| When your son or daughter is living at home, you're | | | | personal experience dealing with a certain type of |
| the keeper of the information. You know your | | | | emergency, use this opportunity to educate yourself |
| insurance numbers, remember every illness your kid | | | | as well. |
| has ever had and probably have a list of every one | | | | This is also a great opportunity for you to assess |
| of your family's doctors and dentists right in your cell | | | | your child's life skills. Consider the kind of preparation |
| phone. But when your teenager enters colleges and | | | | he'll need to deal with life in the real world. Does he |
| begins to live away from home - maybe even across | | | | have basic skills in first aid or CPR? What about the |
| the country - that information in your head, isn't | | | | ability to think on his feet or to make critical decisions |
| going to do your child any good. | | | | independently without following the crowd. As we all |
| Everyone thinks that getting ready for college means | | | | know, in a disaster, that crowd just might be headed |
| buying books and outfitting the dorm room with | | | | for the one locked door in an auditorium packed with |
| everything necessary to make it livable - or at least | | | | a panicky herd of people! What about financial skills |
| inhabitable. But most parents are so busy purchasing | | | | like budgeting, handling credit responsibly, or |
| the things their daughter or son will need to live | | | | preventing identity theft. The months before college |
| away from home the first time, that they forget to | | | | are a great time to get your student the education |
| give them the thing that might very well save their | | | | she needs on these vital subjects. |
| lives - the critical medical information and contact | | | | How have you handled your own crisis situations? |
| numbers a hospital would need to treat them in case | | | | What did you do right, what did you do wrong? |
| of a medical emergency. | | | | This is also a great opportunity to share things from |
| But with the realities of today's university | | | | your own experiences. As much as your kids will roll |
| environment, even if students have all the numbers | | | | their eyes at you, they learn from your experiences, |
| and information they need, they're not necessarily | | | | good and bad. Before you talk with them, think |
| prepared to deal with a true crisis. Before you send | | | | about the crisis situations that have occurred in your |
| your child off to college, ask yourself this. If your | | | | own life. Have you ever been involved in a natural |
| daughter were to face a life threatening event, | | | | disaster, or a fire, or flood? If so, how did you (or |
| would she have everything she needs to survive? | | | | your family) deal with the crisis? Were you prepared? |
| Many college-age teens simply have never had to | | | | Did that preparation help save you and quickly get |
| deal with life threatening situations. And facing their | | | | you back on the road to recovery? Or where you |
| first crisis without their loved ones at their side can | | | | completely unprepared? If so, how did that affect |
| not only be frightening, but downright paralyzing. So | | | | you? What did you learn from the situation? Even if |
| what do we need to do to disaster-proof our | | | | you handled it well, there are always some things |
| students? | | | | you could have done better. If your child were to |
| What information do they need? | | | | experience the same situation in her life, what advice |
| The first thing that students need, is access to any | | | | would you give her to get through it successfully? |
| information necessary to handle situations that might | | | | Don't leave it up to life to do the preparation for you. |
| arise. And by that, we don't just mean their | | | | Read the card in the back of the seat pocket! |
| emergency contact information, but their medical | | | | Before college begins, be sure that you download |
| history, prescription and allergy information, | | | | any emergency procedures the university has in |
| vaccinations and contact information for all of their | | | | place, and go over them with your student. Yes, |
| doctors. | | | | again there will be some eye rolling, but how many |
| Since emergencies aren't always medical, preparation | | | | times have we all ignored the cardboard emergency |
| should also include all of the account numbers every | | | | procedures in the pocket of our airplane seat, only to |
| adult should always keep handy. Things like medical | | | | wonder if not reading them could be the difference |
| insurance policy numbers and agent information, car | | | | between life and death - especially when we're |
| and renter's insurance, membership numbers for | | | | halfway over the Pacific! The university spent a lot |
| fitness centers, or associations like Triple A. Then | | | | of time and effort putting together those procedures |
| there's financial information, which includes credit card | | | | (at least we hope so). They know where the |
| numbers, checking account numbers and passwords, | | | | potholes lie, what needs to be addressed and what |
| student loan information and warranties on major | | | | doesn't based on years of experience. Your student |
| purchases like computers or televisions. In short, | | | | may never consciously remember any of the |
| parents need to make sure that students have | | | | specifics they read in the university emergency plan - |
| access to any information they would need, to help | | | | until the moment they need them. And then the |
