LANSING–The MPCA offers up this monthly tip for a simple but effective consideration for emergency preparedness, taken from official government sources, to help put you in a preparedness mindset. This month’s tip is about Back to School Safety.
Get a copy of your child’s school or child care center emergency plan. These explain their evacuation plans and how the facility would contact you during an emergency. They also usually explain how you will be reunited with your child during or after an emergency. In a real emergency, the school’s phone lines are going to be overloaded with calls from concerned parents. Getting familiar with the facility’s emergency plan will help you know what to expect if an emergency does happen.
Preparing for an emergency can be stressful for families, but having an emergency plan can provide peace of mind. Talking with your child’s teacher or caregiver about your plan, explaining the school’s emergency plan to your child, and making a simple backpack card can help keep your child safe and healthy if an emergency happens.
Getting your children and teens ready to go back to school is the perfect time to make sure they are up-to-date with their immunizations. Vaccination protects students from diseases and keeps them healthy. The recommended immunizations for children birth through 6 years old can be found here, and the recommended immunizations for preteens and teens 7-18 years old can be found here. If you don’t have health insurance, or if it does not cover vaccines, the Vaccines for Children program may be able to help.
Learn more information here.