Kid Safety in Disaster Areas

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Washington, D.C. — EPA is urging residents returning to hurricane impacted areas to remember the youngest victims by protecting them from environmental hazards left behind by the storms.

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"By definition, children explore and learn from the wonders around them," said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. "As a grandfather and the head of EPA I know first hand that children require special attention to keep them safe. This is why EPA is providing information specifically addressing environmental risks that may affect our most vulnerable population."

Children are different from adults as they are more vulnerable to chemicals and organisms in the environment:

Their nervous, immune response, digestive and other bodily systems are still developing and are more easily harmed;
They eat more food, drink more fluids and breathe more air than adults in proportion to their body size, so it is important to take extra care to ensure the safety of their food, drink and air;
Their behavior — such as crawling and placing objects in their mouths — can expose them more to chemicals and organisms in the environment.

To help caregivers, EPA has posted an extensive set of questions and answers entitled "Environmental Risks to Children's Health: Hurricane and Flood Disasters" to supply guidance on topics such as:

Safe water
Safe food
Carbon monoxide
Mold
Asthma
Cleanup, toys, debris, demolition and rebuilding
Chemicals
Pests and pest control, and
Air pollution

To access the Qs and As, visit: http://www.epa.gov/katrina/faqs.htm#13

About EPA

The mission of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is to protect human health and the environment. Since 1970, the EPA has been working for a cleaner, healthier environment for the American people. At laboratories located throughout the nation, the agency works to assess environmental conditions and to identify, understand and solve current and future environmental problems.