• Be Aware
    • Hazards
      • Earthquake
      • Extreme Cold
      • Extreme Heat
      • Household Fire Dangers
      • Flooding
        • Turn Around – Don’t Drown
      • Hazardous Spills
      • High Winds
      • Ice Storm
      • Lightning
      • Power Outages
        • Generator Safety
        • Carbon Monoxide Dangers
      • Severe Storms & Thunderstorms
      • Tornado
    • Radio Lexington
    • Get Involved
      • CERT
    • CSEPP
      • History of CSEPP
      • CSEPP in Kentucky
      • Blue Grass Army Depot
      • Chemical Agent Disposal
      • CSEPP in Fayette County
      • Zones
    • Get the BeReady Phone App
    • NOAA Weather Radio
    • Outdoor Warning Sirens
      • Siren FAQ
    • How to Be Prepared for Emergencies – American Sign Language
  • Make a Plan
    • Planning for AFN/Disability Groups
    • Equine Preparedness Plans
    • Farm Preparedness
    • Pet Preparedness Plans
    • Senior Preparedness Plans
    • Hazard Mitigation Plan
    • Shelter in Place Plans
    • Special Events-How to get a permit
    • Travel Plans
    • Utility Shutoff Plans
    • Ready Kat
  • Build a Kit
    • Your financial emergency kit
    • Vehicle Emergency Kits
    • Emergency Kits
    • Home Emergency Kits
    • Pet Emergency Kits
  • About Us
    • What We Do
    • Who We Are
    • Forms
    • Newsletters
    • Emergency Operations Center
    • Contact Us
    • Training
    • Library
  • en English
    en Englishes Spanishar Arabicfr Frenchhi Hindija Japanesekm Khmerko Koreanne Nepalipt Portugueseru Russiansw Swahili
en English
en Englishes Spanishar Arabicfr Frenchhi Hindija Japanesekm Khmerko Koreanne Nepalipt Portugueseru Russiansw Swahili
Be Ready Lexington
  • Be Aware
    • Hazards
      • Earthquake
      • Extreme Cold
      • Extreme Heat
      • Household Fire Dangers
      • Flooding
        • Turn Around – Don’t Drown
      • Hazardous Spills
      • High Winds
      • Ice Storm
      • Lightning
      • Power Outages
        • Generator Safety
        • Carbon Monoxide Dangers
      • Severe Storms & Thunderstorms
      • Tornado
    • Radio Lexington
    • Get Involved
      • CERT
    • CSEPP
      • History of CSEPP
      • CSEPP in Kentucky
      • Blue Grass Army Depot
      • Chemical Agent Disposal
      • CSEPP in Fayette County
      • Zones
    • Get the BeReady Phone App
    • NOAA Weather Radio
    • Outdoor Warning Sirens
      • Siren FAQ
    • How to Be Prepared for Emergencies – American Sign Language
  • Make a Plan
    • Planning for AFN/Disability Groups
    • Equine Preparedness Plans
    • Farm Preparedness
    • Pet Preparedness Plans
    • Senior Preparedness Plans
    • Hazard Mitigation Plan
    • Shelter in Place Plans
    • Special Events-How to get a permit
    • Travel Plans
    • Utility Shutoff Plans
    • Ready Kat
  • Build a Kit
    • Your financial emergency kit
    • Vehicle Emergency Kits
    • Emergency Kits
    • Home Emergency Kits
    • Pet Emergency Kits
  • About Us
    • What We Do
    • Who We Are
    • Forms
    • Newsletters
    • Emergency Operations Center
    • Contact Us
    • Training
    • Library
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • YouTube

  • RSS

Do 1 Thing

One Thing Wednesday: Prepare for Freshman Move-In

One Thing Wednesday: Prepare for Freshman Move-In
DEM Blogger
July 29, 2015

The Do 1 Thing site won the Awareness to Action category of FEMA’s 2014 Individual and Community Preparedness Awards. It’s a 12-month program of small steps that you can take to increase your personal and household preparedness. Throughout 2015, DEM will feature Do 1 Thing items during our weekly blog post series of One Thing Wednesdays. Check back here every week for a new preparedness activity or tip!

While July’s major theme is communication, we’re taking a break this week to write about a more focused item: preparedness for college students. Next month, millions of parents will send their kids away to college, many for the first time. Moving out means big changes – including leaving the family disaster plan and emergency kits behind.

Communication (okay, we are touching on it)

DSCF0033If you’re one of those parents, now is a good time to talk to your college student about how you’ll stay in contact if a disaster happens – at school or in your hometown. Be sure everyone understands that cell phones may not work in a large-scale disaster. Establish an emergency contact person who lives in a third city (neither in your hometown nor near the school) and agree that you’ll check in with that person if you and your student can’t reach each other.

Check the school’s website to learn more about the school’s emergency plans (start with the university’s office of emergency management, police department, or public safety department). Find the phone number to use for contacting the school in an emergency. If it’s not clearly posted, ask one of the departments we just mentioned – or the admissions office.

Every university should have an emergency notification system for alerting students, faculty, and staff to on-campus emergencies. Make sure your student is registered to receive phone calls or texts.

Remind your student to look for the dorm emergency plan (or ask their resident assistant for it) so they know where to go for tornado warnings, fire alarms, and other incidents.

Insurance

Ask your insurance agent if your homeowner’s or renter’s policy covers your student’s property away from home. You may need an additional renter’s policy. Also, check with your health insurance provider to see if campus health services are covered – and if not, where your student can find covered services.

Kits

Space is limited in dorm rooms, but it’s still possible to send your student to school with a good, compact emergency kit. See our previous blog post for ideas on what to include. Be sure to check university housing policies and avoid including any prohibited items.

Skills

Many university emergency management offices hold September outreach events to reach new student residents during National Preparedness Month. Encourage your student to attend these – or to look into the availability of a Campus CERT (C-CERT) program.

Related Items
Do 1 Thing
July 29, 2015
DEM Blogger

Related Items

More in Do 1 Thing

Be Ready for Power Outages

DEM BloggerFebruary 2, 2022
Read More

Generator Safety

DEM BloggerFebruary 2, 2022
Read More

Stay safe when lawn mowing

DEM BloggerApril 4, 2019
Read More

Add ICE (In Case of Emergency) Contacts on your phone

DEM BloggerJuly 6, 2018
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Copyright © 2018.

One Thing Wednesday: Making the Most of Your Smartphone
One Thing Wednesday: Join CERT