[ back to index ]
American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology
http://www.acaai.org/
This website provides information and acts as a news service for patients, parents, medical professionals, purchasers of group health programs, the news media and others interested in allergic diseases. 

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New York Online Access to Health Website on Asthma
http://www.noah-health.org/en/search/health.html
This site contains information on asthma medications, clinical trials, inhalation therapy and asthma triggers.  Also contains links to other asthma sites. 

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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Asthma and Indoor Environments
http://www.epa.gov/asthma/index.html
This website contains basic information about asthma as well as an asthma quiz, an interactive  asthma educational program just for kids, a number of asthma resources and other related links. 

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Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault
http://www.icasa.org
The Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ICASA) is a not-for-profit corporation of 33 community-based sexual assault crisis centers working together to end sexual violence. Information, educational material and other resources related to child sexual assault are available through this website. 

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American Academy of Family Physicians
http://www.familydoctor.org
This medical organization represents more than 94,000 family physicians, family practice residents and medical students nationwide.  Their mission is to preserve and promote the science and art of family medicine and to ensure high-quality, cost-effective health care for patients of all ages.  This website offers health information for the entire family, including helpful articles about losing weight, maintaining a healthy weight, learning about certain families of food, and other kid-friendly resources. 

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American Academy of Pediatrics
http://www.aap.org
Search this site for professional and patient education material, including a link to the academy’s journal, Pediatrics.  Access a number of childhood obesity-related resources, including policy statements, nutrition fact sheets and the Bright Futures Activity Book that teaches young children about health and safety. 

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American Dietetic Association
http://www.eatright.org
This organization represents food and nutrition professionals and serves the public by promoting optimal nutrition, health and well-being.  Access nutrition and activity guides for parents and other nutrition resources. 

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American Obesity Association
http://www.obesity.org
This organization is focused on changing public policy and perceptions in areas including: education, research, prevention, treatment, consumer protection and discrimination.   The website provides fact sheets with prevalence data and trends regarding childhood obesity in the United States, and information about prevention for parents. 

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov
CDC's Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity (DNPA) takes a public health approach to address the role of nutrition and physical activity in improving the public's health and preventing and controlling chronic diseases. This website is a good resource for current growth charts, brochures for school teachers and other research-based fact sheets. 

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Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children
http://www.clocc.net
This organization is a data-driven obesity prevention effort with an emphasis on evaluation.  Its focus is on children aged three to five years, their caretakers, and those who work with their parents and caretakers.  Access community and health resources for both healthcare providers and parents.

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United States Department of Agriculture/ Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
http://www.usda.gov/cnpp
This organization helps to define and coordinate nutrition education policy within the USDA and to translate nutrition research into information and materials for consumers, policymakers, and professionals in health, education, industry and media fields.  Download the Food Pyramid for Young Children at this site. 

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/scientific.htm
This site provides access to health statistics and surveillance data.  

Children with Special Health Care Needs

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The American Academy of Pediatrics

http://www.aap.org/advocacy/epcovrltr.htm

This link will take you to the Emergency Information Form developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and explains the importance of using form for children with special health care needs.

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American Red Cross
www.redcross.org
The American Red Cross designed this booklet for anyone who has a disability or who works with, lives with, or assists a person with a disability. The booklet has information on possible disaster effects, assessing personal needs and abilities, and suggestions about forming a personal support group.  

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The Department of Homeland Security

Ready America

http://www.ready.gov/america/about/instructional.html

This website will link you to instructional an instruction video for how to prepare Americans with disabilities for an emergency situation. The website also includes instructional videos for preparing older adults, families, and pets.

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Florida Institute for Family Involvement
http://www.fifionline.org/disaster_plan.php
This website provides information on disaster preparedness for families with special needs and also has a Disaster Information Form for Children with Special Needs. 

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National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
http://www.nasponline.org/
This website provides information and resources on helping children with disabilities and special needs cope with a crisis. Includes tips for school personnel and parents.  

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National Organization on Disability
www.nod.org/emergency
This site provides information regarding planning, preparedness and specialized emergency equipment for individuals with disabilities.  It also features a bulletin board where users can post questions and discuss challenges, solutions, and best practices. 

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U. S. Department of Homeland Security - Ready.gov
http://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/disabled.html
A number of resources are available on this site.  It also identifies how to address the special needs of infants, the elderly and persons with disabilities during a disaster situation. 

