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			 “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.
 
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			 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] 
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