Safety Awareness
Name one thing you can identify ahead of time to help move toward safety.
A safe area, exit, trusted adult, or established emergency procedure.
During an emergency, what is the first priority?
Get to safety and follow established emergency instructions.
What is one person you can identify in a safety plan for support?
A trusted adult/support person.
Name one body sign that your trauma alarm may be activated.
Fast heartbeat, tense muscles, sweating, shaking, racing thoughts, stomach discomfort, or feeling on edge.
Why can talking with a trusted adult after community violence help?
Support, safety planning, emotional processing, and connection to resources.
True or False: During an emergency, follow established procedures and trained staff directions.
True.
If you can safely move away from danger, what is an appropriate response?
Move away toward a safer location.
Name one item that belongs in a safety plan.
Safe place, trusted adult, emergency contact, coping skill, safe route, check-in plan, or code word.
Name a grounding skill using the senses.
5-4-3-2-1 or noticing what you see, feel, hear, smell, and taste.
True or False: Everyone responds to community violence the same way.
False.
If a situation is becoming dangerous, name one safe action.
Move away, seek a safe area, notify staff/trusted adults, or contact emergency services when appropriate.
If leaving is not immediately possible, what is the general goal?
Get to a safer location and follow emergency instructions while minimizing exposure to danger.
Why can a check-in plan be helpful?
It creates a predictable way to connect with a trusted person and ask for help.
How can slow breathing help during high alert?
It can support a calmer body state; practice slow steady breaths with a longer exhale.
Name one healthy response to upsetting rumors or social media after violence.
Pause, verify reliable information, step away from triggering content, and seek support.
What is a safety route?
A planned way to move from risk toward a safer location.
When safe to do so, who may need to be contacted during a serious emergency?
Emergency services and/or designated staff or trusted adults.
A friend wants to return to a violent area “to prove they are not scared.” What safety principle applies?
Do not let peer pressure override safety; choose distance and safer options.
Jumpy, irritable, avoidant, or sleep difficulties after trauma may be what?
Possible trauma-related stress reactions.
Name one behavior that can build resilience after trauma.
Support, coping skills, routines, problem-solving, healthy activities, or professional help.
You hear violence may be occurring nearby. What should you avoid doing?
Do not move toward danger to watch, investigate, retaliate, or post for attention.
True or False: Confronting a dangerous person should be the first choice in a community-violence emergency.
False. Prioritize safety, distance, and emergency procedures.
A youth fears retaliation after violence. Name two safer alternatives to retaliation.
Tell trusted adults/staff, seek protection/support, avoid high-risk areas, use conflict-resolution support, and follow a safety plan.
A loud noise triggers a strong reaction. Name two steps to regain safety.
Orient to the present, ground/breathe, move to safety, contact support, and remind yourself the present is different from the past.
A peer talks about getting revenge after violence. What is the safest supportive response?
Do not encourage retaliation; involve trusted adults/staff and focus on immediate safety.