Disaster Education and Training  Resources

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American Academy of Pediatrics
Children, Terrorism and Disasters
www.aap.org/terrorism
This website addresses:

• Clinical questions and concerns regarding children, terrorism, and disasters;

• Emergency Preparedness for Children with Special Health Care Needs;

• Guidelines for Emergency Medical Care in Schools;

• Information about assisting parents, caregivers, and communities in times of crisis;

• Links to federal, state, and local organizations working on terrorism/disaster planning;

• Links to the AAP Bookstore for additional information and resources. 

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American Academy of Pediatrics
Online CME Courses
www.pedialink.org
The American Academy of Pediatrics offers two online courses through their PediaLink Learning Center website.  1.  Hot Topics – Disaster Preparedness can be accessed at http://www.pedialink.org/cmefinder/search-detail.cfm/key/b35f1f64-025c-41bb-b7ff-40f85e131956/type/course/grp/2/task/details.  This course assists pediatricians and other healthcare practitioners in managing the needs of families with chronically ill children/special needs children after a disaster event.  2.  Pediatric Prescribing Update can be accessed at http://www.pedialink.org/cmefinder/search-detail.cfm?key=ced77301-7342-4514-8bfe-96644ce1359e&type=course&grp=2&task=details.  It  was developed to assist physicians in better understanding bioterrorism pharmaceuticals and their use in children, as well as how to appropriately prescribe counteragent medications , and counsel parents and caregivers on medication dosing, safety and efficacy.  

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Bioterrorism and Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM): What the Public Needs to Know
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/alerts/bioterrorism
This site defines CAM and gives the government’s recommendations regarding CAM and bioterrorism events. 

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Center for Advanced Distance Learning (CADE)

http://www.publichealthgames.com/wp/?page_id=20

This website has a number of games and simulations that are publicly available that can be used for learning and training purposes. Games include a mass dispensing simulation and other games related to public health disaster scenarios. CEU’s are available for most games. 

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The Center for Pediatric Emergency Medicine (CPEM)
www.cpem.org
The CPEM website provides access to the following educational resources:

• TRIPP BLS - Teaching Resource for Instructors in Prehospital Pediatrics.  An encyclopedic resource guide to help instructors teach prehospital personnel basic lifesaving support procedures for children.  Available for downloading.

• TRIPP ALS - The paramedic version of TRIPP expands the scope of prehospital practice from basic to advanced life support procedures, and incorporates the most recent guidelines from the American Heart Association.

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Centers for Public Health Preparedness: Resource Center
http://preparedness.asph.org/
This link will take you to a searchable database of emergency response and training resources. Materials such as DVDs, archived webcasts, and CD-ROMs are available for training on a variety of topics.

 
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Children’s Hospital & Health System, Wisconsin
http://www.chawisconsin.org/traumapreparedness_flash.htm
This website provides access to twelve interactive educational modules that assist healthcare professionals in becoming better prepared to address traumatic incidents, disaster/bioterrorism events and infectious disease outbreaks that involve the pediatric population.  A number of resources are accessible through this website as well. 

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Emergency Nurses Association
www.ena.org
The Emergency Nurses Association website provides information about the Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course (ENPC) as well as other pediatric clinical care resource guidelines. 

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Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
www.training.fema.gov
This website provides comprehensive training and educational resources, including course offerings from both the Emergency Management Institute (EMI) and the National Fire Academy (NFA). These resources target fire service, allied professions, emergency management officials as well as members of the general public.  Some of these trainings are independent study courses.

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FEMA National Incident Management System (NIMS) Training Program
www.training.fema.gov
An independent study course titled “IS700 - National Incident Management System (NIMS) an Introduction” can be accessed through this website.  This on-line course takes about 3 hours to complete, and includes a post test and verification of pass/fail. 

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Illinois Medical Emergency Response Team (IMERT)
www.imert.org
The IMERT training workshop contains a pediatric considerations component.  For a listing of IMERT trainings, check their website. 

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Illinois Poison Center
http://www.mchc.org/ipc/pepid.asp
Biological, Chemical and Nuclear Treatment Guidelines can be downloaded from this site to PDA devices.  For other Illinois Poison Center resources, go to www.mchc.org/ipc  

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John Hopkins Public Health Preparedness Programs

http://www.jhsph.edu/preparedness/training/online/index.html

The Centers for Public Health Preparedness (CPHP) are a national network developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH) to train public health and healthcare workforce to respond to threats, such as bioterrorism, infectious disease outbreaks, and other public health emergencies. This site includes a list of all member agencies of the CPHP network, and includes educational offerings.