| them recover physically or financially, from crises | | | | words will come right back, ready to use, simply |
| ranging from theft to a full blown medical emergency | | | | because you took the time to make it a priority. |
| or mass casualty incident. | | | | Let's face it, no one is going to your emergency |
| Thinking through what your student would need for | | | | preparation for you and they certainly won't do it for |
| several possible scenarios will help you give your | | | | your child. And the last thing you want to do, is leave |
| student the preparation and tools he needs to | | | | it up to life to prepare them the hard way! |
| survive a real emergency. | | | | Preparation: The difference between life and death. |
| Have the information they need in a secure, | | | | As some college parents have found the last few |
| accessible place | | | | years, a normal day in a university can quickly turn |
| The first thing you should do, is to ask your child's | | | | into a life or death situation. Your university can give |
| university how it handles specific emergency | | | | you some basic tools, but it's up to you to put the |
| situations. Do they have an online system that | | | | tools into practice. Crisis planning is one thing we |
| captures emergency contacts and medical | | | | humans are VERY good at putting off. Maybe it's |
| background? Is it accessible to you and your student | | | | because we think if we don't address it, nothing bad |
| so that you can make updates whenever information | | | | will ever happen. But when it comes to your children - |
| changes? Is it accessible to hospitals in an | | | | especially those on their own for the first time - you |
| emergency? Although some universities are beginning | | | | can't afford not to prepare them. Left to their own |
| to create those services for students, our company | | | | devices, most older teens will either just assume |
| Stuf provides the first and only virtual emergency | | | | they'll be okay, or they'll be absolutely panic stricken. |
| contact card system for universities nationwide, | | | | Either way is not only unnecessary, but downright |
| ensuring that your student's information will be | | | | dangerous. |
| accessible when and where it's needed 24/7. | | | | Your and your student, have to do everything you |
| Knowing what your university doesn't provide, will | | | | can to assure he or she will survive a crisis, and then |
| help you fill in the gaps for your student. If the | | | | trust that preparation to be there for them if it ever |
| school doesn't provide a secure online place for | | | | becomes necessary. A healthy dose of fear is fine. |
| emergency information, it's up to you to figure out | | | | After all, it keeps you on your toes. But too much |
| how your student will store and access her | | | | fear paralyzes. Students need to be able to assess a |
| information, in a way that makes sense for her. This | | | | situation, quickly figure out the best possible action |
| can be anything from a portable hard drive to a | | | | and act on that decision. When things happen quickly, |
| password protected document on a secure online file | | | | as in the NIU or Virginia Tech shooting, students don't |
| folder. If you decide to put that information on a | | | | have the time to look to their professors or wait for |
| hard copy, place a back up copy in a safe location or | | | | security team to come on the scene. They need to |
| a safe deposit box, so you and your student will be | | | | evaluate and act - now - without feedback from |
| able to access it when you need it. Although in that | | | | anyone else. They need to trust their training and |
| situation an emergency room won't have direct | | | | their instincts to be there for them and bring them |
| access to your student's medical information, there | | | | through the crisis to safety. |
| are things you can do to ensure a hospital knows to | | | | I'm sure there have been times in your own life, |
| contact you in an emergency. Have your child clearly | | | | when you've had a gut feeling about something and |
| labeling your and other relatives' emergency contacts | | | | no matter what anyone said to the contrary, you |
| on his cell phone, smart phone or even his mp3 | | | | instinctively knew the right course of action. Your |
| player - whatever he normally carries with him when | | | | child has those same instincts. But you need to instill |
| he's out. A Shoewallet can also provide another level | | | | in them, how important it is to follow them. If they're |
| of protection by giving students a place to stash | | | | invited to a party that they feel "funny" about or are |
| their ID, money and other information, while running | | | | walking down the street, hear footsteps and feel the |
| or doing errands without their wallets or backpacks. | | | | need to change direction, they need to know that |
| And just because your child is off at school, don't | | | | they should trust those instincts and act on them, no |
| forget to include her in your family's emergency plan. | | | | matter what their friends say - even if they make |
| As we all discovered after 9/11, disasters can occur | | | | fun of them. |
| anywhere, at any time, in more than one geographic | | | | Disaster-proofing your college student all comes |
| location. Make sure that you have a plan that will | | | | down to one thing - personal power. Taking that |
| keep your family in constant communication and if | | | | thirty or forty minutes at the beginning of the |
