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PREPAREDNESS
Coloring Book
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DISASTER
PREPAREDNESS
Coloring Book
American
°"' Red Cross
Fire... Hurricane... Flood ... Thunderstorm ...
Dear Parent or Educator,
Newsstoriesof disaster regularly make headlinesaround the globe.
Asyou've watched others deal with these emergencies,you may
have wondered what would happen if a disaster struck closerto home.
For parents or teachers of young children,the thought is even more trou-
bling. How would you and your children cope? Perhapsyou've already
experienced a disaster—what would you do differently nexttime? The
answerto both questions isclear. Be prepared.
This coloring book is designed for adu Its and children tow ork on together.
Children can learn about fire, earthquakes,floods,tornadosand other
disasters,aswell ashow to protect themselves—all while having fun
coloring.
Work through each section with children to make sure they understand
the conceptsand learn important safety messages. To help you do this,
each coloring page isaccompanied by key pointsto talk about and
action stepsto take. You may want to review this information before
meeting with children. The coloring book endswith a "quiff'that can help
you find out if they learned the information. From time to time, quizchil-
dren again and practice key stepsto help them rememberwhat to do.
Children are wonderful at adapting to situationswhen they know what to
expect. By creating a family disaster plan,you can help children be
ready to deal with emergencies. For more information,ask for materials
about specific disastersand for a copy of Your Family Disaster Plan from
your local office of emergency management(publication #L-191)or
American Red Crosschapter(publication #ARC4466). Or write to FEMA,
P.O. Box 70274,Washington, DC 20024,and ask for Publication #L-191.
Tornado. .. Ea rth q u a ke. . . Winter Storm . . .
Hey Kids!
Wind makeskitesfly. Fire can keep uswarm. And rain helpsflowers grow.
But sometimes thew in d blows too hard,fires get too big or it rains too much.
Learn what to do when nature shows off!
This book will help you. But you'll need to ask an adult to work with you. Get
Mom, Dad,yourteacheroran adultfriend to read thisbook while you color.
Have fun!
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Natural Disasters
Disasters can strike quickly and without warning.
While a disaster isfrightening for adults, it can be
traumatic for children if they don't know what to do.
Help children understand the concept • Talk about typical effectsthat children
of a disaster... can relate to, such as lossof electricity,
water and telephone service.
• Explain that nature sometimes provides
"too much of a good thing"—fire, rain, • Explain that when people know whatto
wind, snow. Tell them that a disaster is do—and practice in advance—every-
when something happensthat could hurt one is better able to handle emergencies.
people, cause damage or cut off utilities That'swhy we need to create a family
such aswater, telephonesor electricity. disaster plan.
• Give examplesof several disastersthat
could happen in your community. To get
this information, contact your local office of
emergency management or local Ameri-
can Red Cross chapter. Ask what disasters
are most likely to happen and request
information on how to prepare for them.
Nature is beautiful ...and powerful !
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Emergencies
Even very young children can be taught
how and when to call for help.
Action StepsforAdults • Even very young children can be taught
how and when to call for emergency assis-
• Help children recognize the warning signs tance. If child can't read,thisemergency
for the disasters that could happen in your telephone number chart has pictures that
community. You can get thisinformation may help him or her identify the correct
from your local emergency management number to call. Asyou explain each pic-
office orAmerican Red Crosschapter. ture, have the child color the symbol on the
V• Tell children that chart.
o -
in a disaster there Take a first aid and CPR course. These are
are many people critical skills,and learning can be a fun
who can help activity for older children. Contact your
them. Talk local office of emergency management,
about waysthat American Red Crosschapter or hospital for
an emergency information.
- manager, Red
Crossvolunteer, police officer,firefighter, At home,ask an out-of-state friend to be
teacher, neighbor, doctor or utility worker your family "check-in"contact. After a
might help following a disaster. disaster, long-distance telephone linesoften
remain in service even when local linesare
• Teach children how and when to call for down. Tell children to call this"check-in"
help. Check the telephone directory for contact if they are separated from the family
local emergency telephone numbers. If in an emergency. Help them memorize the
you live in a 9-1-1 service area,teach telephone number,orwrite it down on a
children to call 9-1-1. At home, post emer- card they can keep with them.
gency telephone numbers by all phones
and explain when to call each number.