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National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)
http://www.missingkids.com
This organization works to find missing children and provide assistance to their families.  The site has a databank listing of children who are less than 21 years of age and who have been reported missing or displaced. 

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Pediatric Education for Prehospital Professionals (PEPP)
www.peppsite.com
The PEPP course was developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. It is a curriculum designed specifically to teach prehospital professionals how to better assess and manage ill or injured children.  

Family Preparedness Resources

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American Academy of Pediatrics: Family Readiness Kit

http://www.aap.org/family/frk/frkit.htm

This “kit” is a 35 page booklet that includes information and guidance for partners on how to prepare themselves and their families for a disaster. The materials are available in both English and Spanish.

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Bioterrorism and Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM): What the Public Needs to Know
http://nccam.nih.gov/news/alerts/bioterrorism/
This site defines CAM and gives the government’s recommendations regarding CAM and bioterrorism events. 

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Centers for Disease Control
Helping Parents Cope with Disaster
This tip sheet provides information to parents so they can help their children better cope in a disaster.  Because it is difficult to predict how children will react with disasters, this tip sheet outlines changes in emotions and behaviors that parents should be on the alert for, and identifies strategies that parents can use to assist their children.

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Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/training_mat.shtm
The C.E.R.T. training course is a community curriculum aimed at better preparing community members to respond to disasters or terrorist events. 

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American Red Cross
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.d8aaecf214c576bf971e4cfe43181aa0/?vgnextoid=72c51a53f1c37110VgnVCM1000003481a10aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default
This link provides access to many family preparedness resources including: Your Family Disaster Plan, a brochure describing four steps to disaster safety:  finding out what can happen, planning, preparing, and practicing. Also, Your Family Disaster Supplies Kit- This brochure has information on assemblying a Disaster Supplies Kit and a checklist of items for the kit. Both are available in multiple languages. 

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Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
http://www.fema.gov/index.shtm
This website contains several links to educational materials that can be used by parents and teachers for helping children prepare for a disaster or crisis situation.  It also reviews ways to effectively talk with children about the threats of biological warfare or terrorism attack. 

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National Center for Children Exposed to Violence
www.nccev.org
This site provides a guide for parents as they talk with their children about war and violence. 

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National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)
http://www.missingkids.com
This organization works to find missing children and provide assistance to their families.  The site has a databank listing of children who are less than 21 years of age and who have been reported missing or displaced. 

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National Child Traumatic Stress Network
www.nctsnet.org
This website provides access to a checklist and wallet cards to help family preparedness in the event of a disaster.  A Family Preparedness Plan helps ensure that families are “on the same page” when it comes to planning whom to call.  The Family Preparedness Wallet Card includes important telephone numbers and website for emergency information. 

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National EMSC
After the Emergency Is Over: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Children and Youth
http://bolivia.hrsa.gov/emsc/downloads/ptsd/PTSD.pdf
This fact sheet is available to download from this site, and is a valuable resource in identifying children at risk for PTSD and the need for further mental health assistance and referral. 

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PBS Parents: Talking with Kids About War & Violence 
www.pbs.org/parents/issuesadvice/talkingwithkids/war
This organization has designed a guide to help parents develop effective ways to communicate, monitor exposure to news, and address their child’s fears. 

Illinois Volunteer Information 

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The American Red Cross
http://www.redcross.org/where/chapts.asp#IL
This link will take you to a list of the Illinois Red Cross Chapters. Click on the chapter that is closest to you and find out what volunteer opportunities they have available.

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Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
http://www.citizencorps.gov/cc/CertIndex.do?reportsForState&cert=&state=IL
The CERT training program was developed to provide individuals, businesses, and social organizations the initial training to sustain themselves, their families, and neighbors during the initial period following a disaster until first responders can arrive. The above link will take you to a list of the Illinois CERT Chapters, where you can contact them about future trainings and becoming a member.

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Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA)
http://www.state.il.us/iema/training/courses/dev_volunteer/dev_volunteer.htm
This site provides access to a training course for managers of volunteers. 

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Illinois Medical Emergency Response Team (IMERT)
www.imert.org
IMERT is a volunteer organization for all levels of emergency medical personnel whose mission it is to respond to and assist with emergency medical treatment at mass casualty incidents.  They also coordinate educational programs for EMS participants in Illinois.  To obtain additional information or to volunteer, visit their website. 

