This episode is based on a reader suggestion that we received from Michelle in Ham Lake, Minnesota:

I enjoy the Bryghtpath podcast. It lets me use a completely different part of my brain and challenges me to apply the ideas to various organizations, not just items of crisis management, but even everyday team operations.

As I read accounts of the Minnehaha Academy explosion and thought about kids going back to school.

Would you consider a parent focused episode about how to talk to children (and practice with children) prior to events? We let schools train our kids, but do we follow up? Do we think about how our kids would respond to a crisis in a way that helps the adults who manage situations?

In this episode of the Managing Uncertainty Podcast, Bryghtpath Principal & CEO Bryan Strawser and Senior Consultant Jennifer Otremba discuss how to talk with your children about a disaster situation. Topics discussed include starting with preparedness at a family and personal level, leading your family through a tragedy, and long-term recovery for families with children.

Episode Transcript

Bryan Strawser:                   We got mail.

Jen Otremba:                        We did.

Bryan Strawser:                   Reader mail. Michelle from Ham Lake, Minnesota. A local reader. Local listener.

Jen Otremba:                        I love mail.

Bryan Strawser:                   Michelle says, “I enjoy the Bryghtpath podcast. It lets me use a completely different part of my brain, and challenges me to apply the ideas to various organizations. Not just items of crisis management, but even everyday team operations. As I read accounts of the Minnehaha Academy explosion, and I thought about kids going back to school, would you consider doing a parent focused episode about how to talk to children, and how to practice with children, prior to events?  Our schools train our kids, but do we ever follow up? Do we think about how our children will respond to a crisis in a way that helps the adults who manage situations?”

Jen Otremba:                        Thanks, Michelle, for sending that in. We’ll talk about those things. This is actually really relevant, because those of you that have not been paying attention, there was a explosion at the Minnehaha Academy.

Bryan Strawser:                   This is a charter school. A very large and well regarded charter school in Minneapolis.

Jen Otremba:                        Yes. It was very scary, although it was summer months, so weren’t that many people around, fortunately, but there were some fatalities.

Bryan Strawser:                   Right. So it’s like they were moving … There’s an additional report that just came out this week. This explosion happened a few weeks ago, now, but it appears that they were doing some gas line work in preparation for moving gas meters, and something caused a leak in the gas line. The gas, of course, filled the building, and then, in the process of some people trying to effect an evacuation, there was an explosion that resulted in some significant destruction of a large portion of the building, and a couple fatalities that were a result of that. So it’s a really timely topic, given what’s happened here in Minneapolis. I think that story was covered nationally when it happened.

Jen Otremba:                        Yeah, it was a big deal, and I think at least one of the fatalities was due to some rubble collapsing on them. It’s just really a very unfortunate situation.

Bryan Strawser:                   It was tragic. It was tragic.