Families should review emergency plans before kids stay home alone this summer

By Charles Christian

Summer break provides a great opportunity for families to have fun together, but it also can provide challenges for working parents of younger children.

Frank Till of the St. Joseph Safety and Health Council reminds parents to use discernment and to communicate thoroughly when leaving kids at home during the day.

“We all want to get to that point where we feel our child is safe to stay at home by themselves,” Till said. “No one knows the child better than the parent, so parents should evaluate whether or not the child is capable of staying home and doing the things to keep themselves safe while you’re gone.”

According to Till, this evaluation includes making sure your child is comfortable staying home alone or with siblings and that the child has resources needed in case of an emergency. Making use of technology can also provide comfort for parents and safety for kids.

“There’s so many things we can do with technology now,” Till said. “We can put wireless cameras throughout the house, where we can keep an eye on children throughout the day.”

Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett said that even though technology can keep us safe, it can also be something kids need to watch out for with too much alone time.

“One of the big things is to make sure kids have a plan,” Puett said. “Make sure they have something to do throughout the day, because too much idle time is not a good thing.”

Puett added that even though kids may not admit it, hearing a parent or guardian’s voice throughout the day can provide a sense of security for them. That means calling in and texting a few times during the day enhances their safety and sense of security.

Other safety tips from the St. Joseph Safety and Health Council include reminding children that they should never answer the door for people they don’t know or who are not authorized by their parents or guardians to be in the house with them alone. Also, both Puett and Till said that parents should determine in advance whether they want their child to answer any unauthorized or non-parental phone calls while they are at home alone. If they are allowed to answer the phone, children should never let anyone know they are home alone.

Both Puett and Till said that all guns, poisonous chemicals or other hazardous materials should be locked up and kept out of reach of children. The temptation of these items within reach can be too great if kids get bored or if friends drop by. Finally, emergency numbers such as the general line at the police department, as well as the number of trusted neighbors and poison control should be programmed into cell phones and kept where they can be easily accessed if needed.

“Have an emergency plan,” Till said. “Even do a practice run from time to time to make sure kids can get out safely and know where to go in case of a fire or other emergency.”

Finally, adults should take the time to teach kids how and when to dial 911 if they feel in danger in any way. Officials urge parents to make use of the many online safety packets available online especially geared toward children who have to spend some time at home alone.

The St. Joseph Health and Safety Council has annual Safety Town events throughout the summer. Details can be found at stjoesafetycouncil.org/safety-town. The non-emergency number for the St. Joseph Police Department is (816) 271-8477.