Fireproof Homeschool: Preparing for Emergencies

Fireproof Homeschool: Preparing for Emergencies

Fire! Hurricane! Tornado!

No matter where you live, your family can find itself engulfed in a natural emergency. As a homeschooler, it is easy to overlook this important issue. If our kids attended public school, they would be taught safety measures according to their home states location and educational guidelines.

As a young girl, I lived in Southern California. It was very routine for us to have fire drills and duck and cover drills. We lived in a wildfire and earthquake zone so it was ineptitude that we children knew what to expect during an emergency so we would not panic in the midst of a real life situation.

As a homeschool family we enjoy the process of organizing and planning our children’s education. We dive into subjects and topics with charged enthusiasm. Whether you choose to teach your children according to state standards or provide a hands-on approach to learning, emergency preparedness needs to be included in your homeschooling checklist.

Research

Take the time to talk through the natural disasters that are likely to occur where you live or travel with your children.

Brainstorm

What are examples of situations that could occur during each type of emergency?

What would your family do during each type of emergency?

Prepare

Form a family emergency plan.

Make a list of what to do during an emergency.

Make a disaster kit. Include water, food, medicine, emergency contact information and anything else your family would need in an emergency.

Drill

Make it a priority to run drills. For example, if you live in a fire zone, have evacuation drills. Have a designated meeting place. Practice at least a few times within the first few weeks after the plan is established to get the “bugs” out. Then drill about once every month or two.

Be sure to run surprise drills! There is a big difference between a scheduled and surprise drill.

Evaluate

After each drill discuss how the family performed. Were there any critical mistakes? Is the family working like a team, or is there confusion?

Celebrate

After you have established a family emergency plan practice often and celebrate success. When the family gets everything down you can even do a mini celebration. Ice cream almost always works!

While we have incredible freedom as homeschoolers, there are many ideas and subjects that we should incorporate into our own school environments. Yes, children are safe and secure from many of the negative influences offered buffet style in a public school setting, but there are great benefits to looking objectively at the things they try to teach.

Emergency preparedness simply must become a part of our homeschooling routines.