Prepare Kids for Flood Safety

Our rural children learn how to get out of a house when it is on fire thanks to the efforts of firemen who visit the schools yearly. Those life saving lessons become second nature to children. What our children need is to learn how to prepare for a flood. I believe that water safety, in time of flooding or recreational should be taught as well.

The small town I live in and other around us, received historical flooding in the fall of 2011. Some were prepared to get out quickly but not everyone. One thing is for sure; no matter where the kids lived, they were traumatized by the events taking place around them before, during, and after the flood.

Many rural areas within the United States live by areas of water, and occasionally that water does rise and create havoc. Children should learn how to prepare for a flood so they know it is survivable to ease their minds. Also with that knowledge, they can help their parents by helping with preparations rather than panicking.

Plan ahead of time to leave the area if flooding has a strong possibility of occurring. Get out of the flooded area to the home of a relative where the child can relax. A relaxed child is much better off as any parent knows.

Children from four years of age can help prepare for a flood by gathering a few of their toys into a bag to take with them. Older kids can pack their clothes, help pack up food to take or even help pack up the non-replaceable things such as photo albums and baby books.

During the flood if the younger child is more relaxed and has their own toys, they are not as upset as they have their comfort item. In a shelter, the child may not have much space and be upset about the strangers around this is one reason a private home is better. Also by keeping the children out of the immediate area, they are not seeing the devastation left behind so it is less traumatic for them.

After the flood has occurred and clean up is occurring, it is better to keep the child out of the area. Many times the floodwater brings in raw sewage, gasoline and other liquids, which will make your child very ill and expose them to all sorts of illness. Not to mention the damage the flooding does to buildings and the general area. A flooded area is never safe for a child. Hire a sitter or take the child to a place where they offer free babysitting so that parents can clean without worrying about the children. In our town, the teachers and older students opened the elementary school for the affected children so their parents could clean.

I know of a few local children who have nightmares of the flood of 2011. One little girl, often has nightmares of her car going through the water as he family quickly escaped during the flood. Granted the water was barley covering the road when her family left but sometimes in her dreams, the water rises and the car is swept away, causing her to scream in her sleep. The beneficial thing would have been to get her out of town before she had the chance to see this at all.

In the case of flooding, being prepared and having a plan to move before it occurs is the right thing to do for anyone with children. I honestly believe that parents should have flood evacuation drills as they have fire drills.