Disaster Preparedness & Students At College

Emergency Preparedness a MUST for college students

The power is out and the students at Pepperdine University campus in Malibu were told to go to the campus field house f or safety. It seems that the school representatives had to go door to door in the dormitories to clear everyone out and announce the evacuation need.

I wonder how many of the students had a emergency preparedness kit ready to go in a moment’s notice. If it was like many of the students in my dorms, emergency preparedness was an extra slice of 3-day old pizza!

Often parents send ‘care packages’ to their away at school children. These care packages consist of favorite snacks, telephone cards, extra money, a new funny t-shirt, pictures of back home etc, etc. These are wonderful gifts to have. I so appreciated all the TLC ways my mom showed to me when I was in college.

I know that it might not be the most ‘cool’ thing to send an away at school student, but it could be the most important care package you could ever send. What kind of package you ask? It is an Emergency preparedness kit. Here are some suggestions for kids at college to have in their emergency preparedness kits:

12 power bars for nutrition

Hard candy – incase water is limited or not available the hard candy can help with the issues of thirst.

Pictures of family members and loved one

A note of support and encouragement.

An emergency telephone book / list with the telephone numbers that are important like your cell phones numbers, work numbers, neighbors etc.

A non-local emergency contact.

A deck of playing cards

A roll each of nickels, quarters, dimes that are to be used ONLY in an emergency to call home or to get something form the vending machine

A prepaid credit card with enough money for a motel room or gas money to get to the pre-determined emergency overnight location.

Small notebook an paper

An extra T-shirt and sweatshirt. Get form a thrift store so if they get lost it is not the end of the budget.

Two sets of batteries

Flashlight

CHEAP PORTABLE radio

Copy of any and all prescriptions

A blow up neck pillow

Emergency blanket that is the size of a deck of playing cards but is very warm and looks like foil wrap.

Develop a disaster plan together. Let your child know what you will be doing to help in a disaster. Let them know that you will do all you can to make sure they are safe. That is why you are giving them this emergency preparedness kit. Even thought it is not the most fun discussion to have with your child review the disaster plan at least twice per semester.

I hope this will be of some help to you and your away form home student.

COMMENTS WELCOMED!

Please share your thoughts, emergency preparedness tips and stories here on this blog.

All I ask is that everyone be respectful and sensitive of each other and that identifying information about a person who is not the author be limited to protect their privacy.

Be Safe

Terrie

www.trainforahurricane.com