Resources and Tips for Parents During the Hurricane Season

Prepare

Expecting Mothers and New Parents
The March of Dimes shares 8 special precautions, including knowing the signs of labor, expecting mothers and parents of newborns should take to prepare for emergencies, severe weather, and possible evacuation or relocation.

Families
Travelers, an insurance company, shares 5 things families should do to prepare for emergency situations, evacuation, and possible destruction of homes or important documents, including an invintory of your home and a personal evacuation plan.

For more tips to prepare for severe weather and emergencies, visit ready.gov.

Children
PLAN!T NOW, an international disaster preparedness nonprofit, has teamed up with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Weather Service, the American Meteorological Society, and the National Education Association to produce the Young Meteorologist Program, a free online resource and computer game to educate and empower children about severe-weather science, weather awareness, and safety.

Scholastic kid reporter Emily Shao spoke to FEMA administrator W. Craig Fugate about how children can help their families prepare for severe weather.

Find fun resources for kids, including instructions to make a plan and build an emergency preparedness kit, games to test their knowledge, and FEMA’s Flat Stanley and Flat Stella, go to ready.gov/kids.

Smartphones
Your smartphone may be your only means of communication when the power goes out, but severe weather may affect it. Edmunds.com’s director of mobile web products Mike Woods offers 3 ways your smartphone may be affected and tips to save its battery life for when you need it most.

Stay Safe

At Temporary Charging Stations
Good Samaritans who have power have set up temporary charging stations for those who are still without power. If you are a hosting or using one of these temporary charging stations, keep these safety hazards in mind.

In the Aftermath
If you are without electricity during or after extreme weather, follow these important safety tips from CPSC, FEMA, and USFA in regards to portable generators, CO moniters, candles, camp stoves or grills, and gas.

Recover and Cope

How to Choose a Reliable Contractor
If you need to rebuild or repair your home, make sure you choose a reliable contractor. The New York Alliance Against Insurance Fraud shares warning signs of crooked contractors who take advantage of those affected by disaster and tips to choose the right person for the job.

Resources for NYC Businesses
As New York City begins its reovery from Hurricane Sandy, businesses face daunting challenges. Here are some key sources of assistance that are coordinated by the New York City Department of Small Business Services and the New York City Economic Development Corporation, as well as Federal Aid Programs.

Places to Donate and Volunteer
Find information—provided by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer—on where and how to donate everything from money to food and medicine, clean up a neighborhood, help children in need and animals caught in the storm, and more.

Answering Children’s Questions
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and David Kessler’s book On Grief and Grieving, Finding the Meaning of Grief through the Five Stages of Loss (Simon & Schuster, $25), has a chapter on helping children deal with loss. They offer 10 tips to help parents talk to kids about devastation.

Emotional Well-Being of Children, Pets
The American Humane Association shares 4 things parents should do to prevent anxiety, fear, and feelings of helplessness in children, as well as what to do if family pets are showing signs of stress or anxiety.