Magnitude 7.4 Earthquake Kills 200 in Colombia, Toll Feared to Top 1,000

Practical preparedness for uncertain times

We’re back from hiatus. Thanks for joining us.

My 12-year-old niece was home alone for about two hours when a power outage hit our neighborhood. She had her parents number as well as mine, a flashlight, and no instructions beyond "call me if anything happens." She called. I was 20 minutes away. She was fine but scared, and I realized I'd never taught her what to do during an outage when no adult was home. The difference between "she's old enough to be alone" and "she's prepared to handle things alone" was wider than I'd assumed.

Here's what I've got this morning:

When Kids Are On Their Own During an Emergency

Teaching kids preparedness (Issue 36) assumes an adult is present. But latchkey kids, kids home after school, kids with parents delayed by traffic or work, may face a disruption alone. Age-appropriate preparation for this specific scenario builds confidence and capability without creating anxiety.

The foundation is a simple, written instruction card posted in a visible location (refrigerator, inside a kitchen cabinet). It should cover: parent contact numbers, neighbor contact numbers (at least two neighbors who are usually home), the address of the house (kids forget under stress), what to do during a power outage (flashlight location, stay inside, call parent), what to do if the smoke alarm sounds (get out, go to the neighbor's house, call 911), and what to do if a stranger comes to the door (don't open it, don't answer, call parent).

The instruction card should be written at the child's reading level. Practice it with them. Walk through each scenario once. "If the lights go out, where's the flashlight? Good. Now what do you do?" One practice run eliminates most panic.

Age-appropriate thresholds matter. A mature 10-year-old can follow an instruction card and call for help. A 13-year-old can manage a flashlight, lock doors, and make judgment calls about whether a situation is serious. A 16-year-old can manage most household disruptions independently with proper training.

The emergency supply accessible to kids should include: a working flashlight (practice turning it on), a charged phone or a landline, the instruction card, a snack and water bottle, and a comfort item for younger children.

What NOT to have kids do: don't have them operate generators, gas stoves, or fuel-burning equipment. Don't have them go outside to investigate noises or check on neighbors. Don't have them make decisions about evacuation without adult guidance (unless the situation is immediately life-threatening, like a fire).

The neighbor network (Issue 70) is the safety net. If your child is home alone and something happens, the first call is to you. The second call is to the designated neighbor who can physically check on them. Having that neighbor's name and number on the instruction card closes the gap between "kid calls parent" and "adult arrives."

Create a simple emergency instruction card for your child and practice it once.

Write it. Post it. Walk through it together. "If the power goes out, do this. If the fire alarm goes off, do this. If you're scared, call this person." One practice session. Ten minutes. A prepared child instead of a panicking one.

Bird Flu Returns to 12 States, Threatening the Egg Price Drop

USDA has confirmed new bird flu detections in commercial poultry flocks across 12 states. Egg prices fell to $2.19 a dozen in May, down 35 percent from a year earlier, but 12.4 million laying hens were culled this spring alone, more than double the 5.4 million lost in the entire second half of 2025. USDA's own economists expect retail prices to start climbing again within six to eight weeks of these detections.

If eggs are part of your regular rotation, this is worth stocking up on before prices move, and it is a reminder that any single-source staple can swing hard with almost no warning.

Source: USDA APHIS, USDA Economic Research Service

Mykel Hawke's Family Survival Guide (about $19, co-written with Ruth England Hawke) addresses children's capability during emergencies with a military family's perspective. His principle: children rise to the level of their training. A child who has practiced a response executes it. A child who has only been told about a response freezes.

Hawke recommends age-appropriate "missions" that build capability incrementally. A 10-year-old's mission: find the flashlight, turn it on, call mom. A 14-year-old's mission: find the flashlight, check that doors are locked, call mom, and text the neighbor. Each mission is specific, achievable, and practiced.

Magnitude 7.4 Earthquake Kills 200 in Colombia, Toll Feared to Top 1,000

A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck near San Jose del Palmar in Colombia's Choco region on August 10, the country's strongest quake since the 1920s. At least 200 people are confirmed dead, and the US Geological Survey estimates roughly a one in three chance the toll eventually exceeds 1,000. Search and rescue crews are still digging through collapsed buildings in Cali, Pereira, Manizales, and Quibdo on day three, and tremors were felt as far away as Bogota and Ecuador.

Most US households sit somewhere with real seismic risk, not just California. A written family reunification plan and an out of area contact matter more than any gear, since local phone networks jam within minutes of a major quake and cell towers can be knocked out entirely.

Source: Newsweek

Kid-Friendly Emergency Card (Laminated)

I created a laminated card for my daughter with large text, simple instructions, and phone numbers for me, my wife, two neighbors, and 911. It includes her home address (written out), flashlight location, and three scenarios with step-by-step responses.

We practiced all three scenarios on a Sunday afternoon. She now knows the card's location by heart, can find the flashlight in the dark, and knows which neighbor to go to if she can't reach us. The card cost $2 to laminate. The peace of mind is substantial. Free to create.

Budget alternative: A handwritten note taped to the inside of a kitchen cabinet with phone numbers and basic instructions. Free. Equally effective.

Overrated: Smart home devices as child safety tools. Alexa can call contacts, but it requires power and internet. A laminated card and a charged phone work without either.

Underrated: Practice runs during calm moments. Walking a child through "what would you do if..." scenarios while you're both relaxed builds neural pathways that activate under stress. One practice run is worth a hundred explanations.

Ready.gov: Kids: Age-appropriate emergency preparedness resources for children.

Red Cross: Babysitting Safety: Includes emergency response training for older children.

Safe Kids Worldwide: Child safety resources including home-alone preparedness.

Nuclear and radiological awareness. The facts, not the fear, about nuclear threats. What's realistic, what's survivable, and what you actually need to know.

PS: My niece has been home alone during two minor outages since we created the card. Both times she found the flashlight, called me or her parents, and calmly reported the situation. Both times we said "exactly right" and someone home within 20 minutes. The confidence in her voice was different from the scared call before. Preparation changes the experience completely.