Help your employees prepare for just about anything
Natural disasters, which affect all regions of the United States, have direct and indirect consequences on health. Each year a thousand or more people are injured or killed during disasters such as tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, and winter storms.
Conditions after disasters can also affect health. Contaminated water and food, and a lack of sanitation, can lead to disease. Fire hazards, debris, and flooding can lead to injuries and death. Finally, natural disasters can also affect the mental and emotional health of those living through them. It’s important to be prepared before, during, and after a disaster.
Arm your employees with knowledge
While the natural phenomena that lead to disasters cannot be controlled, people can take precautions to protect themselves. There are many important decisions to be made before and during a disaster event. In order to make good decisions, people must be informed. Becoming knowledgeable and knowing what to do before, during, and after disasters can help to lessen the injuries, loss, and damage associated with them. When it comes to disasters, it is critical to be proactive rather than reactive.
Encourage your employees to educate their families
Educating children about natural disasters can be easily integrated into comprehensive school health education programs because not only the physical, but also the social and emotional dimensions of health are addressed. A comprehensive program, such as the National Council for Health Education’s Growing Healthy®, is designed to motivate and assist students to maintain and improve their health, enabling them to develop the skills necessary for health-related problem-solving and informed decision-making. It seeks to promote skill-building, which helps young people avoid high-risk behaviors.
Teaching about the health consequences of natural disasters involves teaching about personal health, family living, disease prevention and control, mental and emotional health, injury prevention and safety, community health, and environmental health. It also helps children develop important skills to make decisions to keep themselves and their families healthy and safe.
Why should children be educated about natural disasters?
- Children are affected by natural disasters as much as, if not more than, adults.
- Children want to help as much as anyone. They can get involved by contributing to their family’s preparedness activities.
- Giving children information about disasters and teaching them how to prepare will help them remain safe during an event.
- The more mentally prepared they are before a disaster, the better they will be in handling the situation.
