Family Safety Kit: A Learning Module

One of the most important keys to surviving any form of disaster, natural or man-made, is being prepared. Having the skills, supplies, and training to deal with difficult emergency situations is a critical component to dealing with the physical and emotional stress associated with floods, blizzards, tornadoes, and other situations. This module works to provide one of those preparedness components to ensure the safety of students and their families. Additionally upper level students serve as trainers to their younger middle school peers on the importance of being prepared for emergencies.

Of the three components (as mentioned; skills, supplies, training) that can help an individual or group endure difficult emergency situations are emergency supplies. This module trains students on how to put together a home Safety Kit with all the necessary materials to assist in enduring a disaster. As we all learned from the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, preparedness is a serious matter and can save lives. With that in mind, the students not only prepare their own Safety Kits, but train middle school students on the importance of this simple, but potentially life-saving equipment. The items are simple, batteries, water, blankets, as so on. Nothing that most homes do not already have on hand. However, when disaster strikes, time is of the essence and that is not when you want to put together an emergency kit. Just like the good skipper has a "ditch bag" aboard a sailboat in case of emergency, we should all have our home Safety Kits, just in case. (authors)