role-play with children to help them remain calm in emergencies and to practice basic emergency responses such as evacuation routes, Drop, Cover & Hold and Stop, Drop & Roll.

• Role-play with children as to what they should do if a parent is suddenly sick or injured.

• Role-play with children on what to say when calling Emergency 9-1-1.