Practising Emergency Response Calmly

LEARNING OBJECTIVE

Prepare children for simple emergency situations without creating unnecessary fear; explain what children should do when a responsible adult gives a safety instruction; practise leaving a place calmly when instructed; reinforce staying with family, class, or another responsible group; help a child understand what to do if separated; build confidence through calm, age-appropriate repetition; and avoid giving children emergency-response, rescue, or other dangerous responsibilities.

CORE SAFETY MESSAGE

LISTEN → STAY CALM → STAY WITH THE GROUP → FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS → GET HELP

WHY PRACTISE?

Calm practice helps children become familiar with simple safety actions before they need to use them. Good practice should be familiar, calm, predictable, simple, positive, and age appropriate. The purpose is to build confidence and familiarity—not to make children feel frightened or responsible for an emergency.

WHAT CHILDREN NEED TO KNOW

Listen to responsible adults. Follow the agreed safety plan. Stay with the family, class, or group. Move calmly when instructed. Do not return for belongings. Ask a responsible adult for help if unsure. If separated, stay calm and seek help from a responsible adult. Emergency arrangements can differ between homes, schools, communities, and locations.

HOW ADULTS CAN INTRODUCE EMERGENCY PRACTICE

Use this sequence: Explain → Show → Practise → Encourage → Review.

Explain what you are going to practise and why. Show the calm behaviour you want the child to copy. Let the child practise listening, stopping what they are doing, staying with the group, moving calmly, and going to the agreed safe place. Encourage calm listening, following instructions, staying together, and asking for help. Review what the child remembered and whether anything was confusing.

PRACTISE CALM MOVEMENT

Using the family’s, school’s, or organisation’s established safety plan, practise listening for an instruction, stopping what they are doing, paying attention to the responsible adult, moving calmly with the group when instructed, going to the agreed safe place, and waiting for further instructions. Do not add technical evacuation procedures that may not apply to every location or building.

PRACTISE BEING SEPARATED

Calmly discuss what a child should do if separated from family, class, or group: stay calm, avoid wandering around searching for the group, stay in a safe and visible place where appropriate, and seek help from a responsible adult.

QUICK ADULT CHECKLIST

• I explained the practice calmly.
• I used simple language.
• I told the child what to expect.
• I practised listening and following instructions.
• I reinforced staying with the group.
• I reminded the child not to return for belongings.
• I practised how to ask a responsible adult for help.
• I avoided giving the child dangerous responsibilities.
• I allowed the child to ask questions.
• I reviewed the practice afterwards.

CONNECTION TO KIDS CORNER

Use My Emergency Contact Card, My Family Emergency Plan, What Would You Say? — Emergency Practice, and Emergency Ready Challenge as prompts for discussion and calm practice rather than emergency-response manuals.

PARENT / TEACHER NOTE

Emergency arrangements vary by location and setting. Adults should align practice with the local emergency plan, school procedures, family arrangements, and instructions from responsible authorities. The child-facing focus should remain on LISTEN → STAY CALM → STAY WITH THE GROUP → FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS → GET HELP.