Emergency Preparedness: Natural & Human Generated Emergencies

Emergency Preparedness

Natural & Human Generated Emergencies

           

As an owner of a licensed family day home and having been a teacher in a child day care setting, I recognize that there are some differences in the types of emergencies that affect each environment. In Virginia we are required to develop and Emergency Preparedness Plan for both evacuation based emergencies (flood, fire etc.) and shelter in place emergencies (tornados, hurricanes etc.). It is very important to have these plans in place because they make you think about all the details of a real emergency.

As a family day home provider I have had to think about all of the external things that could happen to possibly endanger the children in my care. One of those things is the threat of being attacked by a stranger or having someone invade the home. The reality is that when you are in a neighborhood where you don’t know all of your neighbors or who is living near you, there is a possibility for danger.  The children and teachers could be physically assaulted, taken hostage or kidnapped. Being prepared in this situation can allow the teachers to take the preventative steps needed to ward off this type of disaster or act quickly if it occurs. If we are not prepared then we are putting the children and ourselves at much greater risk for danger. Using the questions that the parents have asked during enrollment regarding security is a great way to assess the risk of danger in your environment. Also having an emergency preparedness meeting with the parents could also give you great ideas for creating an effective plan.

The first step that I took when I decided to go into business was to utilize my local state police department and research the offenders that live in my area. Knowing where they are and how close they were to me allowed me to develop a plan. Also, scanning my environment for suspicious people or items hanging around the grounds is another great way to assess for risk of danger (Robertson, 204).When training my assistant, we walked through the security protocols for the program. One of the first rules was to always have locked doors. I have a security system in place that sounds out a bell each time the door is opened which is another safety measure against intrusion.  When answering the door, one teacher always stays with the children. That way, in case of a dangerous situation the other teacher can act quickly to move the children to a safe place while contacting authorities. We both keep mobile phones within reach in case of emergencies like this. Doors to the home are never opened without being checked to see who is standing on the other side. If the person is not recognized, then they are questioned about their identity through a closed door. Also, parents who are having someone pick up their child other than themselves must first let the teacher know in advance, have the person listed on their enrollment forms and make sure the person comes with valid photo identification. All of these measures are steps to protect the children from attack, intrusion and kidnapping.

Another type of disaster that could effect our environment is a shelter in place emergency. Just recently in the fall season, we were threatened by tornadoes due to some very unseasonable and unstable weather. The entire group was at risk of danger including the teachers and students. It is important for both the students and the teachers to be prepared for this type of emergency through practice drills. Knowing what to do and how to act quickly can prevent major injury or death. In the family day home environment, we are required to have battery operated weather band radios that alert us to severe weather and are portable devices. We are also required to have landline telephones in case of a power outage during an emergency. Locating interior lower level rooms within the home where children can be relocated was essential to the plan. The hallway closet located under the stairs and the hallway bathroom were both room of choice for relocation. Knowing that all of the children could not fit in just one place, we devised a plane for the children to be divided between both teachers. I prepared emergency backpacks, that could be grabbed in the event of an emergency. The backpacks have non perishable foods, blankets, flashlights and first aid kits in them. They also have emergency binders with all of the children’s contact information in them so the parents can be contacted by either the teachers or emergency response workers.

These are just a few examples of the emergencies that could happen in a family day home environment. However, thinking of all the different types of natural and human generated emergencies and preparing a plan to prevent and act on these emergencies , will improve the sense of safety within your center and/or classroom.
REFERENCES

Robertson, C. (2010). Safety, Nutrition and Health in Early Education. Fourth Edition Belmont,CA: Wadsworth.