Tips for Storm Planning With Your Family | SERVPRO of Rapid City

5/15/2024 (Permalink)

family watching lightning storm from inside home with candles due to power outage

Storms can be a scary experience for anyone, but especially for children and pets. The sound of thunder, lightning and tornado sirens can leave you feeling unsure of where to start when it comes to your response. However, with proper preparation, you can keep your family calm and collected during storm situations.

Our team has put together some simple tips to help you incorporate storm planning into your family routine, ensuring everyone knows what to do in case of an emergency. By following these steps, you can take control of the situation and make sure your loved ones stay safe during severe weather.

<h3the-sky-signs">Learning the Sky Signs

We can all easily tell the difference between a cloudy day and a sunny one, but recognizing when severe weather is approaching can be a bit trickier. Teach your kids to keep an eye on the sky when they are outside and to look for rotating clouds, a dark or green sky, or rumbling thunder and lightning.

In addition, your kids should know what a tornado siren sounds like and when one might be activated. A great time to do this is during a testing day! Have your kids simulate a regular day and then time them to see how long it takes to get to your safe shelter location once the test siren goes off.

<h3for-incoming-weather">Preparing for Incoming Weather

Has your family discussed your storm emergency plan? Doing so can help everyone understand what is expected of them during a true emergency. Locate your safe shelter location and work together to prepare your emergency kit.

Once you choose your safe sheltering area, keep it free of clutter and consider moving a heavy object like a table or desk into the room to act as additional protection. Have a little fun by building a fort under the table with your kids and huddle together inside.

You should also let your kids help pack up your emergency kit! Start by gathering the essentials and then let your kids pick some special snacks to go into the bag. Let them each choose a durable water bottle as well.

Let your kids add a flashlight into the bag for themselves and let them label theirs with their own name. Don’t forget extra batteries, matches and any necessary medications. Finally, let your kids add games or activities into the bag that will keep them entertained while they have to shelter in place. It may seem unnecessary during an emergency, but we promise that you will be grateful for the distraction if you are stuck inside for a long period of time.

<h3the-kids-calm">Keeping the Kids Calm

When severe weather strikes, it’s natural for children to feel scared and apprehensive. As a parent, it’s important to ease their fears and help them feel more confident during these situations. One way to do this is by educating them on the actual probability of experiencing severe destruction or being directly hit by a tornado. In most cases, damage is usually limited to the roof, siding and surrounding areas and doesn’t result in total devastation.

Reassure your children that they are safe, and remind them of the steps you have taken to prepare for the storm. To keep their minds off of the weather, engage them in fun activities and try to narrate the events in a lighthearted manner. For example, you could turn the storm into a game of “indoor camping” and encourage them to build a fort in your safe shelter location.

By incorporating these tips into your severe weather plan, you can help your children feel more prepared and confident during storms.

Storm damage should always be addressed quickly. Contact SERVPRO® day or night for the restoration services you need.