Managing children in disasters

Each year, disasters such as house fires, car accidents, tsunamis, earthquakes, and hurricanes impact hundreds of thousands of children. Child victims can suffer disproportionately and the physical and psychological damage sustained can far outweigh the same effects in adults, often requiring years of therapy. Sadly, emergency planners to date have largely failed to adequately recognize and accommodate the particular requirements of children in times of disaster.

Identify Needs

Highlighting the infrastructure that supports children in a safe and secure community, Managing Children in Disasters begins by identifying the special needs of children, including physical security, emotional stability, family unity, and ongoing education. It looks at how hazard mitigation actions can reduce the long- term impact of a disaster on this infrastructure, and outlines the many steps that can be taken by parents, emergency managers, school officials, and child care providers to prepare for a future incident.

Target Resources

The book reviews what agencies and organizations can do to ensure that children are protected and families remain intact. It examines evacuation plans and processes, emergency shelters, and the recovery and rebuilding process. The final chapter provides a list of resources in emergency planning, psychosocial recovery, training and education courses, technical assistance, and other organizations. It includes examples of existing programs, reports, sample plans, and guides written for children.

Offering guidance for the family and community, this book discusses the types of efforts that can be undertaken in all phases of emergency management including preparation, immediate response, and recovery.

Unique Needs of Children in Disasters
Children as a Special Population
Physical and Physiological Vulnerabilities
Developmental and Social Vulnerabilities
Psychological Vulnerabilities
Safety and Security Vulnerabilities
What Are the Special Emergency Response Needs of Children?
Family Unity
Child Infrastructure
Families
Schools
Child Care Providers and Caregivers
Critical Infrastructure
Health and Hospital Infrastructure
Social Services
Mitigation
Community Infrastructure and Children
Mitigating Community Infrastructure for Children
Preparedness
Preparedness Actions
Emergency Operations Plans
School Preparedness
Emergency Shelters
Building Resiliency
American Red Cross: Children and Disasters
Response
Developing a Functional Annex for Children to the
Community Emergency Operations Plan
Notification
Evacuation
Shelters
Voluntary Organizations Involved with Children in Disasters
Separation from Family
Recovery
The Recovery Needs of Children Are Recognized
Providing and Restoring the Infrastructure That Supports
Children in a Community, Including Temporary Housing,
Schools, and Child Care Facilities
Providing Mental Health Support and Services
National Disaster Recovery Framework
Emergency Management Resources Focused on
Children--s Needs
Emergency Planning
Sample Plans
Psychosocial Recovery
Training and Education Courses and Materials
Technical Assistance
Reports
Organizations
Web Links
Appendices
Index