Disaster can strike anyone, in any community and at any time. It can take many forms, building over time, or hitting suddenly without warning. Whatever the scenario, as the nation’s lead emergency management and preparedness agency, FEMA is there, ahead of disaster to help prepare for the worst and to provide care and assistance after.

It is important that the children in K-12 schools be gently educated about how to respond to natural disasters. Towards this goal FEMA has introduced a new section to their website dedicated to preparing young people to assist in the response to natural disasters. In the new FEMA for Kids section of the website you will find a section on “Know the Facts” that helps you teach children about tornadoes, earthquakes, fire emergencies, flooding, tsunami, hurricanes, and terrorism. The FEMA kids site also provides activities to “Make a Plan”, learning games, and a final readiness quiz.

FEMA’s approach to educating our community’s young citizens is refreshing and proactive. Hopefully, a natural disaster never strikes your area, but knowing that your children understand how to respond and how to protect themselves is a positive step in the right direction.