Rancho Mirage, CA
There are countless scenarios in which an emergency can happen. On a hike, in a car accident or an earthquake. So today, the first in a series of disaster preparedness workshops was held for children at the Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert in Rancho Mirage.
Experts say panic is the main risk when disaster hits and it is that same feeling that The Hero in You Foundation and local law enforcement are helping kids in the valley to avoid during a catastrophe. "It’s a conversation that don’t always happen because parents worry that if we talk about these things, it’ll make them anxious, but at the same time, by not talking about them, by the time an emergency occurs, you miss out on having that awareness of what is supposed to happen," Director of Museum Advancement at Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert Kyle Pong said.
The organizations are coming together for a series of disaster preparedness workshops. The first of many sessions taught children the five steps to follow in case of an emergency. Be prepared, stay calm, stay in your safe zone, and call for help But, the most important step of all, follow a safety plan. "It does bring down anxiety in children when you talk to them about it and you have a course of action," Pong said. Parents who took their children to the first workshop agreed attending was a good idea. "they shouldn’t be scared, they should be aware some kind of way or adult fashion to know that these things can happen in their lives," said Roberta Esquibias, Indio resident and parent of a child who attended the workshop.
An interactive animated Skype presentation also helped kids learn how to properly react to a natural disaster and find "the hero in them.”
