Tsunamis are a series of enormous waves created by an underwater disturbance such as an earthquake, landslide, volcanic eruption, or meteorite. A tsunami can move hundreds of miles per hour in the open ocean and smash into land with waves as high as 100 feet or more.
  

From the area where the tsunami originates, waves travel outward in all directions. Once the wave approaches the shore, it builds in height. There may be more than one wave and the succeeding one may be larger than the one before. That is why a small tsunami at one beach can be a giant wave a few miles away.
 

In the information age we live in, we can never seem to get anything fast enough. We demand instant satisfaction and answers to our questions. And things like air conditioning and automatic washers that were once extravagant luxuries are now taken for granted. Even the food we prepare is usually out of a box (or a drive through window). We can never seem to get too much convenience and most of our needs are virtually at our fingertips (when is the last time you actually stood up to turn on the TV?).

Emergencies are stressful for everyone—that’s no secret. However, there are several ways you can prepare to make them more comfortable for you and your family. One of the best options for keeping things calmer is to choose the right “emergency” foods. Here are some suggestions:

Store high calorie comfort foods in your emergency kits. Foods high in sugar and calories may not be the healthiest option for your family, but they have unique calming qualities. Chocolate is an especially good option. Fruit bars, granola bars, energy bars, cereal, and other foods high in calories are also good options.

Take a minute and ask yourself whether or not you feel completely comfortable dropping your child off at school, or a friend's house, or the mall.
 

Children spend approximately 25% of their time away from home. This percentage grows as they get older and become more interested in their friends. Would your child know what to do if an emergency struck away from home?

Starting an emergency plan is important for all families and age groups. The younger a child is when he/she is taught about emergency planning, the better things will go in the event of a disaster. Please keep in mind that emergency planning is not exclusive to giant attacking monsters or the earth freezing over. Make sure you include minor calamities in your emergency plan such as cuts, power outages, bug bites, CPR, etc.