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Illinois Nursing Volunteer Emergency Needs Team (INVENT)
www.inventrn.org
INVENT is a volunteer group of Registered Nurses (RN’s) that are trained to respond and provide nursing care during a state disaster or emergency situation, upon activation by the Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health or designee.  To obtain additional information or to volunteer, visit their website. 

Mental Health Resources

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American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
www.aacap.org
This website includes “Facts for Families”, a fact sheet on ADHD, ODD (oppositional defiant disorder), teen suicide, psychosis, conduct disorder, bedwetting, and other topics. 

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American Psychiatric Association
www.psych.org
The American Psychiatric Association’s website includes press releases and fact sheets on the psychiatric dimensions of disaster. 

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American Psychological Association
www.apa.org
This site addresses concerns about when to seek professional help, how to help one’s family and self, and how to specifically assist children. 

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Centers for Disease Control
Helping Parents Cope with Disaster
This tip sheet provides information to parents so they can help their children better cope in a disaster.  Because it is difficult to predict how children will react with disasters, this tip sheet outlines changes in emotions and behaviors that parents should be on the alert for, and identifies strategies that parents can use to assist their children.

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Children’s National Medical Center, Washington D.C.
International Center to Heal Our Children (ICHOC)
http://www.childrensnational.org/ICHOC/
This program has developed a number of resources for parents, teachers and healthcare providers to assist and support children during and after traumatic events.  

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Child Welfare League of America
www.cwla.org
This website offers information on various topics promoting the well-being of children, youth and their families.  

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Helping Children Cope with Disaster
http://www.fema.gov/pdf/library/children.pdf
This document offers parents, caregivers and other providers information on how to prepare before a disaster occurs and how to help children cope following a disaster.

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National Alliance on Mental Illness
www.nami.org
This site offers links to local chapters as well as informational support, education, advocacy, and research for persons living with mental illness and their families. 

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National Association of School Psychologists
www.nasponline.org
This website offers extensive materials, in many languages, addressing suicide prevention, promoting tolerance, recognizing severe trauma reaction, and helping children with special needs cope. 

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National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
www.naswdc.org
The NASW website includes a variety of resources and links, including information on behavioral health.

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National Institute of Mental Health
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml
This organization offers information on post traumatic stress disorders. 

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National Mental Health Association
www.nmha.org/children/index.cfm
This organization offers information focusing on children and families affected by mental health problems. 

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National Mental Health Information Center

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/

From the homepage you can find the Mental Health Services locator. This tool will allow you to search for mental health resources for children available in your area.

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Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 
www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/cmhs/managinganxiety/tips.asp#children
This organization’s website contains tips for parents and emergency/disaster response workers in talking about traumatic events with children. 

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The Child Advocate
www.childadvocate.net/disaster.htm
This website is sponsored through Penn State Hershey Medical Center and the College of Medicine.  It provides basic information on helping children after a disaster.  The website also contains a downloadable booklet entitled Helping Children Cope after a Disaster for parents and professionals. 

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“You Can Ask!”
http://www.sesameworkshop.org/initiatives/emotion/youcanask
The Sesame Workshop developed this website, which includes: A Sesame Street video for parents and preschoolers, a guide for parents and caregivers, tips for talking with pre-school and school-age children, online resources for adults and activities for children.  

Pediatric Triage

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Disaster Preparedness Exercises Addressing the Pediatric Population

Illinois EMSC

http://www.luhs.org/depts/emsc/pedsexercisesdec06.pdf (617K)

This resource provides sample drill scenarios and tabletop exercises that include pediatric patients. This resource can assist in preparing an organization to treat critically ill or injured pediatric patients during an actual disaster or mass casualty incident (MCI).

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Duke Enhancing Pediatric Safety (DEPS)
www.dukehealth1.org/deps
Duke University Health System has developed pediatric mass casualty incident guidelines as well as a chemical exposure protocol.  In addition, their website provides access to a downloadable study packet that reviews appropriate use of the Broselow™ Pediatric Emergency Tape.  This tape provides length determination calculations in emergency pediatric care. It includes drug dosages, equipment sizes, infusion calculations, trauma scoring, and much more. 

