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Nervous Kids During Storms? Use These Hacks | SERVPRO of Allen
5/15/2024 (Permalink)
When the storm has passed, call SERVPRO of Allen to help you recover.
Lightning is cracking overhead, the thunder is booming and the tornado sirens just started going off. Your kids are scared, your dog is barking and you don’t know what to do. Storms can be really scary, especially in the late spring and early summer for the Allen community.
While we can’t stop or control the weather, we can certainly control how we get ready for upcoming storms so you can keep your family safe and sound.
Read on as our team offers some easy ways to involve your kids in storm planning so everyone can stay safe, calm and in control during a true emergency.
While we can all differentiate between a sunny and a cloudy day, we may not know the warning signs of an approaching storm. It’s important to keep an eye on the sky, even if there’s no forecast of a storm. Educate your children about the signs of a dangerous storm, such as rotating clouds, dark or green sky, rumbling thunder and lightning.
Ensure they know what a tornado siren sounds like and when it could go off. Familiarize them with the siren sound during testing days so they can get used to the sound from different areas of your home. Create a practice drill with them where they listen to the siren and time how long it takes them to reach the safe shelter location.
Have you and your family created a storm emergency plan? This includes discussing how and when to reach your safe shelter location and ensuring your emergency kit is packed and easily accessible. Select the lowest level of your home and choose an innermost room that is windowless.
Keep the area clear and designate it as a gathering spot. If possible, move a heavy object such as a table or desk to the room and have your kids practice building a fort around the space and taking shelter inside.
You should also involve your kids in creating your emergency kit! Pack up the basic necessities yourself and then let your kids help choose things like snacks and drinks for the bag.
They can also each pick out their own flashlight and label it with their name. Just be sure to add the extra batteries! Finally, have them help find some candles, matches and any necessary medications to add to the bag.
Finally, let each of your kids pick an activity or game to add to the kit. This step may seem unnecessary, but we promise that you will be grateful for the distraction if you have to shelter for a longer period of time.
Heaving rain, strong wind and loud thunder can be scary even for adults, so it is only natural for your kids to be apprehensive about storms. One thing that can help calm them down during a severe weather event is to explain how rare it actually is to suffer serious or devastating damage. Most storms only result in minor to moderate damage at most.
Keeping your kids distracted by having them focus on what they can control can also help everyone stay calm. Play games with your flashlights, tell stories out loud and narrate the sounds of the storm in a light-hearted way to keep everyone feeling safe and secure.
Storm damage should always be addressed quickly. Contact SERVPRO® day or night for the restoration services you need.