It was a cozy night last night. I had KOAA on in the background, the rain was pouring down, the thunder was crashing and my 5 year old started asking why the news man just told kids to stay away from running water.
It’s important to find ways to educate your kids on potential dangers, yet not to scare them about our beautiful community and their home. “Why can’t kids go on a hiking trail?” he asked.
According to the National Weather Service, flash floods are the No. 1 cause of deaths associated with thunderstorms.
Kids of course are fascinated with water and don’t understand the severity and strength of a flash flood. Teach children not to play around riverbeds or storm drains. During or after a storm, a trickle of water quickly can turn into a current that can carry a child away.
Here are some tips for talking to kids specifically about flash flooding:
- Explain in simple terms WHAT a flash flood is: A flash flood is a quick flood caused by a sudden cloudburst or thunder storm. Huge amounts of water fall in a short time and in cities and towns the drains overflow and roads become flooded. Flash floods also happen in mountainous areas, where steep slopes cause the water to travel at high speeds. The rushing water erodes the soil, washing it away down the slopes. Flash floods often occur rapidly and with little warning.
- Talk about the difference between and WATCH and a WARNING. Helping kids understand the language and warning messages they hear will help ease their anxiety. A National Weather Service (NWS) WATCH is a message indicating that conditions favor the occurrence of a certain type of hazardous weather. An NWS WARNING indicates that a hazardous event is occurring or is imminent in about 30 minutes to an hour.
- Develop a Family Disaster Plan: Families can and do cope with disaster by preparing in advance and working together as a team. Knowing what to do is your best protection. Click here for tips on how to create a Family Disaster Plan from disastercenter.com.
For your own safety, it’s important to remember that many flash flood deaths occur at night and most victims are people who become trapped in automobiles.
To avoid getting trapped in a vehicle:
- Get out of areas subject to flooding. These include dips, low spots, canyons and riverbeds.
- Avoid already flooded areas. Do not attempt to cross flowing streams.
- If driving, be aware that the road may not be intact under flood waters. Turn around and go another way. Never drive through flooded roadways.
- If your vehicle stalls, leave it immediately and seek higher ground. Rapidly rising water may engulf the vehicle and its occupants and sweep them away.
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4 Tips on Talking to Your Kids About Scary News