Em erg en cy
Phone Numbers
My Family Name:
My Phone Number:
My Addres-,-
My Town:
Ambulance Fire Police/ Sheriff
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Mother Father Other
R re
Fire is the disaster that families are most likely to experience.
Talk with children about fire safety, and At home:
practice these activitieswith them. Keep • Choose an outside meeting place,such as
in mind that children under age five are at tree,street corner or mailbox. Make sure it will
highest risk. be a safe distance from heat, smoke and
flames. Tell children to go directly to thismeet-
Safety Messagesfor Kids ing place in case of a fire. This plan will help
you know quickly if everyone got out safely.
• "Matchesand lighters are tools, nottoys.
These toolshelp adultsuse fire properly. If Make sure that children understand that
you see someone playing with fire,tell an once they are outside,they should stay out-
adult right away." side. Children are often concerned about the
safety of their pets, so discuss this issue before a
• "If a fire startsin your home or you hear fire starts.
the smoke detector alarm,yell 'Fire!several
timesand go outside right away. If you live Find two waysto escape from every room
in a building with elevators, use the stairs. and practice getting out of your home during
Never try to hide from fire. Leave all your the day and at night. Chart these escape
thingswhere they are. Once you are out- routeson your own "home escape plan." If
side,go to your meeting place and then you have an escape ladder,show kidswhere
send one person for help." it's kept and how to use it.
• "If your clothescatch fire...stop,drop and • Practice your home escape plan at least
roll. Stop what you are doing,drop to the twice a year. Quizchildren every six months
ground, coveryourface and roll over and so they'll rememberwhat to do and where to
over until the flamesgo out. Running will meet.
only make the fire worse."
• Install smoke detectorson every level of
Action Steps for Adults your home,especially near bedrooms. Clean
and test them monthly, and change the bat-
Show children how to crawl low,under the teriesat least once a year. Make sure children
smoketoescape. Explain that they should know what your smoke detector sounds like.
feel a door before opening it. If the door iscool,
open it slowly. If the door is hot,find another Check electrical wiring in your home. Fix
way out. If they cannot get outside safely, frayed extension cords, exposed wiresor loose
instruct them to hang a sheet outsde a win-
dow sofirefighterscan find them. • Make sure your home heating source is
• Practice"stop, drop and roll"with children. clean and in working order. Many home fires
Explain that running away will only make are started by faulty furnaces or stoves,
the fire burn faster. cracked or rusted furnace partsand chimneys
with creosote build-up.
If a fire starts, yell "Fire!" and go outside right
away. Go to your outside meeting place.
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My Meeting Place
Th u n d erstorm s
Lightning always accompanies a thunderstorm.
And lightning can strike the same place twice!
Athunderstorm isa storm with lightning And stay away from metal thingsthat
caused by changes in air pressure. lightning may strike,such as umbrellas,
Savere thunderstorms can bring heavy baseball bats,fishing rods,camping equip-
rains(which can cause flash flooding), ment and bicycles."
strong winds, hail and tornados. At any
given moment, nearly 1,800 thunderstorms "If you are boating or swimming,get to
are in progressoverthe face of the earth! land immediately."
The sound of thunder can be especially • "Lightning can cause electric appliances,
frightening for young children. Take the including televisionsand telephones,to
"scariness"away by teaching them what to become dangerous during a thunderstorm.
expect during a thunderstorm and how to Turn off the air conditioner and television,
be safe. and stay off the phone until the storm is
over."
Safety Messages for Kids
Action Steps for Adults
• "If you see or hear a thunderstorm com-
ing,go inside a sturdy building or car." Explain what to expect during a thunder-
storm. Describe the loud thunder and
• "If you can't get inside...or if you feel your flashes of lightning. Make sure children
hair stand on end,which means lightning understand that they can stay safe.
is about to strike...hurry to a low,open
space immediately. Crouch down and Talk about the danger signs; dark,tower-
place your hands on your knees ing cloudsordistant lightning and thunder
can signal an approaching thunderstorm.
Move away from tall things
like trees,towers,fences, Practice the"crouch down"position with
telephone linesor power children.
lines. They attract light-
ning. Never stand under-
neath a single large tree
out in the open because
lightning will hit the high-
est point in an area.
