Comfort Kits
Welcome back to school - is your child prepared?
Natural hazards, disasters, and emergencies can happen at all hours of the
day. Providing children with the resources to stay safe on their own or in the
classroom is an invaluable asset to our community. Parents should compile an Emergency Comfort
Kit for their child and create a Family Emergency Plan
to help both kids and parents stay calm when separated in an emergency.
Preparing our children for emergencies is one of the first things we can do when
faced with security threats and hazardous situations at school.
Coordinate with Your Child's School Ahead of Time:
- Contact the school's main office to find out if they have an emergency plan
in place, see what provisions are made for caring for students, and find out
what parents can do to help.
- Ask if they have disaster kits already available for students and teachers.
- Find out if the school has space to store your child's kit, or if there are
rules in place for what your child may bring.
Creating an Emergency Comfort Kit for your child:
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- Kits should contain important basics like water, food, and light, as well as
be packed appropriately for storage in a backpack or desk.
- Food items should be high energy, ready-to-eat, and non-perishable. Consider
granola bars, trail mix, dried fruit, or beef or turkey jerky. Also include
comfort foods like hard candies or cookies.
- Pack a sealed bottle of water or a supply of drinking water packets.
- Parents should also write a note of comfort for their child to be included
with the kit (see examples below).
- Include a mini-flashlight with batteries or a 12-hour light stick.
- Parents should also consider including a mini-first aid pack and items for
entertainment like a travel game, crayons and coloring book, or a deck of
cards.
- Additionally, parents should include a copy of their Family Disaster Plan.
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Comfort Kit Letter - Dear Sam (125 KB PDF - 1 page)
Comfort Kit Letter - Dear Jenny (165 KB PDF - 1
page)
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Compiling a Family Emergency Plan:
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Parents should sit down with their children and discuss the likelihood that they
may be separated in the event of a disaster or emergency.
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Parents and children should decide on an out-of-area contact they can call in an
emergency. An out-of-area contact is important as our region may be so impacted
in a disaster that we can't communicate locally, but could get in touch with
relatives or friends out-of-state or on the other side of the mountains.
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Families should write up their plan, including an agreed-upon meeting place near
the home, should an emergency happen after school while parents are still at
work. Include all relevant phone numbers: work, school, cell phones,
after-school care providers, etc.
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Once families have a plan in place: practice, practice, practice! Send your
child to school with an Emergency Comfort Kit, a copy of your Family Emergency
Plan, and confidence that they're prepared for disaster.
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Resources and Links
