8.6 Personal and Community Safety

Notes

Safety planning helps you act before an emergency happens.

• Know your exits and the plan for fire, severe weather and other emergencies at home and school.
• Create a family emergency plan: meeting place, emergency contacts and a basic kit (flashlight, water, first aid supplies).
• Fire: if clothing catches fire, stop, drop and roll. Crawl low under smoke and get out. Do not go back inside.
• Weather: for a tornado, go to the lowest interior room away from windows. Know the rules for floods, hurricanes or heat in your area.
• Personal safety: stay aware of your surroundings, travel with others when possible, share plans with a trusted adult and trust your instincts.
• If you feel unsafe, leave and get help. Violence is never acceptable, and weapons should never be handled without proper training and adult supervision. Report weapons to an adult.
• Know trusted adults: parents, teachers, counselors, police.