If you see storm clouds or hear
Athunder, 90 inside right away. �
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Torn a d os
Tornados are nature's most violent storms—
they can devastate an area in seconds.
Atornado appearsasa rotating, funnel- Action aepsforAdults
shaped cloud, striking the ground
with whirling windsofup to 200 milesper With children, find some safe placesin
hour. A tornado spins like a top and may your home or classroom. Make sure these
sound like an airplane or train. Most torna- placesare away from windowsand heavy
dostravel a distance of about 10 miles, furniture that could tip over. Also, show
although "tornado tracks" of 200 miles have children an example of a safe place out-
been reported. Tornadoscan happen just side.
about anywhere in the United States.
• Know the termsused on the radio or
Safety Messages for Kids television that warn of possible approach-
ing tornados:
• "Whereveryou are, if you hearor see a Tornado Watch: Weather conditions are
tornado coming, take cover right away." right for tornados to develop. A watch
• "If you're in a house or apartment build- doesnot necessarily mean a tornado will
ing, go to the basement or storm cellar. If develop.
there isno basement, go to the middle Tornado Warning: A tornado hasbeen
section of the building on the lowest level — sighted and isdangerous. Thisisthe
and go into a bathroom or closet, if pos- time to go to a safe place and listen to
sible." a battery-operated radio for instructions.
• "Get under something sturdy, such asa Find out what warning system isused in
heavy table, and stay there until the dan-
yourcommunity.
ger haspassed. Use your arms and hands
to protect your head from falling orflying If you live in a single-family home in a
objects." tornado-prone area, find out how to rein-
force an interior room on the lowest level of
"If you're outside, your home (such asthe basement, storm
in a car or in a cellar, bathroom or closet)to use asa shelter.
_r mobile home, go
immediately to the
basement of a
nearby sturdy building.
If there is no shelter nearby,
lie flat in a low spot. Use your arms and
handsto protect your head. If you hear or
see water, move quickly to another spot."
If a tornado is coming , go to a
safe place right away.
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Hurricane
A hurricane is a tropical storm with winds
reaching 74 miles per hour or more.
Hurricane winds blow in a large spiral Action aepsforAdults
around a relatively calm center
known asthe "eye." The "eye" isgenerally Know the termsused on the radio or
20 to 30 mileswide, and the storm may television that warn of potential hurricane
spread outward asfaras400 miles. Asa conditions:
hurricane approaches, the skieswill begin
to darken and windswill increase. Asa Hurricane Watch: A hurricane may
hurricane nears land, it can bring heavy strike your area within 24-36 hours.
rains, strong windsand extremely high Hurricane Warning: Hurricane condi-
tides. tionsare expected in your area within 24
hours. Coastal areas may need to be
Safety Messagesfor Kids evacuated.
O "During a hurricane Talk about what you would do in an
HURRICANE 'watch, well listen regularly wA-rcH 9 Y evacuation. Considerwhere you would go
to the radio or television for and what you would take.
I0 official instructions."
• Keep a battery-operated radio in case
• "If officials announce a hurricane warn- power goesout.
ing, they may ask usto leave our home as
soon aspossible to be safe. We'll take our Measure and cut plywood to cover your
disaster supplieskitsand gotoa shelterorto windows.
(fill in) . We'II call our"check-in"contact
so someone will know where we're going."
(Note: For information on how to assemble
a disaster supplies kit, please refer to the
"Disaster SUpplies Kit"section.)
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to leave home and go to a safer place.
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Fl ood s
Floodsare the most common and widespread of all natural hazards.
Even very small streams, gullies, creeks, Action StepsforAdults
culverts, dry streambedsorlow-lying
ground that may appear harmlessin dry Know the termsused on the radio or
weather can flood. television that warn of potential flooding
conditions:
Safety Messages for Kids Flood/ Flash Flood Watch: Flooding or
• "If you come upon flood waters, stop. flash flooding may occur within the
Turn around and go another way. Climb designated WATCH area —be alert.
to higher ground." Flood/ Flash Flood Warning: Flooding or
"Stay away from flooded areas...even if it flash flooding has been reported or is
seemssafe, the water may still be rising. imminent—take necessary precautions
Never try to walk, swim or dive into the at once.
water because it may be moving very Find out if you live in a flood plain. If
fast." (NOTE: Less than six inchesof fast- you do, call your local emergency man-
moving flood water can knock people off agement office orAmerican Red Cross
their feet, and two feet of waterwill float a chapter to learn w hat types of supplies
car.) should be stored to protect your home
• "If you are in a car, get out immediately from floodwater.
and move to higher ground." • Know the elevation of your property in
• "Watch outforsnakesin areasthatwere relation to nearby streamsand damsso
flooded." that you will know if forecasted flood levels
will affect your home.
