480
Russell C. Coile
downstairs living room and listen to a talk on earthquake safety in the
home. They learn why bookcases and hot water heaters should be bolted
to the wall studs, how to run and tell their mother if the fi replace screen
were to fall over while there was a fi re in the fi replace, etc. The children
take turns practicing telephoning 9-1-1 to report a pretend emergency,
actually, a second fi reman instructor in the control room of the trailer
answers and asks them the same questions a real 9-1-1 operator would
ask.
In order to involve the parents, the children are given appropriate
earthquake and fi re safety literature to take home with a note asking
the parents to read and discuss preparedness with them. The children
also take home a letter inviting the parents to take a free six-week
neighborhood emergency response team training program. This program
teaches earthquake preparedness in the home, how to keep people injured
in an earthquake from bleeding to death, fi refi ghting and how to rescue
earthquake victims.
Junior high school students may study science courses developed with
National Science Foundation support which use disasters. For example,
students study hurricanes as an introduction to meteorology. Senior high
school students are invited to take neighborhood emergency response
teams training along with their parents.
Introduction
Disaster preparedness for children starts with disaster preparedness
for parents. Disaster preparedness for children also means disaster
preparedness for older children who are role models, grandparents, and
for the children's child-care providers. In addition, disaster preparedness
for children means disaster preparedness for the children's teachers in
schools. Perhaps someday children will learn all they ever need to know
from the Internet, but until that day come along, we should plan on children
learning initially from their mothers, fathers, grandparents, older brothers
and sisters, and day-care providers until they begin school. Then there
will be a twelve-year period when teachers at their schools try to impart
knowledge and prepare children for living or more schooling. Consequently,
to prepare children for disasters, we must fi rst prepare the parents and
then persuade parents to teach preparedness to their children as well as
set good examples.
Summary :
Disaster preparedness for children also means disaster preparedness for older children who are role models, grandparents, and for the children's child-care providers. In addition, disaster preparedness for children means disaster preparedness for the children's teachers in schools. Consequently, to prepare children for disasters, we must fi rst prepare the parents and then persuade parents to teach preparedness to their children as well as set good examples.
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