Children and Disasters

In This Issue: Ready Tips CERT & Communities Children & Disasters Financial Preparedness Important Dates

Ready Tips

Financial Preparedness Just like knowing alerts or building a supply kit, financial wellness is also an important part of emergency preparedness. However, about 4 in 10 Americans said they would not have enough money to cover a $400 emergency expense. National Financial Capability Month serves as a reminder for us to review our financial health. Follow these tips to prepare financially: Start building a rainy day fund by saving a little each month. Pay yourself first—when you get paid—rather than waiting to see what is left over after spending. People with cash on hand can recover faster than those relying on credit. Documenting personal property can make insurance claims easier. If you don’t have the right documents, claims could be delayed. Use the checklists in the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK) to see if you’re missing anything. Store your records in a safe place and back them up online. Encourage your kids to start building good money habits. Saving a little bit at a time helps them be prepared for all kinds of emergencies. Homeowners and renters insurance policies do not usually cover flood damage. Talk to your agent. Find out what is covered by your existing policy and learn more about flood insurance at FloodSmart.gov. Follow #FinancialFuture2019 on social media for more tips!

CERT & Communities

CERT Members Take Action: Financial Readiness Across the Nation, Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) help their communities respond to and prepare for disasters. April is National Financial Capability Month, and a great opportunity for you as a CERT member or program manager to organize and prepare your team! Many of us know that storing supplies like food, water, and medicine is important for being prepared. But how many go-bags include cash or copies of important documents? People with cash on hand can recover faster than those relying on credit. However, about 4 in 10 Americans said they would not have enough money to cover a $400 emergency expense, and many do not have savings for an emergency at all. Read more…

Wildfire Community Preparedness Day The National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Wildfire Community Preparedness Day is May 4, 2019. Wildfire Community Preparedness Day is an opportunity for you to take action on a single day by organizing or joining a wildfire safety project. These projects help you prepare for wildfires and reduce your community’s risk. This year, State Farm funded 150 projects across the Nation. Project ideas are endless and for all ages. Visit WildfirePrepDay.org for project ideas and tools. Then, share your community’s efforts by adding it to the NFPA’s project map. For more on wildfire safety, visit www.ready.gov/wildfires.   2-1-1: The Community Resource Hub Before, During, and After Disasters Join FEMA on Wednesday, April 24 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. EDT for a webinar about 2-1-1. 2-1-1 can be a community resource in both crises and every day. The webinar will discuss how to connect with 2-1-1 before an event. It will also explore how 2-1-1 can help make your community more resilient. Kelly Dodd, director of Western New York’s 2-1-1, and Debbie Costa from FEMA Region II will present. Register here. Community Hurricane Readiness Join FEMA on Wednesday, May 15 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. EDT for a webinar to learn about resources and activities that can help you and your community prepare for the 2019 hurricane season. Register here.

Children & Disasters

Summit for Service Learning and Youth and Community Preparedness In January 2019, students, teachers, and organizations in Guam gathered for the 2019 Service Learning and Youth and Community Preparedness Summit. The summit was hosted by the Guam Department of Education (DOE) and the Guam Homeland Security Office of Civil Defense (GHS-OCD) Guam Youth Preparedness Program (GYPP). FEMA National Youth Preparedness Council Alumna, Kiahna Espia, has been involved since the beginning. Read more…

Youth Resource: Gen i Revolution It’s never too early to start thinking about being financially prepared! Sponsored by the Council for Economic Education (CEE), Gen i Revolution is an online game that helps middle and high school students learn about personal finance. Students help a character in a financial crisis and do activities to achieve a mission. The 16 missions include budgeting, credit, risk and insurance, and more. Students can play by themselves or as part of a class. Teachers can also use the game as part of the Learning, Earning, and Investing for a New Generation curriculum. To learn more, visit the Gen i Revolution website and join the Revolution today!   Money Matters: Resources for Youth in Financial Preparedness As part of National Financial Capability Month, presenters from Young America Saves, Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, and FEMA’s Youth Preparedness Council presented a youth savings webinar. This webinar shared financial tools and resources for youth, organizations that serve youth, and the public. You can view the recording here. Share Your Stories If you have a story, event, or resource you would like to share, let us know at FEMA-prepare@fema.dhs.gov.

Financial Preparedness

Unlock Your Financial Future with National Financial Capability Month Disasters can happen at any moment. Part of being prepared is understanding your finances and being financially prepared. Throughout April, FEMA’s Ready Campaign and the Financial Literacy and Education Commission (FLEC) are encouraging you to take action to improve your financial future. The more financially prepared we are as a nation, the more resilient we will be when faced with disaster. National Financial Capability Month 2019 kicked off with a Facebook Live! held on April 2. The event was hosted at Junior Achievement’s JA Finance Park in Fairfax, Virginia. Speakers from the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration (FIMA), Operation HOPE, and Junior Achievement of Greater Washington discussed how to prepare financially for disasters. They also shared tips for getting started. To watch the recording, click here. More events are happening throughout April. See below for more details!

Twitter Chats Join FEMA’s Ready Campaign on Twitter this National Financial Capability Month! At 1:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday, April 24, @Readygov will host the Insure your Financial Future Twitter Chat. Join in by following #FinancialChat to hear from experts and learn about resources to improve your financial wellness through insurance for unexpected events. On Wednesday, April 10, @Readygov also hosted a Twitter Chat about planning and budgeting. You can still read the conversation and see the resources shared! Just visit the Twitter Moment here.   Money Matters: Resources for Youth in Financial Preparedness The Financial Literacy and Education Commission (FLEC) and the Ready Campaign presented a youth savings webinar on Wednesday, April 17. This webinar provided financial tools and resources for youth, community organizations that serve youth, and the general public. It included presenters from Young America Saves, Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, and FEMA’s Youth Preparedness Council. You can view the recording here.

Important Dates

April—National Financial Capability Month Wednesday, April 24—Webinar: 2-1-1: The Community Resource Hub Before, During, and After Disasters (12:00-1:00 p.m. EDT) Wednesday, April 24—Insurance Twitter Chat: Follow @Readygov and #FinancialChat (1:00-2:00 p.m. EDT) Saturday, May 4—Wildfire Community Preparedness Day Wednesday, May 15—Webinar: Getting Ready for Hurricanes (12:00-1:00 p.m. EDT)