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JumpSTART (Simple Triage and Rapid Assessment)
www.jumpstarttriage.com
JumpSTART is a triage system specifically for children ages 1-8 years in mass-casualty events.  It was developed by Lou Romig, MD, medical director for the South Florida Regional Disaster Medical Assistance Team.  A videotape on JumpSTART is also available from the National EMSC Clearinghouse at www.ems-c.org.

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Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment (START) Triage System

http://www.citmt.org/start/overview.htm

This system uses the assessment of respiration, perfusion and mental status (RPM) to make a primary triage decision in less than 30 seconds. This link provides information and materials related to the START system.

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Triaging Kids during a Disaster CD-ROM

Delaware EMSC Program

This interactive teaching/training tool provides healthcare professionals with information on how to appropriately triage children.  For more information contact Delaware EMSC Program Manager, Division of Public Health & DuPont Hospital for Children, 655 South Bay Rd., Suite 4H, Dover, DE 19901 or Marie Renzi, RN, MSN at marie.renzi@state.de.us 

Policy and Guideline Resources

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Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: Pediatric HospitalSurge Capacity in Publich Health Emergencies
http://archive.ahrq.gov/prep/pedhospital/
This document consists of guidelines to assist pediatric hospitals in converting from standard operating capacity to surge capacity and help community hospital emergency departments provide care for large numbers of critically ill children.  The tool addresses needs such as communications, staff responsibilities, triaging, stress management, and security concerns when handling large numbers of children with either communicable respiratory diseases or communicable foodborne or waterborne illnesses.

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Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality School-Based Emergency Preparedness: A National Analysis and Recommended Protocol
http://archive.ahrq.gov/prep/schoolprep/
This document provides a national model for school-based emergency response planning.  It provides guidance on the recommended steps for both creating and implementing a school-based emergency response plan. Steps outlined include performing needs assessments, conducting site surveys, developing training modules for school staff, and informing parents of the plan, as well as steps relating to building security and safety, preparation for large-scale emergencies, sheltering-in-place and lockdown, evacuation, relocation, and communications. Included with the guidance is a model school-based emergency response plan developed by the Brookline, Mass. school district in cooperation with the Center for Biopreparedness, the division of Harvard Medical School that prepared both sets of guidelines under contract to AHRQ.

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American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Women and Infants Service Package (WISP)
National Working Group for Women and Infant Needs in the United States
(605K)
Pregnant women and newborn infants are two vulnerable populations that are not always included in emergency and disaster planning.  This document provides guidelines to assist in planning for pregnant women and newborn infants during a disaster event.  These guidelines can be utilized by state and local government as well as nongovernmental organizations, private groups and individuals to better meet the needs of pregnant women and newborns.

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American Medical Association: Center for Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/physician-resources/public-health/center-public-health-preparedness-disaster-response.shtml
This website features a comprehensive collection of JAMA articles with a terrorism preparedness focus and offers information about bioterrorism/biological agents, preparedness, diagnosis and treatment. 

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CDC Identifying and Protecting Displaced Children
http://www.scdhec.gov/health/disease/han/docs/HAN-20050928-01.pdf
This site provides access to a protocol to rapidly identify and protect displaced children following a disaster incident. 

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Emergency Preparedness and Response
www.bt.cdc.gov
This site provides access to information on agents, diseases and other threats.  Links to lab information, training and education, surveillance and The Early Warning Infectious Diseases Surveillance Program (EWIDS).  It includes information on how to report a biological, chemical or radiological agent release emergency.

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Centers for the Study of Bioterrorism and Emerging Infections
Institute for Bio-Security
www.bioterrorism.slu.edu/
This website provides public health and emergency response professionals with the education needed for preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation of emerging public health threats. 

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Emergency Information Form
http://www.aap.org/advocacy/eif.doc
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Emergency Physicians created this Emergency Information Form (EIF) for parents.  It provides pertinent medical information in one accessible place and helps physicians, parents, EMS professionals, and nurses provide prompt and appropriate care.  This form could be a major help to parents and guardians as they begin the process of developing new health records for children in preparation for health care screenings. 

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Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
www.hrsa.gov
The HRSA website provides access to governmental and public policy resources and links related to bioterrorism and disaster preparedness. 

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Illinois Department of Public Health
www.idph.state.il.us/Bioterrorism/default.htm
The site provides information about bioterrorism, biological agents, emergency response, and guidelines for healthcare providers.

