By Christina Caron
Every year, millions of families will face devastating hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and other natural disasters. California will continue to burn, for example, its wildfires fed by a warming climate and strong winds, the flames nearly wiping out entire communities.
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If you aren’t aware of the specific risks to your hometown, like the potential for flood or fire, do a little research to find out what events have happened in the past and which are likely to occur again. Two good places to start are the NOAA map that illustrates billion-dollar weather and climate events throughout the country and the Federal Emergency Management Agency flood map, where you can enter your address to find out if you live in an area at risk of flooding.
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Around age 4, it’s developmentally appropriate for children to start asking questions about scary things that might happen. So once children are around 3 or 4, she said, it’s important to start talking to them about where to go if they are forced to leave your home, which can help ease their anxieties.
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For children 3 and older, mentally prepare them for what that space might be like to help them transition to the new environment, and try to stay as calm as possible.
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