Considerations for Those Supporting Families:
Supporting families during a potential emergency situation can be challenging. Winter storms are threats when there is a risk of losing access to power, heat, or water. This is made worse when travel is unsafe for a time.
Steps
Step 1: Know the people you serve!
- Who has children under age 3? Who has infants?
- How is each family feeding their babies? Direct breastfeeding, pumping, mixed feeding, or completely formula-dependent?
- Which families have less access to resources and are likely to need additional support?
Step 2: Preparation
Before the storm, provide support and guidance to help families prepare. They should secure supplies for at least as long as the storm and any resulting power outages or unsafe travel conditions are predicted to last, or 3 days, whichever is longer. See the guidance for families for more information.
Notes:
- Low-resource families may need extra support in this area. If needed, help them secure the supplies they need, through providing supplies or helping them obtain the supplies if travel is the issue.
- If a family’s home is likely to be impacted for a significant time period, they have special needs, or are more likely to need additional support, discuss possibly moving to a shelter for consistent warmth and support.
Step 3: Check In
After the storm, check in with families, especially those who are most likely to need extra support. Use a Rapid Needs Assessment to determine if they have any support needs around infant and young child feeding. Below are the CDC and SAFE versions.