The new school year has begun.  As your child heads back to class, is he/she ready for emergency situations that can arise?   

Prepare yourself and children now to be disaster-ready throughout the school year.  In addition to keeping your emergency contact information up-to-date at your child's school, follow these steps:

· Find out where children will be taken if they have to evacuate the school;

· Ask your school if they store enough food, water, and other supplies in  

  case they have to "shelter-in-place;"

· Designate a friend or relative to pick up your children in an emergency  

  and make sure the school knows who that person is; and

· Ask how the school will communicate with families during a crisis.

Remember, back-to-school preparedness means more than buying notebooks and pencils!    

Visit the new Ready Kids site for valuable tools to help kids, parents, and teachers prepare for emergencies.