Is your family prepared for an emergency?

@spalladino (17891)
United States
May 16, 2008 1:37pm CST
My family and I have always had a plan for where to meet outside if the house ever caught fire and, since moving to Florida, we have plans based on the size of a hurricane heading for us. But, other things can happen that I didn't talk to my children about beforehand. About ten years ago a boy walked into my daughter's high school with a shot gun. Someone ran into her classroom and told the teacher who locked the door. Some of the students jumped out of the windows (it was a first floor classroom) and left the area. My daughter was one of them. A short time later she called me from a friend's house to let me know what had happened and to ask if she was in trouble for leaving school. I told her, of course not and reassured her that she was always free to run away from a dangerous situation, at school or anywhere else. I also informed my younger daughter of this so there would be no hesitation if she were faced with something similar. When the 9/11 attack happened I was at work and my youngest daughter was in school. Because we lived close to Washington, D.C. the schools went into lock down. I saw her school listed as being on lock down on television and was informed that the students were in no danger and would be released to parents or taken home by bus after school. I had left work but I didn't pick her up because they were advising parents not to but she was angry when she got home because she had expected me to show up. So, we had to discuss the best way to handle that type of emergency. I've also talked to her about emergencies on or in the water, snakes and, since seeing the mountain lion, what to do if she encounters one. (Don't run, you become prey) I don't dwell on it but I'm always on the look out for dangerous situations that I can discuss with her so that she will be prepared and not waste precious seconds figuring out how to react. Does anyone else do this with their children?
1 response
@underdogtoo (9579)
• Philippines
17 May 08
I am sorry to hear about your daughter and the emergencies and terrible events that have ensnared her. I hate those emergencies and I don't know if I would know what to do when they happen. I am sure I will keep a cool head when they do and as emergencies cannot be predicted, I would try to picture what is going on in my daughter's mind and she's right, she expects to see you so I would try to reach her by any means possible.