Comprehensive guide to emergency response skills. Learn about fire safety, first aid basics, natural disaster preparedness, and staying calm under pressure.
When emergencies occur, children who are prepared respond more effectively. Emergency preparedness education builds confidence and reduces panic in crisis situations. This comprehensive guide covers fire safety, first aid basics, natural disaster preparedness, and essential emergency response skills.
The goal is to empower children with knowledge and skills that help them stay calm, make good decisions, and take appropriate action during emergencies. Prepared children are safer children.
Fire safety is one of the most critical emergency skills children can learn. Understanding fire safety protocols can save lives.
If clothing catches fire, children should immediately stop moving, drop to the ground, and roll back and forth to smother the flames. Practice this regularly so it becomes automatic.
Smoke rises, so the cleanest air is near the floor. Children should crawl on hands and knees, keeping their head low, when escaping through smoke.
Children may be tempted to hide under beds or in closets, but this makes it harder for firefighters to find them. They should always try to get outside.
Every room should have at least two escape routes. Practice identifying these routes regularly. Know where to meet outside after escaping.
Children should memorize or have easy access to important emergency contact information. This knowledge is crucial during emergencies.
Practice dialing emergency numbers on a disconnected phone. Help children understand when to call emergency services and what information to provide.
Create emergency contact cards that children can keep in backpacks or wallets.
If indoors: Drop, Cover, and Hold On. Get under a sturdy table or desk, cover your head and neck, and hold on until shaking stops. Stay away from windows and heavy objects.
If outdoors: Move to an open area away from buildings, trees, and power lines. Drop to the ground and cover your head.
Go to the lowest level of the building, preferably a basement or interior room without windows. Cover yourself with a mattress or heavy blankets. Stay away from windows and exterior walls.
Stay indoors, away from windows. Have an emergency kit ready with water, non-perishable food, flashlights, and batteries. Listen to weather updates and follow evacuation orders if given.
Basic first aid knowledge helps children respond to injuries and know when to seek help.
Wash hands, clean the wound with water, apply pressure to stop bleeding, and cover with a clean bandage. Tell an adult about any injury.
Children should know to get an adult immediately for: heavy bleeding, broken bones, burns, difficulty breathing, or loss of consciousness.
✓ Practice fire safety protocols regularly: stop, drop, and roll; crawl low under smoke; never hide.
✓ Memorize emergency contact information and practice dialing emergency numbers.
✓ Understand natural disaster procedures relevant to your geographic location.
✓ Learn basic first aid and know when to seek adult help.
✓ Stay calm during emergencies - preparation builds confidence.