|
 “No one likes to think about the possibility of an emergency
happening while children are in school or at daycare,” said IEMA
Director Jonathon Monken. “But as we saw with the May 2013 tornadoes
in Moore, Oklahoma and other incidents, it can happen. A few minutes
of your time now can help you and your child deal with emergencies
that may occur during the school day.”
Monken offered several back-to-school planning tips for parents of
school-aged children, including:
Know your child’s school or day care emergency plan.
Find out where children will be taken in the event of an evacuation
during school hours.
Ensure your emergency contact information is up-to-date at your
child’s school.
Pre-authorize a friend or relative to pick up your children in an
emergency and make sure the school knows who that designated person
is.
Have a family communications plan and review the plan periodically
with your child. The plan should include contact information for an
out-of-area family member or friend, since local telephone networks
may not work during a major disaster.
[to top of second column] |
Many college campuses offer email and text messages to alert
students of potential dangers, such as severe weather and other
threats. Encourage your college student to sign-up for such
alerts. Some colleges also provide alert messages for parents so
they also are aware of potential dangers at their child’s
school.
Additional preparedness information is available on the Ready
Illinois website at
www.Ready.Illinois.gov
[Text received; ILLINOIS EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT AGENCY] |
