Safety Tips for Children

General Safety Tips For Your Children
Preparing your family means making sure that your children know what to do during an emergency.  Tell them what is important so that they feel confident about what to do.

• Teach your children to stay in touch.  Make it a house rule for your children to check in with a parent or guardian immediately when they get home from school or other activities.
• Make sure your children know the address where they live, including nearby cross streets and landmarks.  Be sure your children know their home phone number, including the area code.
• Work with neighbors to find places that are safe for children and teens to go to in an emergency.  These places might include a friend’s house, fire station, police station, school, library, or place of worship.  The best place for a child during a crisis may very well be the school where they will be supervised and protected from outside hazards.  Ensure that your children know the phone numbers and addresses of these locations.
• Explain 9-1-1.  Talk to your children about how to call 9-1-1 and when calling it is appropriate.
• Teach your children and teens how to be safe.  Tell them to seek help immediately from a teacher, law enforcement officer, or other security personnel if they overhear classmates threatening to hurt themselves or others.