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Family Emergency Plan

Creating a Family Emergency Plan

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As we enter hurricane season, we are reminded of the importance of being prepared for natural disasters. Creating a family emergency plan can help ensure that your family is safe if a natural disaster occurs. It is important that each family member understands what to do in the case of an emergency. Here are some tips to help your family be better prepared:

Create a Communication Strategy

One of the first steps of emergency preparedness is to figure out how you will receive emergency alerts and warnings. Websites such as weather.com allow you to sign up to receive text messages about severe weather alerts in your area. Check your local county’s website to find your evacuation area or route. You should also find a local TV channel to watch as the storm gets closer, so you know exactly when it is supposed to hit your area.

Make sure to create a family communication plan as well. Establish an emergency contact, such as a relative or close friend, that you can contact before and after the storm to let them know that you are okay. Find a nearby safe place that you and your children can easily get to, and make it your family meeting place. Tell your children that if they ever get separated from you, they should go to that place so you can reconnect.

Keep Emergency Supplies on Hand

When a hurricane is approaching, stores will very quickly run out of bottled water, nonperishable food, and important supplies such as flashlights and batteries. If you lose power, having a hand-cranked radio is important so you can listen to any important alerts or updates about the storm and recovery efforts. Purchasing these items in advance will likely save you time and money. It will also save you the stress of rushing to the store at the last minute only to find that something you need is sold out.

In addition to stocking up on emergency supplies, it is a good idea to make sure all current prescriptions are filled. This will ensure that you do not run out of any important medications during a storm. If you have pets, make sure you have extra pet food. And don’t forget to fill up your cars with gas before the storm if possible.

Remain in Shelter During the Storm

During the storm, it is very important that you remain indoors at all times. While it may be tempting to step outside to get a good look at what’s happening, this can be very dangerous. Inside of the eye of a hurricane, the sky appears calm for a while. However, this calmness is short-lived and the storm can resume at any point. Please stay inside your house until the storm completely passes and you receive communication that it is safe to venture outdoors.

Our Safety Plan at Carpe Diem

At Carpe Diem Private Preschool, we take safety very seriously. The staff at each of our locations – Allen, Cedar Park – Austin, Frisco, Richardson, and Southlake – has been trained to deliver the best outcomes in emergency scenarios. We also have comprehensive emergency plans developed by former Secret Service agents. All of our safety and security measures are designed to ensure that our students and their families feel safe and comfortable at our school.

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How to Know if Your Child Has a Food Allergy

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Food allergies are a dangerous immune system reaction that can threaten your child’s life if you don’t identify them right away.  To keep your child safe and healthy, it’s important to know what the signs and symptoms of a food allergy reaction look like.  Symptoms can happen rapidly, even within a few minutes to a couple of hours after eating.  They can also range from mild to severe, including:

Mild Symptoms

  • An itchy, runny nose and sneezing
  • A few hives and/or mild itchy skin
  • Mild nausea and/or stomach discomfort
  • An itchy mouth
  • A combination of mild symptoms on different areas of the body is considered severe

Severe Symptoms

  • Shortness of breath, wheezing, and/or a repetitive cough
  • A pale or blue color, fainting, weak pulse, and dizziness
  • A tightness in throat, hoarseness, trouble breathing or swallowing
  • A lot of swelling of the tongue/and or lips
  • Itchy skin rash (hives) over the body, a lot of redness
  • Vomiting, abdominal pain, or diarrhea

How Your Child Might Describe It

A young child with a limited vocabulary may not describe the symptoms of an allergic reaction the same way that an adult would. Additionally, their voices may change. For example they may become hoarse or squeaky and they may slur their words. Here are some phrases that a child may say to describe a food allergy reaction:

  • “My tongue itches,” “It (my tongue) feels like there is hair on it,” or “It feels like something’s poking my tongue.”
  • “My mouth feels funny,” or “My mouth is tingling.”
  • “There’s something stuck in my throat,” “It (my throat) feels thick,” “It feels like a bump is on the back of my throat.”
  • “My lips feel tight.”
  • “It feels like there are bugs in there,” (to describe itchy ears).

Common Food Allergies

People can experience an allergic reaction to any food, but the following foods are responsible for most allergic reactions:

  • Peanuts
  • Tree nuts
  • Shellfish
  • Fish
  • Milk
  • Eggs
  • Soy
  • Wheat

At Carpe Diem Private Preschool, we care about the health, safety and well-being of each child. It’s important to share your child’s allergies with us, so that we know how to prevent allergic reactions from occurring.  This will also ensure that we are prepared to properly care for each child if a reaction does occur. With our commitment to safety and open communication, we work together with parents and caregivers to best protect and care for all our students.