Family Emergency Plan With Young Children
Emergencies are, thankfully, rare, but a fire, a flood, a power cut or a medical crisis can happen to any family, and young children depend completely on the adults around them in those moments. A little quiet preparation turns panic into action and helps everyone stay calmer. A family emergency plan for children does not need to be elaborate or frightening to put together, and the peace of mind it brings is well worth the hour or so it takes to sort out.
Start with the most likely situations
You cannot plan for everything, so focus on what is most relevant to your home and area. For nearly every family that means fire, and depending on where you live it might also include flooding, severe storms, power cuts or having to leave home quickly. Think through what you would do in each, walking around your home to spot exits, hazards and the things you would need to grab. Keeping your family emergency plan for children focused on realistic scenarios makes it practical rather than overwhelming.
Plan your escape routes
For fire in particular, knowing how to get out fast saves lives. Work out at least two ways out of each room where possible, and make sure exits and hallways are kept clear of clutter and buggies. Keep door and window keys where adults can find them quickly in the dark. Fit smoke alarms on every level of your home, test them monthly and change the batteries as needed, or fit long-life sealed alarms. Agree that in a fire everyone gets out and stays out, and that no one goes back inside for toys, pets or belongings. Practise the route calmly so it feels familiar.
Choose a meeting point and key contacts
Decide on a safe meeting place outside your home, such as a particular tree, a neighbour's driveway or a lamp post, so that everyone knows where to gather and you can quickly check that all the family is out. Choose a second meeting point further away in case you cannot get home. Write down important contacts, including a relative or friend who lives outside your immediate area and can act as a central point if local phone lines are busy, and keep this list somewhere everyone can find it, as well as saved in your phone. Teach older children a parent's name and mobile number when they are ready.
Put together a small emergency kit
You do not need a survival bunker, just a small, grab-and-go bag kept somewhere handy. Useful items include a torch, spare batteries, a battery or wind-up phone charger, a small first aid kit, any regular medicines, copies of important documents, some cash, bottled water and non-perishable snacks. For young children, add nappies and wipes, a spare set of clothes, a comforter or favourite small toy, and any formula or feeding items your baby needs. Check the kit a couple of times a year to refresh food, water, medicines and clothing sizes as your child grows.
Keep it age-appropriate for little ones
Very young children cannot follow a complicated plan, and you do not want to frighten them, so keep their part simple and reassuring. Teach toddlers and preschoolers to recognise the sound of the smoke alarm and to come to you or a grown-up when they hear it. In an unhurried, matter-of-fact way, you can practise going to your meeting point as a kind of game, and teach older preschoolers how to dial the emergency number and what to say, including their name and address. Frame these as things that help keep everyone safe, in the same calm tone you would use for crossing the road, so a family emergency plan for children builds confidence rather than fear.
Practise gently and keep information handy
A plan only helps if people remember it, so run through it occasionally in a low-key way, such as a quick evening walk to the meeting point or a calm practice of the escape route. Keep the plan and contact list where you can grab them, and make sure any other regular carers, such as grandparents or a childminder, know the basics too. Store useful numbers, including your family doctor and any medical information about your child, somewhere accessible. A note of your child's allergies, conditions and medicines can be invaluable if someone else has to care for them in an emergency.
When to seek help
In any genuine emergency, getting everyone to safety comes first, and then call the relevant emergency number without delay. For a medical emergency, such as a child who is struggling to breathe, unresponsive, having a fit or seriously injured, call for an ambulance straight away and start any first aid you are trained in. Do not worry about whether a situation is "serious enough": emergency services would far rather you called and were reassured. Learning basic child and baby first aid from a recognised course is one of the most valuable things a parent can do, and it complements your plan perfectly.
Keeping it in perspective
Preparing for emergencies is not about expecting the worst, but about being ready so you can act calmly if it ever comes. A family emergency plan for children, with clear escape routes, a meeting point, key contacts and a small kit, means that in a stressful moment you fall back on a plan instead of scrambling. Sort it out once, refresh it now and then, and let it quietly do its reassuring job in the background of family life.
Key point: Prepare simple escape routes, a meeting point, key contacts and a small grab bag, teach little ones to respond to the smoke alarm, and call emergency services without hesitation when needed.
AAP HealthyChildren, Getting Your Family Prepared for a Disaster