Preparing Families and Students to Cope with Eco-Disasters: Age-Specific Actions for Wildfire Preparedness and Emotional Resilience
by Ricardo Perez
The recent devastating wildfires in Los Angeles and the Palisades at the start of 2025 underscore the urgent need for families and students to be prepared for eco-disasters and equipped to cope emotionally with their impacts. With thousands of homes, schools, and community spaces destroyed, and many families still recovering, it is critical to provide practical, age-appropriate guidance that can empower children and youth at every stage of development. This blog post offers concrete, age-specific actions to help elementary, middle school, and high school students prepare for wildfires and other eco-disasters, alongside vital tips on how families can talk about these difficult topics with care. It also highlights pathways for meaningful youth involvement, including the high-impact Counselor-In-Training (CIT) program by the Children’s Lifesaving Foundation (CLF), which continues to support families affected by the recent LA fires.
Elementary-Aged Children: Simple Safety and Emotional Comfort
For young children, understanding wildfires and other natural disasters can be overwhelming and scary. Families should focus on creating a safe and predictable environment, starting with basic wildfire preparedness. This includes practicing emergency evacuation drills, teaching children how to call 911, and explaining important safety rules in clear, simple language that matches their developmental level (Carla Pineda, 2025). Limiting exposure to distressing news or social media about disasters helps reduce anxiety, while encouraging children to express their feelings through play, drawing, or storytelling supports healthy coping (Calm Editorial Team, n.d.).
When discussing wildfires, parents and caregivers are advised to be honest but gentle—answer children’s questions patiently without overwhelming them with details, and always reassure them of family safety plans (Carla Pineda, 2025). Resources like the National Child Traumatic Stress Network’s “Trinka and Sam” storybooks provide age-appropriate narratives that help young kids process wildfire experiences with empathy (Wildfire Resources | The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, n.d.). Involving children in small acts of environmental care, such as recycling or planting flowers, can help them feel connected and useful, reducing helplessness (Engaging Kids in Wildfire Prevention - Current News at the BRA, n.d.). The Children's Lifesaving Foundation offers summer camps for children to care for our natural environment and ecosystems, and learn about the magic of nature.
Middle School Youth: Informed Engagement and Skill-Building
Middle school students are developmentally ready to learn more about the causes of wildfires and the practical steps families can take to prepare as a unit. Encouraging preteens to participate in family emergency plan development, keep emergency supply kits updated, and learn evacuation routes strengthens both skills and confidence (Wildfire Resources | The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, n.d.). Educational programs that integrate wildfire prevention and climate change awareness can equip this age group with science-based understanding to combat fear with knowledge (All About Wildfires: Causes, Effects, and Educational Activities, n.d.).
Open, honest conversations remain key—parents and educators should create safe spaces for middle schoolers to share anxieties and questions about eco-disasters while modeling calm and hopeful attitudes (Calm Editorial Team, n.d.). Schools can support this through wildfire preparedness drills and by offering resources from organizations like FEMA’s Student Tools for Emergency Planning (STEP)
Middle school youth can also channel their growing drive for agency by joining age-appropriate environmental volunteering projects, such as community cleanups, native plant restoration, or wildfire awareness campaigns (Engaging Kids in Wildfire Prevention - Current News at the BRA, n.d.). These activities foster connection, purpose, and positive action amid uncertainty.
High School Youth: Leadership through CIT and Community Advocacy
High school-aged youth can play transformative roles in disaster preparedness and recovery as leaders and advocates. The Counselor-In-Training (CIT) program by the Children’s Lifesaving Foundation offers teens an exceptional opportunity to develop leadership skills by supporting younger kids.. This program not only cultivates personal growth but empowers youth to contribute actively to their communities, which are essential skills to navigating the aftermaths of natural disasters.
Parents and educators can encourage teens to engage in local environmental internships, leadership camps focused on emergency response, and advocacy projects that address systemic issues related to climate change and disaster impacts (High School Students - Ecological Society of America, n.d.). Open dialogue about feelings of climate anxiety paired with concrete volunteer opportunities reinforces emotional well-being while satisfying youth’s desire to make a difference (How Can We Help Kids Cope with Anxiety about Climate Change?, 2023).
Tips on Talking About Eco-Disasters with Children and Youth
Across all age groups, how families communicate about eco-disasters strongly influences emotional outcomes. Experts recommend keeping conversations honest but age-appropriate, avoiding overexposure to news, and emphasizing preparedness to instill a sense of control and safety (Carla Pineda, 2025). Listening carefully to children’s fears and validating their feelings while reassuring them that adults are working to keep them safe helps build trust. (Educated Nannies, 2025).
Parents should prioritize routine to foster stability, create opportunities for questions and dialogue without rushing, and model calm coping strategies themselves (Calm Editorial Team, n.d.). Encouraging proactive family planning and involving youths in these efforts helps reinforce empowerment rather than helplessness ([PDF] Parent Guidelines for Helping Children Impacted by Wildfires, n.d.).
Taking Action Together: Volunteering and Eco-Education
Meaningful action transforms anxiety into empowerment. Families can involve children and youth in age-appropriate volunteer programs that contribute to wildfire prevention, recovery, and environmental stewardship. Elementary-age children can participate in nature appreciation events and simple cleanup activities, while middle schoolers can engage with more involved restoration or educational programs.
High schoolers benefit from leadership and internship opportunities like the CLF’s CIT program, environmental nonprofits, park service volunteering, and conservation internships that blend skill development with service and advocacy. Volunteering not only supports community resilience but also bolsters youths’ emotional health by providing purpose and social connection during uncertain times.
Closing Reflection: Inspiration from a CLF Student Alumni
To close, one of the Children’s Lifesaving Foundation’s student, Cristian Valentino Carrasco and current CSULB Business Information Student, reflects:
“I'm really grateful to CLF for helping me get to where I am—both in school and in life. I've enjoyed all the programs over the years, especially the tutoring support that helped me get through tough subjects in grade school. CLF is full of amazing people, and I have a lot of love for them.”
At CLF, our mission is to ensure that all youth feel empowered to learn about issues impacting our communities like natural disasters and also to pour into our youth and their development and leadership so they can believe in themselves and their power to rise above the unprecedented times we are living. We hope that these age-specific actions offer a roadmap to resilience, safety, and healing for all LA families and communities impacted by the fires.