| necessary, reunite them as quickly as possible. Let's | | | | semester to get all of your student's vital information |
| say that something happens in your immediate area | | | | together, can not only save your student's lives, it |
| or in the area where your child attends college. | | | | can make their lives much easier. The next time |
| You're going to want to know that she is all right, or | | | | something potentially damaging happens, like a theft, |
| relay the message to her that you and your family | | | | or a fender bender, your child will have the |
| are well. But if the telephones or other infrastructure | | | | information she needs to take care of it, at her |
| is down, that could be difficult. Even if you're unable | | | | finger tips. As parents you'll be secure in the fact |
| to call someone in the same town, you might be able | | | | that your children are as prepared as they can be, to |
| to call long distance, so naming an out of town | | | | face the year without you physically there to protect |
| relative or friend as your touch point, can give your | | | | them. Having well prepared students is a bonus for |
| entire family a way to reconnect quickly. | | | | the universities as well. In a major emergency, that |
| Another solution is to use texting, email or, if they | | | | enables them to care for students who are in |
| aren't working, services like Twitter and Facebook, | | | | immediate need of attention, knowing the remainder |
| to provide that link. Posting messages to your family | | | | will be able to care for themselves until basic |
| and friends via the internet gives you real time | | | | systems are back up and running. |
| access to the people you love and up to date | | | | Being prepared for any kind of emergency, leaves |
| information on their whereabouts, and possible | | | | students free to learn and enjoy their college |
| meeting locations. | | | | experience, knowing that no matter what happens |
| You and your student are the best judges of what | | | | during their college career, they'll have the tools they |
| types of information and communication systems will | | | | need to survive. |
| work best for him. Someone who is not organized | | | | After the Crisis Providing Restoration & Peace |
| won't suddenly be responsible about updating and | | | | of Mind |
| safeguarding his own vital information. All students | | | | Disaster-proofing has one other important benefit. |
| need to have their vital information stored in a way | | | | Name any recent disasters and I guarantee all of |
| that they can easily obtain and use it. Once you have | | | | them have one thing in common. If you listen to an |
| that set up, besides making occasional updates, you | | | | interview right after the disaster strikes the victims |
| and your student can forget about it and get on with | | | | will always say the same thing. "After this, nothing will |
| your lives, secure in the knowledge that it will be | | | | ever be the same again." |
| there if it's ever needed. | | | | At the time, that feels absolutely true, but in reality, |
| Beginning the Conversation about Safety | | | | humans are very good at adapting and healing. Even |
| Sometimes the hardest part of disaster preparation is | | | | after the Northridge Earthquake or Hurricane Katrina, |
| finding a way to bring the subject up. Your college | | | | life did eventually get back to normal for most |
| student is going to be excited about going away to | | | | victims. When an emergency strikes a university, the |
| school, but is probably even more nervous and | | | | goal should be helping students to get through the |
| unsure than he or she is letting on. And with what's | | | | initial shock and chaos of that first week. By ensuring |
| been happening in universities the last few years, | | | | they have the vital medical information they need to |
| who could blame him! Even excited freshmen are a | | | | be treated for injuries, the insurance and contact |
| little afraid that they too could be the victim of | | | | information they need to get their property restored |
| campus violence and will welcome the opportunity to | | | | or repaired, the faster healing will begin. The quicker |
| talk about it. Getting their fears out in the open will | | | | students make it through the first impact, the quicker |
| make them a lot less scary - especially when they | | | | their lives will revert back to a more normal state. |
| realize that there are concrete steps they can take | | | | And if the student needs further help - crisis |
| to making themselves ready and able to survive. It's | | | | counseling, a change of housing, advanced medical |
| up to you to use the newness of college and being | | | | treatment, having the basics taken care of will allow |
| on their own, to start the conversation before they | | | | him to get further intervention more quickly. |
| get so comfortable with college, they'll stop thinking | | | | We want our students acting, not reacting, moving |
| about it! | | | | forward through crisis, not running around like a |
| If their college is in a different part of the country, | | | | headless chicken! The whole point of crisis |
| talk about the types of disasters they might face. A | | | | intervention is to help get them through the crisis and |
| student from California who would know exactly | | | | back on their feet, with minimal downtime, which |
| what to do in an earthquake, might be terrified when | | | | provides quick restoration to their lives, health and |
| facing a hurricane or tornado. If you don't have | | | | property. |