1. What are safe actions and where are safe places during a fire? loss of power? wind/snowstorm? flood? an earthquake? other?
2. Does your family know how and where to shut off utilities? When is that appropriate?
3. Does your family know at least two escape routes from each room in your home?
4. Does your family know how to shelter-in-place?
5. What emergency supplies do you have? Do you have a battery-powered radio? Where are supplies located? What directions for their use need to be reviewed?

6. If family members are separated in an emergency, how will you communicate? Do you have

emergency phone numbers and an out-of-area-code contact person and their phone number

posted? (Teach children how and when to use 911, and how to make long distance calls;

however, do not rely on telephones as an integral part of your family emergency plan. Instruct

household members to use the radio for emergency information.)

7. Where will you meet after an emergency is under control, especially if your home is damaged? (Yard, neighbors, park, school, Red Cross shelter? Pick two meeting places: one near your home and one outside your neighborhood.)

8. If someone is injured, what will you do? Who has first aid/CPR training?
9. What happens if there is an emergency at a particular school, such as a fire or flooding? (Students are to follow the instructions of the staff in charge.)
10. In a community-wide emergency what will happen if you (the parent) are at home/work and your child(ren) is/are at school? (Please refer to the "Emergency Student-Release Procedure." Our schools are prepared to care for all students until the end of the school day or longer if necessary, and/or until an authorized adult comes to check the student out. The schools expect students to be picked up as soon as possible.)
11. Review with your child(ren) who the "authorized adults" are, to whom they may be released in an emergency.

Other information to consider:

• Please discuss safety issues with high school students.
• Students 18 years and older may release themselves in an emergency, but they must go through normal release procedures, providing name, destination and time of release to staff keeping those records.
• Discuss issues for high school students driving in hazardous conditions. Have you explained your expectations to your high school driver(s)?
• Please discuss the inappropriateness of sending older students to pick up younger siblings in an emergency. The district feels it is much safer for students to remain at their school site.
• Remember to call 911 only when someone is injured (bleeding, other serious injury, unconscious), if you think someone else has been hurt (fallen tree on neighbor’s home), or if you have sustained serious property damage or your life is at risk.
• Turn to emergency broadcast stations on your TV (channels 4, 5, 7, and 13) or radio (630, 710, 880, 1000, 1090, or 1180 AM, or 88.5, 90.9, 94.1, 97.3, 103.7, 105.3, or 106.9 FM) for information about an event.

For a community-wide emergency, be prepared for a minimum of 72 hours without normal services.

Emergency supplies to have on hand:
Water - 2 gallons/person/day; be knowledgeable about storage and purification procedures
Light - flashlights, batteries, light sticks, candles, oil/kerosene lamps, matches
Warmth - blankets, extra coats/sweatshirts, materials to set up shelter if needed, etc.
Food - Products with a long shelf-life and those that don't require cooking are best for emergencies
Other - Battery-powered radio, camp/wood stove

First Aid Kit

Extra supply of personal medications

For more information or answers to the above, contact the B.I.S.D. Community Relations Office, 780-1398.

Information updated 3/18/03