• "Never play around high water, storm
drains, ditches, ravinesorculverts."
• "Throw away food that hascome into
contact with flood waters...eating it could
make you very sick."
If you see flood waters, move away from
them . Go to a higher place. Never play
near or try to swim in flood waters. b
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Winter Storm s
A winter storm can range from several inches of snow over a
few hours to blizzard conditions that last several days.
interstormscan last several days • Teach children how to watch for signsof
and be accompanied by high winds, frostbite and hypothermia. A lossof feeling
freezing rain or sleet, heavy snowfall and and a white or pale appearance in fingers,
extreme cold. People can become toes, nose or ear lobesare symptomsof
stranded on the road or trapped at home, frostbite. Uncontrollable shivering, slow
without utilities or other services. Most of speech, memory lapses, frequent stum-
the United States is at some risk from winter bling, drowsinessand exhaustion are
storm s. sy m ptom s of hypothermia. If you suspect
frostbite or hypothermia, warm the child
Safety Messagesfor Kids and seek immediate medical assistance.
• "The best way to stay safe in a snow- • Children should also avoid overexertion.
storm isto stay inside." Cold weather puts an added strain on the
h ea rt.
• "If you go outside to play after a snow-
storm, dress in many layersand wear a In your home, have available some kind
hat and mittens. Come inside often for of emergency heating equipment and fuel
warm-up breaks." so you can keep at least one room of your
home warm. If your furnace is controlled
• "If you start to shiver a lot or get very by a thermostat, and the power goesout,
tired...or if your nose, fingers, toesor ear you will need emergency heat.
lobes start to feel numb orturn really pale...
come inside right away and tell an adult." • If you are trapped in your car during a
snowstorm, stay there. Leave the car only
Action Stepsfor Adults if help isvisible within 100 yards. To attract
attention, hang a brightly colored cloth on
• There are waysto dress children in cold the radio antenna and raise thetrunk. Turn
weather that will keep them warmer. on the car'sengine forabout 10 minuteseach
Many layersof thin clothing are warmer hour. Run the heaterand turn on the dome
than single layers of thick clothing. One of light when the car is running. Keep the
the best waysto stay warm isto wear a exhaust pipe clear of snow and open a
hat; most body heat is lost through the top downwind window slightly forventilation.
of the head. Keep handsand feet warm
too. Mittens are warmer than gloves.
Covering the mouth with a scarf protects
lungsfrom extremely cold air.
When there is snow outside, bundle up in lots of
layers of clothing and wear a hat. Ask an adult
if it's okay to play outside — and come inside
often for "warm -up" breaks.
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Earthquakes
Earthquakescan happen anywhere, anytime.
An earthquake isa sudden, fast shaking • "If you are in a car, stay therewith your
of the earth. One can strike without sea tbelt fastened."
warning —causing fires, explosionsand
landslides. Earthquakes happen when Action 9tepsforAdults
rock that is below the ea rth's su rfa ce breaks
and shifts. People in all statesare at some Help children understand what to expect
risk from earthquakes. in an earthquake and how to protect them-
selves.
Safety Messagesfor Kids
• With children, find safe places in every
• "If you're indoors during an earthquake, room of your home or the classroom. Prac-
drop, cover and hold on. Get under a tice "drop, cover and hold on"...getting
desk, table or bench...hold on to one of the under a table or other sturdy object. Look
legsand cover your eyes. If there's no for safe places inside and outside of other
table or desk nearby, sit down against a buildingswhere you spend time.
wall. Pick a safe place where thingswill
not fall on you, away from windows, book- Explain that it isdangerousto run outside
cases ortall, heavy furniture." when an earthquake happens because
falling objects can hurt people.