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Illinois EMSC
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Evacuation Guidelines (1.2M)  
Evacuation of an NICU is a high risk activity and requires a carefully planned approach due to the fragile medical condition of these infants, the various medical technology/devices they depend upon for survival, and the overall surge capacity/transfer pattern in managing an increase in NICU patients.  These guidelines were developed through the Illinois EMSC program to assist in ensuring a statewide consistent approach to this process. 

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Illinois EMSC
http://www.luhs.org/depts/emsc/peddisasterguide.pdf  (250K)  
This set of guidelines is a resource to assist in addressing the needs of children during disaster planning.  The four phases of disaster (prevention/mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery) are used as a framework throughout the document to identify the specific needs of children and strategies for meeting those needs.  The manual also contains a handy checklist.   

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National Association of Childcare Resource and Referral Agencies
http://www.naccrra.org/disaster/
This webpage provides access to a number of resources for child care providers, parents of children in child care and emergency planners to assure that child care settings are prepared in the event of a disaster.

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New York State Department of Health
Pediatric and Obstetrical Emergency Preparedness Toolkit, A Guideline for Hospitals
http://www.nyhealth.gov/facilities/hospital/emergency_preparedness/
guideline_for_hospitals/index.htm
The New York Department of Health has collaborated with multiple state agencies to develop this tool kit to address the needs of pregnant women and children during times of a disaster. This toolkit was designed as a resource for hospitals that do not routinely provide care to pregnant women and children, particularly those without pediatric intensive care services or obstetrical/newborn services.  It aims to assist these hospitals in planning and strategizing in the provision of protective measures, treatment and acute care for the pediatric and obstetric population during a disaster. 

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Save The Children USA Foundation
The Unique Needs of Children in Emergencies:  A Guide for the Inclusion of Children in Emergency Operations Plans
www.savethechildren.org/usemergency
Save the Children USA is a member of the International Save the Children Alliance, a global network of 28 independent Save the Children organizations working to ensure the well-being and protection of children in more than 120 countries.  Their website has a number of resources that families and organizations can use to ensure better preparedness for children, i.e. their Safe Spaces program distributes kits that can help volunteers set up structured activities for children in evacuation shelters shelters and other locations.

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American Red Cross
http://www.redcross.org/disaster/masters/
The American Red Cross provides access to a number of disaster related educational tools, resources, videos and brochures for children, including “Masters of Disaster”, a curriculum that can be used to teach students about disaster safety. 

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FEMA for Kids
www.fema.gov/kids
This is an interactive website that helps children, parents and teachers learn about and cope with disasters/crises. 

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Magellan Health Services
http://www.magellanassist.com/default.aspx
This site provides health and wellness information as well as tools and resources to help cope with crises. 

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Sesame Workshop
http://www.sesamestreet.org/parents/topicsandactivities/toolkits/ready/plan
Family preparedness is essential as communities work to ensure disaster readiness.  Sesame Street has developed their Let’s Get Ready! Planning Together for Emergencies website to offer family friendly resources and tips on emergency preparedness.  Bilingual materials (Spanish and English) are presented in an age-appropriate manner to help families with young children between the ages of two and five prepare for an emergency.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
http://archive.ahrq.gov/prep/pedhospital/
This document consists of guidelines to assist pediatric hospitals in converting from standard operating capacity to surge capacity and help community hospital emergency departments provide care for large numbers of critically ill children.  The tool addresses needs such as communications, staff responsibilities, triaging, stress management, and security concerns when handling large numbers of children with either communicable respiratory diseases or communicable foodborne or waterborne illnesses.

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Pediatric Disaster Preparedness Guidelines
Illinois EMSC
http://www.luhs.org/depts/emsc/peddisasterguide.pdf
This set of guidelines is a resource to assist in addressing the needs of children during disaster planning.  For guidelines specific to pediatric surge capacity see pages 7 and 10. 

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CDC Identifying and Protecting Displaced Children
http://www.scdhec.gov/health/disease/han/docs/HAN-20050928-01.pdf
This site provides access to a protocol to rapidly identify and protect displaced children following a disaster incident.

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Pediatric Disaster Preparedness Guidelines
Illinois EMSC
http://www.luhs.org/depts/emsc/peddisasterguide.pdf (397K)
This set of guidelines is a resource to assist in addressing the needs of children during disaster planning.  For guidelines specific to security issues see page 9.

