Make sure your back to schoolers have a backpack emergency card

DEM Blogger

August 12, 2019

The Centers for Disease Control have some simple A-B-C’s for parents and students going back to school:

A –  Ask how you would be notified if there was an emergency at your child’s school.  How would you be reunited with your child in case of an emergency or evacuation?

B – Bring extra medications, special food, a change of clothing, and other supplies your child might need if you were separated or had to spend the night away from home.

C – Complete a backpack card and put one in your child’s backpack and one in your wallet. Make sure your younger child knows your address and phone number. Any your proper name. They need to know more than “Mom”, “Mommy” or “Grandma.”

• Make sure you have current phone numbers and email addressed for your children’s teachers, the school principal, and the school administrators.
• Sign up for electronic school alerts so you can get a text message, email or phone call about school closings and emergencies.
• Remember that if there’s an emergency at your child’s school, you’ll be directed to go to a reunification center, not the school itself. Do not attempt to go to the school as you’ll likely be stopped by public safety officials who are trying to deal with the actual emergency. 

Click here to download the backpack card that you can fill out and print.