• "Wait in your safety spot until the shaking
stops, then check to see if you are hurt. ' Tell children to be prepared for after-
stops, then people around you too. Move shocks—smaller earthquakesthat can
carefully and watch out for thingsthat happen over period of weeks(and some-
carefully and Be ready for smaller earth- times months) after the first earthquake. Be
quakescalled aftershocks." sure they know to go to a safe place during
aftershocks.
• "Be on the lookout for fires. Earthquakes
can cause fire alarms and fire sprinklersto At home, bolt down water heatersand
gasappliances. Place large or heavy
go off. If you must leave a building after
the shaking stops, use the stairs, not the objectsand fragile items(such asglassor
elevator." china)on lower shelves. Securely fasten
shelvesto walls. Brace or anchor high or
• "If you're outside in an top-heavy objects.
earthquake...stay out-
side. Move away from
buildings, trees, street
Iightsand power lines.
Crouch down and
cover your head."
If you're indoors during an earthquake,
drop , cover and hold on .
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Disaster % pplies Kit
Assemble Disaster %pplies Kits with Your Children.
FoI'owing a disaster, basic services— • Special itemsfor infant, elderly or dis-
electricity, water, gas, telephones— abled family members
may be cut off for days. Or, you may have
to evacuate at a moment's notice. You An extra set of car keysand cash,
probably won't have time to shop or search traveler'schecksand a credit card
for the supp lies you'lI need. Gather the gore enough suppliesto last at least three
suppliesyou'II need to deal with the situa-
tion now, before disaster strikes. days. Keep them in sturdy, easy-to-carry
containerssuch as backpacks, duffle bags
Action Steps for Ad ults or covered trash containers. Store your kits
in a safe, convenient place known to all
Plan an activity with children to put to- family members— preferably in a cool,
gether disaster supplies kits. dry, dark place. Keep a smaller version of
this kit in the trunk of your car. You should
At home, your kits should contain: also keep importantfamily documentsin a
• One gallon of water per person per day waterproof container.
• Non-perishable food: ready-to-eat In the classroom, your kit should contain:
canned meats, fruitsand vegetables; • class roster
canned juices, milk and soup; sugar, salt • first aid kit
and pepper; high energy foodssuch as • battery-operated radio
peanut butter,jelly, crackers, nuts, health • work gloves
food bars, trail mix; comfort foods such as • flashlights
cookies, hard candy and sweetened ce- • extra batteries
real. Don't forget a non-electric can opener! • non-perishable food items; crackers,
cookies, trail mix
• A first aid kit that includes your family's • plastic trash bags
prescription medications(ask yourdoctor • other itemsasyour school requires
about properwaysto store medicine)
Ask children to help you rememberto keep
• Emergency suppliesand toolsincluding your kits in working order: change the
a battery-operated radio, flashlight and water and food every six months; replace
plenty of extra batteries batteriesat least twice a year. You might
havethem make calendars orposterswith
• One change of clothing and footwear these dates marked on them. And ask
per person, and one blanket or sleeping children to think of itemsthat they would
bag per person like to include in their own disaster supplies
• Sanitation supplies: toilet paper, soap, kit, such as books or games or appropriate
personal hygiene items non-perishable food items.
We can keep supplies that will help us if a disaster
happens. Put together a disaster supplies kit today!
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Family Disaster Ran
Practice your plan so everyone will remember what to do!
• Hold emergency escape drills.
• Test smoke detectors and change the batteries.
• Keep disaster supplies kits up-to-date.
Quizchildren every few monthsto help them rememberwhatto do.
Here are some questionsyou can ask right now to make sure
they've learned key concepts:
1. What will you do if you're in your room and smell smoke or hearthe
smoke detector go off? Where will you go?
2. What will you do if you see dark clouds and hear thunder?
3. How mightyou know that tornado iscoming? If tornado iscoming,
where will you go? What will you do to protect yourself?
4. If we are told that a hurricane iscoming,what are some of the thingswe
will do to get ready?
5. Why should you stay away from flood waters?
6. What will you do if your clothes catch fire?
7. When you play outside in the snow, what will you do to make sure you
don't get too cold?
8. If the earth startsto shake, what will you do?
9. Who will you call for help in an emergency? Where can you find these
telephone numbers?
10.What are some thingsyou want to put in your disaster supplies kit?
11.Whatwill you do if you see a friend playing with matches?
American
�FEMA-243/October 1993 ___, Red Cross