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Decontamination

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Pediatric Disaster Preparedness Guidelines
Illinois EMSC
http://www.luhs.org/depts/emsc/peddisasterguide.pdf (397K)

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Pediatric Disaster Tool Kit: Hospital Guidelines for Pediatrics in Disasters, 3^rd Edition
NYC Department of Health
http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/bhpp/bhpp-focus-ped.shtml
These guidelines developed by the New York City Department of Health recognize that all hospitals may receive pediatric patients during a Mass Casualty Event.  Includes guidelines specific to pediatric decontamination.

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National Association of School Nurses
www.nasn.org
This organization provides information on their Disaster Preparedness for School Nurses training curriculum and other disaster related resources for schools and school nurses. 

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National Child Traumatic Stress Network
http://www.nctsnet.org/resources/audiences/school-personnel/the-3r-school-crises-and-disasters
This website includes a Checklist for Schools prepared in coordination with the U.S. Dept. of Education, to assist administrators and principals assess and address mental health issues and ensure the safety and well-being of students and school personnel before, during, and after an emergency. 

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National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities
www.edfacilities.org/rl/disaster.cfm
This website contains a section on Disaster Preparedness for Schools with resources on retrofitting schools to withstand natural disasters and terrorism, developing emergency preparedness plans, and using school buildings to shelter community members during emergencies. 

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National EMSC
Emergency Guidelines for Schools: Guidelines for Helping an Ill or Injured Student When the School Nurse is not Available. Third Edition http://www.childrensnational.org/emsc/pubres/downloaddocs.aspx#publications
These guidelines are color-coded, first-aid flowcharts intended to serve as an emergency care resource for staff without full-time medical or nursing support. More than 40 of the most common pediatric illnesses or injuries are arranged alphabetically for quick reference. The guidelines also include a list of recommended first aid equipment and supplies for schools, and universal precautions to prevent or reduce the spread of infectious diseases. 

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National School Safety and Security Services
www.schoolsecurity.org/terrorist_response.html
This website contains access to the document “School Security and Crisis Planning Strategies for Preventing and Responding to Terrorism.”  

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U.S. Department of Agriculture, Healthy School Meals Resource System
http://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=14&tax_level=1
(click on Food Safety/Emergency Preparedness links)
This site provides information on food safety, emergency preparedness, biosecurity checklists for school foodservices program and developing a biosecurity management plan. 

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U.S. Dept. of Education, Emergency Planning
www.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/emergencyplan/index.html
This website provides school leaders with information they need in order to plan for any emergency, including natural disasters, violent incidents and terrorist acts.

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University of New Mexico
Emergency Education for School Nurses
http://hsc.unm.edu/emermed/PED/school_rn/course.shtml
The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center has developed this online educational program which provides emergency care education specific to nurses working in the school setting.   This program consists of 15 modules that address various aspects of emergency planning within the school setting, a review of key body system issues (i.e. airway, musculoskeletal) and corresponding simulated school emergency scenarios.

AHRQ Publication No. 05-0043, April, 2005
http://archive.ahrq.gov/research/altstand/
This AHRQ document offers an overview of health and medical care delivery during a Mass Casualty Event and discusses various issues which must be addressed in terms of altered standards of care.  It recommends guiding principles and a framework for establishing altered standards of care, action steps, legal issues to consider and other non-clinical issues (i.e. finance, reimbursement).

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American Medical Association: Center for Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/physician-resources/public-health/center-public-health-preparedness-disaster-response.page
This website features a comprehensive collection of JAMA articles with a terrorism preparedness focus and offers information about bioterrorism/biological agents, preparedness, diagnosis and treatment.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Emergency Preparedness and Response
www.bt.cdc.gov
This site provides access to information on agents, diseases and other threats.  Links to lab information, training and education, surveillance and The Early Warning Infectious Diseases Surveillance Program (EWIDS).  It includes information on how to report a biological, chemical or radiological agent release emergency.

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Centers for the Study of Bioterrorism and Emerging Infections
Institute for Bio-Security
www.bioterrorism.slu.edu/
This website provides public health and emergency response professionals with the education needed for preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation of emerging public health threats.

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Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
www.hrsa.gov
The HRSA website provides access to governmental and public policy resources and links related to bioterrorism and disaster preparedness.

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Illinois Department of Public Health
www.idph.state.il.us/Bioterrorism/default.htm
The site provides information about bioterrorism, biological agents, emergency response, and guidelines for healthcare providers.